I'm a personal trainer — here's what happens to your core during pregnancy, and how to rebuild it
Pregnancy transforms you, and I say that from (very recent) experience — I just gave birth to my first baby a week ago, and I still marvel at just how much my body has changed these past nine months.
This article is part of Tom's Guide's Women's Health Week — a series of content that explores how technology and the right workouts can support and empower women through every phase of life.
One aspect that many women notice in their 'fourth trimester' is a lack of abdominal strength. Your core muscles — along with your ligaments, organs, skin, and any other body part you can think of — shift and stretch to accommodate your growing bundle of joy. This can result in weakness and instability not only in your abs but throughout your body.
While many women are eager to get back into pre-pregnancy shape, it's important to remember that rebuilding your core postpartum takes time. If you've recently welcomed a new family member and have gotten medical clearance for exercise, start with these steps to strengthen your abs.
Your core is made up of several different muscles, located both deep within your torso and more superficially. As your uterus expands and your fetus grows, one of these muscles — the rectus abdominis — stretches and separates to make room. This is a condition known as diastasis recti, and while it's a normal occurrence during pregnancy, it can remain even after you've given birth. Diastasis recti causes a small gap in the stomach above the belly button and can lead to further issues if not addressed.
Deeper muscles like the transverse abdominis, diaphragm, and pelvic floor also lengthen to make room for the baby. This can weaken these muscles, affecting pelvic stability and causing incontinence.
Once your doctor has given you the go-ahead to resume exercise, roll out your yoga mat and start with these fundamental moves. Beginning with the basics will give you a strong foundation as you return to your pre-pregnancy activity levels.
Diaphramatic breathing is not only beneficial postpartum, but it's also an excellent way to engage your core muscles during the prenatal period.
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Once you've mastered diaphragmatic breathing, move on to these movements to address deep core strength.
After you've developed a base level of deep core strength, try these exercises for core stability.
All core exercises are not created equal. Some of the most popular ab moves like crunches, sit-ups, and bicycles can increase intra-abdominal pressure, which can further exacerbate postpartum core weakness, worsen conditions like diastasis recti, and ultimately delay your healing.
All of these exercises in this routine target core muscles like the rectus abdominis, transverse abdomins, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and multifidus without causing an increase in intra-abdominal pressure.
In some cases, diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction can be severe. If your abdominal gap is wide enough to fit more than two fingers, or if you have trouble controlling urination or bowel movements, contact a pelvic floor physical therapist.
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