Pelvic Exercises for Pregnancy

Pelvic tilting and Kegels are simple pelvic exercises for pregnancy that you can do at home or in a prenatal yoga class. By gently strengthening your core and your perineum, these exercises will help you relieve discomfort and have a safer delivery.

Supine Pelvic Tilts

Supine pelvic tilts relieve backaches during pregnancy and help maintain good posture.

Two-Knee Spinal Twist

Two-knee spinal twists alleviate pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips. During pregnancy, keep a pillow between your knees to lessen the pressure on your abdomen as you lower your knees to one side, keeping your torso flat.

Cat and Cow

Cat and cow stretches relieve tension in the neck and back and strengthen the intercostal muscles (between the ribs). If your baby is posterior, cat and cow stretches may encourage the baby to turn.

Kegels

Pelvic floor muscles are what you feel when stopping the flow of urine. Pelvic floor exercises, called Kegels, help shorten the second stage of labor and quicken postpartum healing.

Considerations

Always talk to your health-care provider before starting a new exercise routine during pregnancy. Avoid high-impact exercise during pregnancy and seek help if you experience abnormal pain or bleeding after exercise.