Tag: Core strength

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Menopause & Perimenopause Postpartum Strength Prenatal Fitness

Core & Pelvic Floor Strength for a Strong Foundation

Achieve pelvic floor strength with these at-home workouts!

If you have ever been told to “just do more abs” but still struggle with leaking, coning, back pain, or a core that feels disconnected, you are not broken. You have simply been given outdated advice. For women navigating pregnancy, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, or menopause, core strength is not about six pack muscles or endless crunches. It is about pelvic floor strength, pressure management, and training the core as an integrated system.

This is where the core and pelvic floor connection matters most!

The Core Is More Than Your Abs

When most people hear “core,” they picture the front of the body. But the core is actually a three dimensional support system, often described as a canister.

Core canister model including diaphragm, abs, and pelvic floor

This system includes:

  • The diaphragm at the top
  • The deep abdominal muscles at the front and sides
  • The spinal stabilizers at the back
  • The pelvic floor as the base or floor

If the floor of the system is weak, uncoordinated, or overstrained, the entire structure becomes less stable. No amount of crunches can fix that.

What Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that sit at the bottom of the pelvis. These muscles support your bladder, bowel, and uterus, while also playing a critical role in breathing, posture, and movement.

Pelvic floor anatomy showing its role in core support

A healthy pelvic floor is not just strong. It is responsive, meaning it can contract, relax, and coordinate with the rest of the core when you move.

This is why pelvic floor strength is about function, not squeezing all day long.

Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction, often shortened to PFD, occurs when the pelvic floor muscles cannot properly contract, relax, or coordinate.

Common signs include:

  • Leaking urine with exercise, coughing, or sneezing
  • Feeling heaviness or pressure in the pelvis
  • Low back or hip pain that does not resolve
  • Difficulty engaging the core without bearing down

Many women normalize these symptoms, especially after childbirth or during menopause. While these symptoms are common, they are not a normal part of being female or aging that has to be accepted.

Training abs without addressing pelvic floor health often worsens these symptoms.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis recti, or DR, refers to a widening of the connective tissue between the left and right sides of the abdominal muscles. It is common during pregnancy, but it is not exclusive to postpartum women.

Hormonal shifts, changes in tissue elasticity, and poor pressure management can contribute to DR well into midlife.

If you want a deeper explanation, I break this down step by step in What Is Diastasis Recti? A Guide for Moms to Understand and Heal, including why crunch based workouts are rarely the solution.

The key takeaway is this: DR is not just about abdominal separation. It is about how the core system handles load and pressure, which directly involves the pelvic floor.

How Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Menopause Change the Pelvic Floor

During Pregnancy

As the baby grows, the pelvic floor must support increased load while coordinating with changing breathing patterns and posture. This is why intentional core work during pregnancy matters. I dive deeper into this in The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy.

Postpartum

After birth, the pelvic floor and nervous system need time to recalibrate. Jumping back into high intensity core work without rebuilding coordination can delay healing.

During Menopause

Declining estrogen affects muscle tone and connective tissue integrity. This can lead to changes in pelvic floor strength, increased leaking, and a feeling of instability, even in women who never had symptoms before.

Across all three phases, the solution is not avoiding strength training. It is training smarter.

The Pelvic Floor Is the Foundation of Core Strength

Think of your pelvic floor as the floor of your house. If the foundation is unstable, adding more weight on top only creates more stress.

Traditional ab workouts focus on intensity and fatigue. Functional core training focuses on:

  • Breath coordination
  • Pressure control
  • Stability during movement

This is why planks and crunches alone often fail women in transitional phases of life.

3 Functional Exercises for Core and Pelvic Floor Strength

These exercises train the core and pelvic floor together, not in isolation.

1. Dead Bug

The dead bug teaches core engagement while maintaining a neutral spine and controlled breathing.

Why it works:

  • Reinforces coordination between breath, abs, and pelvic floor
  • Builds strength without excessive pressure
  • Ideal for pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause when scaled appropriately

Focus on slow, controlled movement and exhaling with effort.

2. Glute Bridge

The glutes and pelvic floor work together more than most people realize.

Glute bridge exercise for functional core and pelvic floor strength

Why it works:

  • Strengthens the posterior chain
  • Encourages pelvic floor engagement through hip extension
  • Supports better pressure distribution during daily movements

Avoid thrusting or arching the back. Think long spine and steady breath.

3. Forearm Plank or Modified Plank

Planks can be helpful when done correctly and modified as needed.

A traditional plank versus a modified plank for core and pelvic floor strength in pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause.

Why it works:

  • Trains full core integration
  • Builds endurance without repetitive flexion
  • Encourages awareness of pelvic floor engagement under load

If you feel pressure, coning, or leaking, modify to knees or an elevated surface.

For more pelvic floor friendly movements beyond kegels, check out 5 Pelvic Floor Exercises That Are Not Kegels.

Strength Without Fear

One of the biggest myths in women’s fitness is that pelvic floor issues mean you should stop training your core.

In reality, the goal is to:

  • Reduce unnecessary pressure
  • Improve coordination
  • Progress intentionally

Your body is capable of strength at every stage when training respects how it changes.

Ready to Rebuild Your Foundation?

If you are done guessing and want a clear, progressive approach to pelvic floor strength and core training, Core & Restore: No-Leak Physique was designed for exactly this phase of life.

This program focuses on rebuilding strength from the inside out so you can move confidently, lift heavier, and feel supported without fear of leaking or injury.

Your core deserves more than outdated ab routines. It deserves a strong foundation.

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Postpartum Strength

A Safe, Simple Guide to Postpartum Core Strength

A woman performing postpartum-safe core exercises to rebuild core strength after birth

Bringing a baby into the world is powerful, life-changing, and incredibly demanding on your body! If you’re feeling eager to rebuild strength after birth but also unsure where to start, you’re not alone. Postpartum core strength isn’t about rushing back to intense workouts or chasing a flat stomach. It’s about reconnecting with your body, restoring function, and rebuilding strength in a way that supports long-term health.

A woman sitting on a round rug in a bright room, stretching to rebuild postpartum core strength. A crib and plants are in the background, with natural light coming through the windows.

Before diving in, an important reminder: always wait for clearance from your healthcare provider before resuming or starting exercise after birth. Once you’ve been cleared, slow and intentional movement is one of the most supportive things you can do for your recovery.

What Core Strength Really Means After Birth

When we talk about postpartum core strength, we’re not just talking about your abs.

Your core is a system of muscles that work together to support your spine, pelvis, and daily movement. This system includes:

  • The deep abdominal muscles
  • The pelvic floor
  • The diaphragm
  • The muscles around your hips and glutes

Pregnancy and birth place prolonged stress on this system. Muscles stretch, coordination changes, and your body adapts to support a growing baby. After birth, rebuilding strength means teaching these muscles to work together again.

Jumping too quickly into traditional core exercises can overwhelm a system that’s still healing. A slower, progressive approach helps you build strength that actually lasts.

What Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of your pelvis. In simple terms, it acts like a supportive hammock that holds your bladder, uterus, and bowel in place.

A diagram of the pelvic floor, illustrating the importance of pelvic floor strength during pregnancy and postpartum

During pregnancy, these muscles lengthen to accommodate your growing baby. During birth, they stretch even further. Postpartum, the pelvic floor plays a key role in:

  • Supporting your organs
  • Controlling bladder and bowel function
  • Stabilizing your core during movement
  • Helping you feel strong and confident in your body

As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist, I emphasize pelvic floor awareness before strength. Learning how to gently engage and relax these muscles is foundational for postpartum core recovery.

If you want a deeper dive into how pelvic floor health supports recovery, you can also explore The Role of Pelvic Floor Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum Fitness.

What Is Diastasis Recti and How Does It Affect Core Strength?

Diastasis recti is the separation of the abdominal muscles that commonly occurs during pregnancy. As your belly grows, the connective tissue between the muscles stretches to make space.

This separation is normal and incredibly common.

Postpartum, diastasis recti can impact how well your core transfers force and supports movement. You may notice:

  • A feeling of weakness through the midsection
  • Difficulty generating core tension
  • Doming or bulging along the abdomen during certain movements

The good news is that diastasis recti is highly responsive to proper training. With the right exercises and breathing strategies, you can rebuild strength and function safely.

Red Flags to Watch For During Exercise

As you begin rebuilding postpartum core strength, your body should feel supported, not strained.

Pause exercise and seek medical or pelvic floor physical therapy support if you notice:

  • Persistent leaking or loss of bladder control
  • A feeling of heaviness, pressure, or bulging in the pelvic area
  • Pain in the pelvis, hips, or low back during core work
  • Doming or coning through the abdomen that does not improve with modification
  • Pain during intercourse or difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor

These signs don’t mean you’ve failed. They’re signals that your body needs a different level of support.

If you’re unsure what’s normal during recovery, From Birth to Beyond: Understanding the Postpartum Recovery Timeline is a helpful companion read.

The Connection Breath: Your Foundation for Core Recovery

Before strengthening comes reconnecting.

The connection breath helps retrain the coordination between your diaphragm, deep core, and pelvic floor.

Illustration explaining the breathing connection involving the lungs, diaphragm, and pelvic floor, with arrows indicating inhalation and exhalation, contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm, and engagement and release of the pelvic floor.

Here’s how to practice it:

  1. Start lying on your back or sitting comfortably.
  2. Inhale through your nose, allowing your ribcage and belly to gently expand.
  3. As you exhale, imagine lifting the pelvic floor slightly while gently drawing the belly inward, like zipping up a pair of jeans.
  4. Keep the effort subtle. No clenching or holding your breath.

This breath becomes the foundation for all postpartum core exercises and daily movement, from lifting your baby to standing up from the floor.

3 Beginner Moves to Rebuild Postpartum Core Strength

These exercises focus on gentle activation, control, and coordination. Move slowly and connect each rep to your breath.

Clamshells

Clamshells strengthen the hips and glutes, which play a major role in pelvic stability and core support.

Lie on your side with knees bent. Exhale as you open the top knee, keeping your hips stacked and core gently engaged. Inhale as you lower.

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges help reconnect the glutes, pelvic floor, and deep core muscles.

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Inhale to prepare. Exhale, gently engage the pelvic floor, and lift your hips. Lower with control.

Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic tilts restore awareness of deep abdominal control and spinal movement.

On your hands and knees, inhale to relax. As you exhale, gently tilt your pelvis and draw your belly button towards your spine, rounding your lower back and engaging the deep core. Release back to neutral slowly.

How to Progress Safely Over Time

Postpartum core strength is built gradually.

Focus on:

  • Consistent practice over intensity
  • Quality of movement instead of speed
  • Exercises that feel better as you perform them

As strength improves, you can layer in more challenging movements that continue to respect pelvic floor function.

For guidance on adjusting workouts during recovery, Adapting Your Fitness Routine for the Postpartum Phase offers supportive strategies.

Be Kind to Your Body 🫶

Your postpartum body has done something extraordinary.

Healing isn’t linear, and strength doesn’t return on a set timeline. Progress comes from patience, consistency, and compassion.

If you’re ready for structured guidance that supports pelvic floor health and confident movement, Core & Restore: No-Leak Physique was designed to help you rebuild postpartum core strength safely and effectively.

Your body deserves care, respect, and time. Strength will follow!

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Categories
Prenatal Fitness

Strength Training During Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

You may have heard old wive’s tales warning to steer clear of any physical activity during pregnancy; however, there are a myriad of studies showing the benefits of exercise during pregnancy. Maintaining a regular exercise routine has physical and mental benefits for both mama and baby, as well as helping to prepare the body for labor and delivery and set you up for a speedy recovery postpartum.

Exercising during pregnancy helps reduce the risks of pregnancy-related health conditions such as gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes. Strength training during pregnancy is particularly beneficial as it also reduces risk for pregnancy-related chronic pains and aids in pain management, improves balance, helps train the body for labor and delivery, and promotes better postpartum recovery.

For more information on the benefits of exercise while pregnant, check out our prior post The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy, and for guidance on specific exercise modifications, take a look at Safe Exercises for Each Trimester of Pregnancy.

Disclaimer: Before starting any new exercise routine during pregnancy, it is crucial to consult with your healthcare provider or medical care team. This post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or exercise during pregnancy. Your health and the health of your baby are of utmost importance.

Benefits of Strength Training During Pregnancy

While there are so many different types of exercise that benefit expectant mamas during pregnancy, strength training is among the most advantageous due to its various physical and psychological benefits.

Physical health benefits  

  • reduce length of labor and pain of childbirth
  • enhance endurance for labor and delivery  
  • reduce or eliminate pain associated with pregnancy
  • prevent gestational diabetes or hypertension
  • improve calcium absorption
  • strengthen, tone, and give better control of the pelvic floor
  • lower risk of labor and delivery complications
  • improve muscle tone and strength  
  • maintain general health

Psychological benefits 

  • boost mood and reduce anxiety  
  • relieve tension and stress
  • increase energy (especially in the third trimester)
  • improve immune system (which gets passed to baby too!)
  • increase body confidence 

Improving your body’s lean muscle mass through strength training while pregnant helps maintain a healthy body composition, or the amount of fat mass versus lean muscle mass within the body. During pregnancy, hormonal changes shift the body’s metabolism to concentrate on storing fat to act as for insulation for the baby as well as energy reserves for both mama and baby to support fetal development. Building muscle through strength training helps to keep the overall body composition balanced, despite the additional fat stores, and will help with fat loss during the postpartum recovery.

Additionally, there are many strength training exercises for the legs, hips, core, and pelvic floor that help prepare the body for labor and delivery by strengthening the muscles the body will utilize during contractions and pushing. This can help lower the time spent laboring and pushing, as well as reduce the pain associated with it.

Benefits to Baby

When mama is healthy and feeling good, baby is healthy and feeling good, too! Children born of fit pregnancies are leaner, healthier, and more intelligent – and these benefits last a lifetime! Exercising while pregnant improves the baby’s health and development, not only in the womb, but for years to come, setting them up for a long and healthy life.

Baby also reaps the benefits of an easier labor. Shorter and less painful labors lower the risk of complications and increases the likelihood of high Apgar scores.

Recommended Strength Training Exercises for Each Trimester

First Trimester

There are little modifications needed to your normal exercise routine within the first trimester. At this point, the baby is not big enough to have displaced any of your other organs or muscles, or add significant weight to your body. The biggest physiological impact in the first trimester will be symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Focus on pacing yourself in the trimester and just doing what you can to stay active and keep your body feeling good!

Recommended Strength Training Exercises

gentle or modified core exercises

  • planks or modified planks
  • bird-dog
  • dead bug
  • glute bridge

total body strengthening – light to medium weights

upper body

  • chest press
  • bentover row
  • bicep curls
  • front and lateral shoulder raises
  • tricep kickback extension

lower body

  • squats
  • deadlifts
  • lunges
  • seated leg extension

Second Trimester

The second trimester usually arrives with much-needed relief from nausea and fatigue – take advantage of this to focus on strengthening the body to prepare for labor and delivery prep! Be mindful of your growing baby bump putting extra pressure on the pelvic floor, spine, and abdominal wall. At this point, all core exercises should be modified for pregnancy safety, and exercises that have you laying on your back should be limited or avoided. Working on strengthening the core and legs to help promote balance will help make the third trimester more comfortable, but take care not to create environments that pose a fall risk (i.e., standing or jumping on uneven or high surfaces, etc) as your center of gravity shifts greatly throughout pregnancy.

Recommended Strength Training Exercises

for labor and delivery prep

  • squats
  • lunges
  • sumo squats
  • hip abductions
  • glute extensions

for postural support

  • chest fly
  • lat pulldown
  • machine chest press
  • rear delt fly
  • seated rows

for pelvic floor

  • clamshells
  • fire hydrants
  • donkey kicks
  • glute bridge

Third Trimester

The third trimester sees the most growth, putting ever-increasing strain on the body. Building and maintaining adequate strength will go a long way for pain management and balance and stabilization as the body continues to change and expand to accommodate the rapid growth of baby as you near the finish line! Focus on strengthening the core, pelvic floor, hips, and glutes to help improve balance as well as reduce chronic pregnancy-related pains.

Recommended Strength Training Exercises

core and stability exercises

  • planks or modified planks
  • bird-dog
  • standing bicycle crunch
  • lunges
  • side plank

pelvic floor exercises

  • clamshells
  • deep squats
  • standing or side-lying leg abductions

hips and glutes exercises

  • squats
  • sumo deadlifts
  • hip abductions
  • hip thrusts

Creating a Strength Training Program

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When starting a new exercise program of any kind, particularly while pregnant, it is important to refer to your physician or health care team to ensure it is safe for you to do so. Start small, and slowly build up to your desired frequency and duration. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends striving for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five days a week. If you are just starting out with your exercise routine, you can start with doing 10 minutes 2-3 times a day, 2-3 times per week, and build up to 30 minute increments five times per week.

It is recommended to perform strength training activities 2-3 times per week, so plan to incorporate different activity types into your exercise routine. Aerobic activity – otherwise known as cardio – is important to maintain heart and lung health and function, and flexibility exercises or prenatal yoga help to maintain mobility and reduce pains. Aim to balance your weekly exercise routine with a variety of strength training, cardio training, and flexibility training to create a well-rounded program that will help keep your body healthy and strong!

Myths vs. Facts about Strength Training and Pregnancy  

Myth #1: Pregnant People Shouldn’t Do Any Strenuous Activities or Lifting

Fact: Pregnant women operate at 2.2 times their normal metabolic rate — almost the maximum possible (2.5x), every day, for some 270 days, researchers found

I like to say that pregnancy is a strenuous activity in and of itself! Your body is adapting and making rapid changes at a pace that does not occur naturally at any other phase of life. It is important to maintain – or begin – an exercise routine that can help support your body throughout these changes and keep you feeling good. That being said, pregnancy is not the time to be setting new records! Let your body set the pace and aim for consistency, not PRs!

Myth #2: Pregnant People Should Avoid Core Workouts

Fact: The core muscles support the weight of the growing uterus as well as being instrumental during pushing in labor and delivery.

For a deeper dive, check out our post The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy!

Myth #3: Exercising While Pregnant Can Cause Early or Pre-term Labor

Fact: According to ACOG, physical activity does not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery.

https://media.tenor.com/SML-sZ0w2iEAAAAM/snl-saturday-night-live.gif

In fact, exercise during pregnancy is associated with the occurrence of full-term pregnancy! Exercising during pregnancy also helps prepare the lungs, heart, and muscles for successful labor and delivery.

In conclusion, strength training during pregnancy offers numerous benefits, including improved physical health, enhanced endurance for labor, and reduced pain, all while boosting mental well-being. By incorporating strength exercises, expectant mamas can support a healthy pregnancy, prepare their bodies for labor, and promote a quicker postpartum recovery. Staying active not only benefits mama but also contributes to the baby’s health and development throughout their entire childhood. Adopting an exersice routine for pregnancy is one of the first and best gifts you can give your little one, before even bringing them into this world, that will stay with them for a lifetime!

Did you strength train during your pregnancy? Let us know in the comments below?

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Prenatal Fitness

The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy

There are so many changes that the body undergoes throughout pregnancy; namely around the abdominal area with the growth of the beloved baby belly bump! In addition to being totally adorable, the growing belly also has physical impacts on the body, such as putting pressure and weight on the pelvic floor muscles, and shifting the body’s center of gravity forward, affecting balance and posture. (Check out our post on Understanding Your Body: Changes to Expect During Pregnancy for more!)

Building and maintaining a strong core throughout your pregnancy is vital for counteracting these impacts. Sufficient core strength can help restore your sense of balance despite the shifting center of gravity, aid in the management and reduction of chronic pregnancy-related pains (particularly those related to posture or spinal and pelvic alignment), prepare the body for labor and delivery, and set yourself up for an improved postpartum recovery.

Disclaimer: Before starting any new exercise routine during pregnancy, it is crucial to consult with your healthcare provider or medical care team. This post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or exercise during pregnancy. Your health and the health of your baby are of utmost importance.

Understanding Core Strength

We tend to think of the core as our “6-pack muscles,” the prominent abs you see around the belly button on a chiseled body. However, the core is so much more! The core includes your abdominal muscles (upper, lower, middle, transverse, and oblique abdominals), supporting & stabilizing muscles of the chest and back, lower back muscles, hip flexors, glutes, pelvic floor, and diaphragm.

Having a strong core doesn’t just equate to a 6-pack, but actually indicates a strong foundation for all of the body’s movements to draw from. A strong core supports proper posture and a strong sense of balance. In other words, when your core is strong, your body is better equipped to function smoothly and with less joint or tissue-related pains.

Benefits of Core Strength During Pregnancy

A strong core throughout pregnancy will provide the same benefits of having a solid foundation for all movements and improved posture. Since core strength is so important for a changing pregnant body, there are also additional benefits to enjoy!

Many pregnant people suffer from chronic pregnancy-related pains such as low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and sciatic nerve and hip pain. When your core muscles are strong, they help support the spine and promote postural alignment throughout the spine, hips, and pelvic area. This can reduce the pains that arise along the neck, shoulders, and back due to the postural misalignment that often occurs as the body’s center of gravity shifts forward.

The pelvic floor is an important part of the core that functions as a net spanning the pelvis and supporting the pelvic organs (such as the bladder and uterus). Strengthening the core also strengthens the pelvic floor; a strength you will rely on and appreciate throughout the pregnancy as the pelvic floor muscles bear the growing weight of your baby and uterus.

A strong core and pelvic floor serves you well not only during the pregnancy, but also during labor and delivery. These muscles are responsible for pushing during contractions in delivery; the stronger they are, the more helpful they’ll be! Lastly, the benefits of a strong core continue into the postpartum period as it helps to promote healing and recovery.

Safe Core Strengthening Exercises for Pregnancy

Although it is safe and beneficial to strengthen the core throughout pregnancy, it should be done with some modifications in mind. When working to strengthen the core, be mindful to strengthen the entirety of the core, not just the “6-pack muscles”!

More specifically, avoid movements that seek to isolate the muscles in the abdominal wall, such as sit-ups or crunches. The abdominal wall stretches and shifts during pregnancy as the growing uterus crowds and pushes on the muscles of the abdominal wall, weakening them and sometimes resulting in diastasis recti, or a separation of the abdominal wall. Overworking these muscles during pregnancy puts you at risk of injury to these and surrounding muscles.

If you have specific questions about appropriate core-strengthening exercises, how to perform them, or what’s safe, contact us or consult with a certified trainer who has a background in prenatal fitness.

Some ideal core-strengthening exercises that are safe to perform throughout pregnancy are:

1. Pelvic tilts  

2. Modified planks  

3. Cat-cow stretches  

4. Clamshells

5. Bird-Dog

6. Side-lying Leg Lifts

Common Concerns and Misconceptions

Don’t core exercises during pregnancy squish the baby?

Not at all! When performed properly and with the necessary modifications, core exercises support a changing body throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery. Additionally, the baby is well-protected within the uterus, and the modifications made to pregnancy-safe core exercises prevent direct pressure on the uterus itself.

While it is true that the muscles of the abdominal wall shift and stretch during pregnancy to accommodate the growing baby, the muscles do not disappear! Intentionally maintaining core strength can limit and reverse the abdominal weakening many pregnant people experience.

Will exercising harm the baby?

Quite the opposite – exercising while pregnant is extremely beneficial to the baby, as well as the pregnant person. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has found that physical activity does not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, or early delivery. In fact, exercise during pregnancy is associated with the occurrence of full-term pregnancy. It has also been shown to reduce the risks of birth defects or complications in delivery, such as meconium-stained amniotic fluid, umbilical cord entanglement, abnormally fast fetal heart rate, or the need for emergency C-sections.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy also extend well beyond the duration of the pregnancy. Children born of fit pregnancies are leaner, healthier, and more intelligent well into their later childhood years.

Having a strong core helps support your pregnancy, your growing belly, and your baby. A strong core aids in balance, posture, and alignment, which can alleviate common pregnancy-related pains. It also benefits labor and recovery postpartum. Remember, prioritizing your health and well-being during this time is crucial for both you and your baby! What concerns do you have about working out while pregnant? Tell us in the comments below!

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