Keeping active

Other exercises

The exercises below will strengthen your muscles so that you can carry the extra weight of pregnancy.They'll also make your joints stronger, improve circulation, ease backache and generally help you feel better.

Stomach-strengthening exercises

As your baby gets bigger, the hollow in your lower back increases, causing backache, so try this exercise to strengthen your stomach muscles:

  • Start on all fours with knees under hips, hands under shoulders, fingers facing forward and your back straight
  • Pull in your stomach muscles and raise your back up towards the ceiling, curling the trunk and allowing your head to relax gently forward. Don’t let your elbows lock
  • Hold for a few seconds then slowly return to the starting position. Take care not to hollow your back; it should always return to a straight/neutral position
  • Do this slowly 10 times, moving your back carefully.

Pelvic floor exercises

The muscles of the pelvic floor come under great strain in pregnancy and childbirth. The pelvic floor consists of layers of muscles that stretch like a supportive hammock from the pubic bone to the end of the backbone.

If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, you may leak urine when you cough, sneeze or strain. This 'stress incontinence' is quite common and you shouldn't feel embarrassed.

However, exercises can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, helping to reduce or avoid stress incontinence after pregnancy. All pregnant women should do pelvic floor exercises, even if you're young and not suffering from stress incontinence.

  • Clench as if you're trying to prevent a bowel movement and the flow of urine
  • At first, tighten quickly and release the muscles immediately
  • Then do it slowly, trying to hold the contractions for a count of 10 before you relax
  • Try to do three sets of eight 'squeezes' every day.

You could also try the pelvic tilt:

  • Stand with your shoulders and bottom against a wall, keeping your knees 'soft'
  • Pull your tummy towards your spine, so that your back flattens against the wall, hold for four seconds and then release
  • Repeat up to 10 times.