Busy growing a new life? Don’t worry, you can still stay active! Pregnancy ball exercises can help engage your core and improve hip stability.
Whether you call it an exercise ball, stability ball, Swiss ball, balance ball, or birthing ball, there are plenty of pregnancy ball exercises you can do at home with this simple and inexpensive piece of equipment.
Short answer: In general, exercise balls can safely be used during pregnancy. Before you start any exercise plan while pregnant, it’s important to check with your doctor.
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And keep in mind your workouts may change over the course of your pregnancy due to morning sickness, energy levels, or just general discomfort.
“A large exercise ball can be used safely in pregnancy for some — mostly seated — exercises, ” says Daniel Roshan, MD, FACOG, FACS, a high-risk, maternal-fetal OB/GYN in New York City. “In pregnancy, we advise against strenuous abdominal exercises and encourage patients to modify their exercise routines as needed as their body changes throughout pregnancy.”
An exercise ball can challenge your balance, but when you’re pregnant, Roshan recommends making sure you’re stable during any pregnancy ball exercises.
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“We do not advise patients to do any exercises with the exercise ball in which they are not seated with both feet on the floor, or anything that makes them unsteady, increasing their risk of falling, ” he says.
And according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you’ll want to avoid exercises that have you lying on your back, as this can cause a drop in blood pressure.
“During pregnancy, you still want to make sure you’re strengthening your core, ” says Liz Smith, a certified personal trainer and founder of RebelMom, which provides nutrition and fitness coaching for moms and moms-to-be.
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Ready to give it a try? If your doctor has given you the green light to work out during your pregnancy, here are 9 exercises to start with.
Stand feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and bend your knees to slowly lower yourself into a squatting position, using the ball as support.
While lying on your back for standard crunches isn’t advised, Smith recommends this modification instead: Sit upright on an exercise ball and walk your feet forward so they are just in front of your knees.
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Continue taking small steps until your lower back touches the ball. Your feet should remain flat on the ground with knees bent, and your body should be at an incline with hips lower than your shoulders.
Make sure the ball is on a non-slip surface, or against the wall, to keep it from slipping out from under you — and stop if you feel any discomfort.
Sit on the ball with a straight spine. Contract your pelvic muscles, as you would to stop the flow of urine. Hold for a few seconds, and then release and repeat.
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Sit on the ball with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Exhale and draw your belly button towards your spine as you slowly lift one knee without letting the ball or your hips move.
Slowly place your foot back down and repeat on the other side. Keep alternating sides for 10 repetitions. (Don’t forget to breathe!)
“If this is too hard, you can just lift up your heel and keep your toes on the ground, ” says Stephanie Stamas, DPT, a pelvic health specialist and co-founder of Chelsea Method, an online pregnancy and postpartum rehab program.
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“Labor requires a lot of hip and gluteal strength, so training these muscles is important!” Stamas says. (This move may be too challenging or uncomfortable later in pregnancy, she advises.)
Start by sitting on the floor with your upper back against the ball. Push up through both of your feet and lift your hips off the floor towards the ceiling, as high as you can comfortably go without arching your back.
Start in a high kneeling position with your hands on the ball. Keeping your back straight, roll the ball forward until you can feel your core engaging. Hold for three seconds, then roll the ball back in.
Yoga Ball Pregnancy Exercises
“The chest and abdomen often get really tight in pregnancy, so this can be a great stretch!” Stamas says. Kneel on the floor, hinge forward at your hips, and rest your arms on the ball.
Gently rock the ball to one side until a stretch is felt. Hold here while breathing into the opposite side of your rib cage for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Sit on the ball with your feet firmly planted on the floor, slightly wider than hip-width apart. Move your hips in a circular motion to “draw” small circles on the floor with the ball.
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Sit on the ball with your feet firmly planted on the floor, slightly wider than hip-width apart. Move your hips as if you’re drawing a figure eight on the ball.
“The exercise ball is a wonderful tool that can help you go through the different stages of pregnancy — and labor! — in a calmer and relaxed way, ” says Tal Siperman Cohen, an ACSM-certified personal trainer with an extended specialty in Prenatal And Postpartum Exercise Design by Human Kinetics USA.
“This helps to create space for the baby to drop lower into the pelvis — a necessary step as you move towards birth, ” Stamas explains. It may also help alleviate back pain, she says.
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“When you sit on the ball, your hips should be slightly higher than your knees to avoid pressure on your back, to allow lots of space for your tummy, and to give you stability, ” Cohen says.
If you’re between sizes, Cohen suggests choosing the smaller size — especially if you plan to use it as a birthing ball too.
“I personally recommend getting the smallest one that can suit your needs, ” she says. “During labor itself, it’s relaxing to lean on the ball on all fours, and a big ball might not be comfortable.”Strong abdominals are important during the pushing phase of labor. After the first trimester, it is recommended that abdominal exercises are not done while flat on your back because it can put pressure on the vena cava, a large vein which carries blood back to the heart. Many traditional abdominal exercises are done this way so it is important to find alternate means. One option is to use a stability ball. You can use the ball through your entire pregnancy to strengthen your entire body including your abdominals as well for balance, coordination and good posture.
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Balance: It’s important to make sure you feel balanced and comfortable on the ball. Start with this exercise! Sit upright on top of the ball, arms relaxed by your sides and feet flat on the floor a comfortable distance from the ball and about hip-width apart. Reach arms up overhead/ Squeeze shoulder blades down and together as you lower your arms to starting position. Stay centered without moving your torso as you raise and lower your arms.
Wall Squat: Place the ball between your lower back and the wall. Lean back against the ball, and walk your feet out so they’re in front of your belly, hip-width apart. Slowly bend your knees into a squat position, keeping your knees aligned with your ankles and squatting no lower than your hips. Pressing gently against the ball, feel it roll up your back. Straighten knees and hips back to a standing position. Repeat.
Rollouts: Kneeling with the ball in front of you and arms on top of ball palms down, initiate movement by exhaling and tucking your chin to roll the ball out. Inhale to hold this position breathing deep into your belly while gently drawing your shoulders away from your ears and allowing your low back to arch into a comfortable position. Be sure to keep your hips over your knees or behind your knees to avoid unneeded stress on your abdominals. Exhale and roll back to starting position.
Prenatal Fitness Ball Workout Routine
Ab Crunch: Sit upright on the ball, then walk your feet forward, keeping your feet in front of your knees. Continue taking small steps until your lower back rests against the ball, feet are flat on the floor and knees bent. Your hips should be lower than your shoulders, and your body should be at an incline. Place your hands behind your head, fingertips touching but not clasped. Exhale, contract abs in toward spine and lift head, arms and shoulders up and forward. Release and return to incline position. Do reps, then walk your feet back in so you can sit up. Use your leg, back and buttock muscles to stabilize each position.
Bridge: Get into the incline position, then walk your feet out even farther so that only your head, neck and shoulders are resting on the ball. Place your hands on the floor for support. Start with your hips as high as your shoulders; keep buttocks tight. Release buttocks and let your hips lower slowly down to the floor. Lift hips up to starting position and repeat.
So, get on the ball! These gentle exercises are great for pregnancy and after. If you need a demonstration on any of these exercises, let us know.You’ve likely seen a pregnant woman gently bouncing on
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