Taking care of your core and pelvic floor during pregnancy is important, and it’s easy to do with these tips from Catherine Middlebrooks, a yoga teacher and postpartum corrective exercise specialist.
- Do 5 minutes of daily, deep breathing exercises. Middlebrooks shares that the core and pelvic floor muscles work with the diaphragm. Every time you inhale deeply, your core and pelvic floor relax. When you exhale, the core and pelvic floor are engaged. Deep breathing practice helps you maintain core and pelvic floor health. It will also help you re-establish core and pelvic floor muscle tone faster after the baby arrives.
- 2. Strengthen your deep core. Middlebrooks’s favorite exercise while pregnant is hugging the baby up and in while on hands and knees. When you inhale, let the belly relax and drop down. When you exhale, gently engage your deepest core muscles and hug the baby up toward your spine.