9 Best Pregnancy Core Exercises + 3 Workouts

Reduce pregnancy-related pain, make daily tasks easier, and help you recover postpartum with these pregnancy core exercises.

As a Certified Strength Coach, I can tell you that keeping a strong core while pregnant can be a game-changer for new moms.

Learn more about the best pregnancy core exercises, how to modify them for each trimester and then grab one of the three core workouts and get started.

Prenatal workouts are finally becoming a bit more mainstream. And as a Certified Strength Coach and mom of three, I couldn’t be happier.

I was able to work out throughout all my pregnancies up until the day I gave birth, and without a doubt, it made a huge difference to my postpartum recovery.

Pregnancy ab exercises can be a safe, and effective way to stay strong while pregnant.

And though there may be some adjustments to the prenatal core exercises you need to make as you progress, know that having a strong core is going to help you immensely postpartum

Jump To

• Benefits of a strong core during pregnancy can help:
• The Focus Of Pregnancy Core Exercises
• Best Pregnancy Core Exercises
• How To Modify Ab Exercises While Pregnant
• How To Use The Pregnancy Core Workouts
• What Happens To Your Abs During Pregnancy?
• Other Pregnancy Resources To Help You Stay Fit
• Frequently Asked Questions About Core Workouts In Pregnancy

The Focus Of Pregnancy Core Exercises

Remember that in pregnancy, the goal is always growth, it's why these high protein pregnancy cookies are so great. 

This means that your prenatal abdominal exercises don’t need to be high-intensity or geared toward fatigue, failure, and fat loss.

Learn about:

• How to stay fit in the first trimester
• How to stay fit in the second trimester
• Third trimester fitness

And for obvious reasons, classic exercises like sit ups and crunches are out of the question in a prenatal core workout after the first trimester.

Your goal is NOT to prevent diastasis recti either as that’s a natural occurrence from growth (though here’s a 10 minute diastsis recti workout you can save for later!).

Best Pregnancy Core Exercises

Below are my go-to, prenatal ab exercises. When done correctly, they help strengthen all areas of the core in a safe way through each trimester. Scroll through the details below to learn more about each specific exercise.

• Parlof presses
• Elevated plank
• Bird dogs
• Modified side plank
• Reverse plank
• Belly breathing
• Seated leg lifts
• Half kneeling around the world
• Standing dumbbell marches

1. Parlof Press

1. Using a resistance band anchored to something and come into a standing position beside the anchor point with the band tight and held with both hands at chest height
2. Keep a neutral body position
3. Press the band away from the body
4. Pause and resist the temptation to rotate toward the tension
5. Return the band to the starting position at chest height and repeat.

Perform for 8-10 repetitions per side.

2. Elevated Plank

1. Place your hands flat on a wall or high bench (the higher the surface the less intense).
2. Push through your arms and engage the front of your abs by "hugging" your baby with your belly.
3. Squeeze your bum and bring your shoulders away from your ears.
4. Hold.

Perform for 15-60 seconds.

3. Bird dog

1. Come onto all fours and find a neutral back (not arched, not rounded, core engaged).
2. Keeping the hips squared and facing the floor, extend the left leg and right arm away from the body slowly.
3. Make sure not to arch the back.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement (keep to the same side for all repetitions before performing the ab exercise on the other side).

Perform for 8-12 repetitions per side.

4. Modified Side Plank

1. Lay on your left side with your shoulders stacked and feet on top of each other
2. Bend your knees so that your feet are behind you.
3. Press into the floor and raise the hips off the ground
4. Keep a straight line through the shoulders and hips. Keep the chest open

Hold for 20-30 seconds. Release and repeat on the other side

5. Reverse Plank

1. Begin with your hips on the ground, legs straight out in front of you and your hands with fingers pointed out a few inches behind your hips.
2. Squeeze the glutes and raise the hips high into the air coming into a posterior pelvic tilt. Open up the chest and hold.

Note: toward the end of your pregnancy you'll want to make this easier. Instead of having the legs straight out, bend the knees and come into more of a "crab" position with your feet under your knees for more support (the belly gets heavy!).

Hold for 20-40 seconds.

6. Belly Breathing

1. Find a comfy position sitting cross-legged, on a stability ball, or on a chair.
2. Sit tall and keep your shoulders stacked over your hips. Try not to flare your ribs.
3. Breathe in deep through your nose and ass you do, and try to "push" the air not only into the front of your belly but the sides too, opening up the rib cage. The belly should "grow".
4. Exhale through your mouth, long and slow, and as you do your belly should deflate a bit and the abdominals engaged slightly.

Note: a great way to learn to do this is to wrap a resistance band around your tummy. As you inhale your belly should expand and press against the band (or tighten the band).

Perform 10-12 repetitions.

7. Sitting Knee Lift

1. Sit tall on a bench or chair.
2. Stack the shoulders over the hips, do not arch the low back.
3. Thinking of a pelvic tilt (tucking the tail under your bum), inhale and exhale as you lift one leg up off the floor.
4. Return the leg to the floor and perform the same movement on the other side.

Aim for 8-10 repetitions per leg.

8. Half Kneeling Around The World

1. Come into a half kneeling position making sure the hips are both face forward and you're "stable".
2. Hold a dumbbell in both hands at chest height and keep the torso tall.
3. Slowly draw a circle around your head with the dumbbell trying to keep the torso straight, tall and core engaged.
4. Repeat the circle going the other way.

Perform for 5 circles each way before switching the knees on the next set.

9. Standing Dumbbell Marches

As your pregnancy progresses, make sure to do these with lighter weight and don't opt for the mini loop on your feet as it trips you up. Likewise, keep the weight very close to your body to put less stress on your back.

1. Stand up tall holding a dumbbell (one dumbbell in two hands) in front of your face with the elbows at chest height.
2. Keep standing tall and engage the core as you start to march your feet in place.
3. Perform for 20-30 seconds.

How To Modify Ab Exercises While Pregnant

You’ll want the pregnancy ab workout to come up off the floor after your second or third trimester. Though some women are okay laying flat on their backs in these trimesters, it’s not recommended

As your belly grows and your abdominal muscles stretch, ab exercises like crunches and lying leg lifts no longer serve a great purpose.

Focus on engagement more than going through the motions. Especially when it comes to connecting your breath and pelvic floor (learn more about how to breathe for engagement).

If something is uncomfortable, stop.

Likewise, each day (and each pregnancy!) is drastically different. This means that you should play it by ear in your activity levels based on how you’re feeling.

Pregnancy Core Workout 1

Bird Dog	10/side
Elevated Plank	40 seconds
Side Lying Hip Raise	8/side
Seated Leg Lifts	45 seconds
Rest	60 seconds x 3 sets

To perform the workout: perform all the pregnancy safe ab exercises back to back for the repetitions listed. From there, rest for as long as you need to before repeating the workout for a total of three or four rounds.

Pregnancy Core Workout 2

Half kneeling around the world	5/rotation
Elevated mountain climbers	30 seconds
Rest	60 seconds x 2 sets
Side plank	30 seconds
Bear crawl	35 seconds
Rest	60 seconds x2 sets
Belly breaths	45 seconds x 1 set

To perform it: begin by performing the first two exercises back to back for the prescribed repetitions. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat the sequence for a total of two rounds.

Next, move on to the next two exercises and do the same thing.

Finally, finish with one set of belly breaths.

Pregnancy Core Workout 3

Dumbbell March	30 seconds
Reverse plank	25 seconds
Clamshells	15 per side
Rest	60 seconds x 3 sets
Elevated plank with shoulder tap	30 seconds
Sliding in & outs	30 seconds
Rest	45 seconds x 2 sets

To perform it: perform the first three exercises back to back without rest. After the clamshells, rest for 60 seconds (if you need longer take it) and repeat the sequence for a total of three rounds.

Move on to the next two exercises and perform them back to back for the repetitions listed taking 45-60 seconds rest between sets.

What Happens To Your Abs During Pregnancy?

Naturally, as your baby grows your belly stretches. This puts a lot of stress on the abdominal muscles of your stomach and often stretches them to the point that they separate a bit (known as diastasis recti).

This separation is very common and can be repaired post-pregnancy (learn here how to self-test for diastasis recti first). This means that any pregnancy abdominal exercise should take into consideration the stress placed upon this area and adjust as necessary for it.

Other Pregnancy Resources To Help You Stay Fit

• Stretches to ease neck pain from breastfeeding
• The best hip exercises for pregnancy
• Must-do pregnancy exercises
• High protein pregnancy snacks
• 15 minute postpartum workout for strength

Frequently Asked Questions About Core Workouts In Pregnancy