Is it safe to do sit ups when i'm 9 weeks preggers?

[Neuro]

I've got a rather nice tummy and wondered if it's safe for me to do sit ups, as I'd like my nice tummy back at the end of it all?! I stopped doing them when i found out i was pregnant.
Thanks!

[scorpio1]

no its not safe, youre tummy muscles wont be able to cope.

[MrsBadger]

If you believe my yoga teacher they won't hurt the baby but are absolutely no good for your back.

[mother2b]

what can you do instead can you do stuff on one of those gym balls?

[geekInPigtails]

My 'pregnancy book' says that some gentle tummy crunches are safe, and in fact advocates them (it's into the idea that a fitter woman finds giving birth and recovery easier). It has some suggestions of how to do tummy crunches later in pregnancy when the bump is too big for you to safely do them on your back... (note, I'm 16 weeks into my first pg, so haven't quite got to the stage of trying those yet, so I don't know how good they are). I'll try to remember to dig out what it says and copy it here in the morning!

[poppy34]

both my personal trainer and my pilates teacher were doing sit ups with me on a gym ball until I was about 16 weeks and you could see I was starting to pork up and muscles starting to part in stomach.


The key thing my pilates bloke said was to leave the tummy alone while teh muscles part during and just after pregnancy as that way you can have best chance of getting back to normal.

[bobblehead]

Doctor told me not to do them lying on my back after 12 weeks (something to do with uterus pressing on a vein/artery?) but you can do them right to end of pregnancy by tightening and drawing in tummy using muscles (if that makes sense!) either on all fours or standing up

[poppy34]

bobble is right - you hunch on all fours and imagine you are drawing in your lower tummy as if you were trying to put on tight jeans

[yogimum]

Its ok in the first trimester but you should avoid exercising on your back for more than 30 secs approx as you are pressing on the vena cava which can result in dizzyness. I would avoid traditional situps but focus on "firing the core" which can be done on all fours (as mentioned previously) or when doing any other exercises by drawing the navel to the spine. There are lots of benefits to exercising in pregnancy so if you are feeling well carry on!

I'm qualified in pre and post natal exercise and I can recommend a great book called "fit to deliver" by Karen Nordhal a well respected obstetritian in Canada who specialises in exercise programs during pregnancy.

[geekInPigtails]

As promised, here's what my book says:

Tummy Tighteners
Several groups of muscles run from your ribcage to your pelvis. Strong muscles here help you to maintain good posture and push your baby during delivery.
Although you would normally lie flat on your back to perform abdominal strengtheners, you should not do so after the 4th month of pregnancy. Instead, perform this exercise when sitting, standing, or lying on your side: Place your hands by your side or behind your head, and slowly curl your body towards your knees, contracting your abdominal muscles. Relax and repeat!

(not rocket science really, but the book is written by a load of obs and gynaes, so it must be safe at least) HTH