Quick and easy pregnancy workouts for your second and third trimester

A lot of people reiterate the importance of staying fit during pregnancy. From elation and pure joy to concern, worry; you experience a range of emotions during this time as you realize that you’re responsible for nourishing, growing, and keeping this tiny soon-to-be human being safe and healthy. Including some form of exercise most days of the week can help keep your core strong, your muscles fit, and your cardiovascular system in top shape. Plus, it can do wonders for your mental health (yay for endorphins!).

One area of importance is to work on body awareness to prepare for changes in your posture, says Mandy Narula, a certified sports nutritionist. It should also focus on specific exercises that help make pregnancy easier and prepare you for labor and childbirth. It may seem far off — but it will be here before you know it!

Bicep curls

This simple — yet effective — move is another top pick throughout pregnancy. biceps curls are a key move to add to your workouts since you need to prep your arms for repeatedly lifting and holding your baby.

Grab 5- to 10-pound dumbbells and stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your knees slightly bent.
Exhale as you slowly bend your elbows, bringing the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
Inhale and slowly lower the weights back down.
Take 3 seconds to lift the dumbbells and 5 seconds to lower.
Do 2 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Exercises to do in the third trimester of pregnancy

You’ll definitely notice a slowdown — if not an abrupt halt at times — during the third trimester, as your body begins to prepare for labor and childbirth. This is a great time to focus on cardiovascular activities and keep up your mobility and abdominal strength with:

walking
swimming
prenatal yoga
Pilates
pelvic floor exercises
bodyweight moves

These help to keep your upper and lower body muscles strong.

Diastasis recti correction

“Diastasis recti separation of the rectus abdominal muscles] is a concern for women during this time, and it will show up as a bulge that runs down the midline of your abdomen,” says Jeffcoat. In order to combat this, she recommends doing a diastasis recti correction exercise.

Lie on your back with a pillow under your head and shoulders. Knees are bent, and feet are flat on the floor.
Use a crib or twin sheet and roll it so it’s about 3 to 4 inches wide, and place it on your lower back (above your pelvis and below your ribs).
Grab the sheet and cross it once over your abdomen. Then, grasp the sides, and the sheet should form an X as you pull each side.
Take a deep breath in to prepare, then press your back flat into the floor as you raise your head and shoulders off of the pillow. During this motion, you are gently “hugging” the sheet around your abdomen to support your abs.
Inhale lower, and repeat 10 to 20 times. If your neck or shoulders hurt, start at 10 and work your way up.
Do this 2 times a day.

Make sure to listen to your body and stop if you feel any discomfort or pain. And as always, talk with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about how your body is responding to an exercise program.

Also Read: 4 Exercises for women in their first trimester of pregnancy