Many women wake up one day at the beginning of their second trimester with newfound energy. Nesting begins and that little fetus really starts growing into a cute, little human. It’s important to continue to workout because you will probably feel your best over the next 12 weeks and movement is great for you and your baby.
Avoid: Twisting, forward flexion, and begin to limit high impact workouts.
Cardio is wonderful but we want to be kind to the joints and to the pelvic floor. By around week 16, you will begin to experience joint laxity, which will relax the body’s muscles, joints, and ligaments. This can cause joints to be hypermobile and can be prone to strains. It’s important to be mindful of our movements.
The Routine: Hip Openers
Try to sit in either a half squat or a full squat daily to prepare your hips for birth. Other great hip openers you can start to introduce to your exercise routine include child's pose, butterfly pose, straddle stretch, figure four, pigeon pose, and lunges.
The Routine: Chest Openers
These are really important because pregnancy causes women to roll their shoulders forward, which causes bad posture and discomfort in the upper back. This is from a larger breast and belly while pregnant and constantly bending over to feed and care for a baby during postpartum. To combat that, incorporate chest openers into your daily routine and exercises to strengthen the upper back. Try it:
- Interlace your fingers behind your back.
- Pull your fist towards the ground, opening up your chest.
- Finish with arm circles and shoulder circles on each side.
Additional chest openers to try are reverse prayer pose, side bends, and tricep stretches with a side bend.
The Routine: Abdominal Toning + Pelvic Floor Exercises
You should also continue to do your abdominal toning and pelvic floor exercises we discussed in your first trimester to continue to prepare your body for labor.
How are you feeling now in your second trimester? Tell us by joining the Perelel community on social or by subscribing to our newsletter.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.