10 Safe and Simple At-Home Prenatal Exercises

Keeping a fitness routine during pregnancy is important because it can help women go through the journey with more strength and confidence.

Prenatal exercises help alleviate pregnancy-related musculoskeletal complaints such as low back pain, knee pain, upper back pain, and more, as well as prepare you for labour and delivery.

Ten at-Home Simple Exercises for Strengthen Your Muscles

1. Sitting Knee Lift

Benefits:

• Sitting knee lifts help to improve muscular endurance, balance, and coordination.
• It helps to strengthen your core muscles and keep your legs strong and flexible.

How to Do:

• Start this prenatal exercise by sitting near the edge of your chair.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor, directly beneath your knees. Maintain your palms facing down under your hips.
• Exhale and slowly pull your left knee toward your chest as you crunch your upper body forward using your abs.
• Inhale and lower your left foot to the floor to return to your starting position.
• Repeat with the right leg.
• Perform 2-3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

2. Core Breathing

Benefits:

• Core breathing strengthens deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
• It also improves breathing and circulation, providing an energy boost.

How to Do:

• Sit or stand comfortably with your back straight.
• Place one hand on your waist or belly and the other on your chest.
• Deep breath in and feel your ribs expand (about 5-10 count inhale).
• Exhale the air for 5-10 counts and return your ribs to a closed position.
• Contract the front of your pelvis and the tailbone to relax your muscles.
• Repeat ten times.

3. Side Plank

Benefits:

• Side plank is an excellent prenatal exercise for core strength and spine protection.
• It also improves your balance and lowers your risk of back injury.

How to Do:

• Begin on your side and keep your elbow directly under your shoulder.
• Keep one leg on top of the other, both straight.
• Keep a neutral neck and spine with your back flat.
• Breathe in and breathe out.
• Lift your hips off the mat or floor, and rely on your elbow and the side of your foot for support. Your body should be straight from your ankles to your head.
• Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.

4. The Standing Bicycle

Benefits:

• The standing bicycle exercise can help you build leg and lower body strength.
• It is an excellent prenatal exercise for improving balance, stamina, and endurance.
• It also reduces the risk of injury to your lower back.

How to Do:

• Begin by standing and keeping your feet hip-width apart and your hands behind your head.
• Take a deep breath.
• As you crunch, bring your left elbow to meet your right knee.
• Return to your starting position and repeat with your left foot and right elbow.
• Aim for 10 to 20 reps.

5. Kegels

Benefits:

• Kegel exercises can help to prevent or manage urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor issues.
• It helps to tone the pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.
• It also strengthens the pubococcygeal (PC) muscle, which supports your growing baby, prevents haemorrhoids, and helps in childbirth.

How to Do:

• Ensure that your bladder is empty, then sit comfortably on the exercise ball and inhale deeply. Allow your belly to rise as you take in more air while breathing in. Once you’ve taken in enough air, slowly exhale to let it all out. You can even count 5-10 times as you inhale and exhale.
• Next, tighten your pelvic floor muscles. It should feel like your muscles tightening when you desperately need to pee but are forced to hold it in.
• Keep your neck, face, and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the pose for 5 to 8 counts.
• Do at least three sets of 15 reps a day.

6. Squats

Benefits:

• Squats strengthen the abdominal and leg muscles.
• They help to strengthen your lower body, especially your glutes and quadriceps.
• This ab and leg exercise will help you prepare for the pushing stage of labour.
• It also reduces the risk of knee and ankle injuries.

How to Do:

• Stand straight with your feet hip-distance apart.
• Keep your hands on your thighs or raise them straight in front of your chest.
• Inhale as you squat down, keeping your weight in your heels and your knees from buckling in.
• Exhale as you rise to the standing position, pausing at the bottom.
• Perform 2-3 sets of 15 reps each.

7. Cat Cow Pose

Benefits:

• The cat and cow pose stretches the hips, abdomen, and back while improving coordination.
• This prenatal exercise helps with posture and balance.
• It strengthens the core, spine and neck muscles.
• It also helps to relieve stress and relax the mind.

How to Do:

• Begin in a tabletop position on the floor on your hands and knees. Maintain your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Deeply inhale while arching your back and tilting your pelvis up.
• Exhale, tuck your chin, draw your abdomen in, and lower your pelvis.
• Repeat for about two minutes, then pause and resume.

8. Side-Lying Leg Lifts

Benefits:

• Side-lying leg lifts work your core and
• This prenatal exercise engages muscles that are not normally active in people who sit for long periods each day.
• It improves hip range of motion and body stability.

How to Do:

• Lie on your left side with your legs stacked on each other.
• Maintain your left elbow on the ground to support your upper body.
• Now slowly lift your right leg. Lift it as far as you can. Ensure your hips are parallel with the rest of your body.
• Lower your right leg to about two inches above your left leg.
• Do about 20 reps with each leg and continue until your legs become tired.

9. Bird Dog Pose

Benefits:

• The bird dog is a simple prenatal exercise that increases stability, promotes a neutral spine, and alleviates low back pain.
• This exercise improves posture and strengthens your core, hips, and back muscles.

How to Do:

• Begin on all fours. Keep your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips, back straight.
• Tighten your core and slowly inhale. Lift your left leg and extend it in a straight line behind you while also lifting your right arm straight in front of you.
• Exhale and return to the starting position.
• Repeat for 10-12 reps. Then repeat with your opposite hand and leg.

10. Standing pelvic tilt

Benefits:

• Standing pelvic tilts helps alleviate back pain. They relieve lower back stiffness and gently stretch the back muscles.
• This prenatal workout increases circulation throughout the body.
• They also strengthen your buttock and abdominal muscles, which promotes digestion.

How to Do:

• Stand straight against a wall. You will notice a small gap between the wall and your lower back.
• Now, contract your abs and tilt your pelvis. You should be able to feel your lower back flatten against the wall.
• Hold the pose for five seconds, then release and repeat ten times.

Things to Remember While Doing Prenatal Exercise

• If you haven’t exercised before becoming pregnant, that’s fine. You can start at any time. Take it slow at first, and don’t overdo it.
• Begin a simple fitness routine during the first trimester, such as long walks or runs, swimming, dancing or aerobics, yoga, pilates, and weight training.
• In the second and third trimesters, reduce the intensity of your workouts and start modifying exercises like supine core exercises and high-impact activities.
• You can include simple core exercises because they support the muscles closest to your baby.
• Avoid lying on your back for long durations, especially after the first trimester.
• Avoid exercising in hot or humid conditions because it can raise your body temperature and cause dehydration.
• Avoid any exercises that require sudden movements, twists, or turns.
• Exercise in front of someone for support and to avoid injury.

You should consult a doctor before starting any prenatal exercises because they can advise you on which exercises to do based on your overall health condition.