Advice needed please. When (if at all ) is it safe to do abdominal exercise during pregnancy? .

[bigfatpieceofchocolate]

hello

I am only 8 weeks pregant but I started doing a rowing course before finding out - which I love. Rowing uses your abdominal muscles a lot and I am concerned about damage but I had thought that it was ok to use your abdominals until the point where they 'part' . Does anyone have any idea or does anyone have any experience of doing abdominal exercise in the first trimester? If I risk doing permanent damaage then I'll stop but if I am ok for a bit I would really love to carry on.

Just wanted to thank you Hatcam for the advice. I had an awful stomach separation first time round, and did manage to get it together with the help of physio (which I got urgently due to back problems - I was shocked to find out I had apparently no muscle tone whatsoever round my back and tummy).

Now on baby no.4, 29 weeks and I can feel it slightly coming apart again, but at least I know what the problem is and I have the confidence I can work at it after the birth - but good God those exercises are hard work! I'd rather run miles than do my exercises every day, but it has to be done.

Thanks for the advice, its so lovely to see someone so committed to helping people improve their lives.

no shooting of arrietyclock! Understand totally about the fact that if you're a lil' waif then there's not always the incentive to break a sweat, I see lots of clients who are under the assumption that if people are slim then it automatically means that they're fit. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Was I really tactful? I do try!!

greenlawn, baby no. 4 that's fab, as you're an old hander any advice on managing naughty toddler and a newborn?!

eandz I have had a root through all my contacts and can't find anyone in your area who I know well enough to recommend. You could try the NRPT though (National Register of PTs) and put in your postcode, you have to be properly qualified/insured to be listed so it's a good start. Get at least 3 or 4 to quote/come back to you though and be fussy, there's loads of PTs around at the moment but some are just RUBBISH and would hate you to waste your money.

hello Hatcam - thanks for the brilliant advice! I have been feeling so tired and sick I can't drag mnyself to the gym atm - will it really affect fitness to wait until I feel better before doing much? just can't face it. I do walk a fair bit day to day - am thinking of resuming more of a routine after the summer hols....just don't want body to go to pot in-between now and Sept!

can you reommend any trainers in East Surrey btw? thanks

how many pelvic floor a day btw?

Wish I had the answer to that one, Hatcam ... though I've found that being a little selfish every now and again is no bad thing. I try and look after myself physically and mentally and not let myself get run down, because I know if I do that will be when I'm prone to snapping.

Other than that, breathing deeply, telling myself "this is just a phase" (even when the phase goes on for a year or more!) - and when all else fails I find the iPod ("lalala sorry I can't hear you whinging and fighting") to be a good last resort ...

I did not realise that I would spark so much off here. My midwife said that I should not do anything that would raise my heart rate! Thanks for sharing your experiences and the advice - I am still enjoying being on the water.