Advice to expectant mothers: is it possible to retract the stomach during pregnancy?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many expectant mothers, especially from the ranks of athletes, often wonder if it is possible to retract the stomach during pregnancy. Some have to tighten their abdominal muscles during exercise, others do it out of habit - to look more slender and fit. Is there any danger in this for the unborn child, or vice versa - such an exercise is useful and will help a woman to bear a he althy baby and give birth without problems and much effort?

Pregnancy is a natural process

Most women, when they become pregnant, begin to feel and behave as if they are crystal vases, in which the most fragile jewelry in the world is embedded. And as soon as they stumble or stagger, the treasure that they carry in themselves will suffer, or worse, it will perish. In fact, it's not like that at all! Nature has foreseen everything in such a way that the fetus, being in the womb, remains inenvironment as safe as possible. The baby in the stomach is protected by amniotic waters, the uterus, and the abdominal cavity. All these barriers prevent its squeezing and injury. Of course, mom needs to take care of herself when she is in such an interesting position, avoid hitting her stomach, avoid crowds in public transport, try not to fall, etc.

But no need to think every minute about whether it is possible to retract the stomach during pregnancy or about what would happen if she lightly bumped into someone in the crowd. In 99.9% of cases, everything will be fine with both the woman and her child! Elementary retraction of the abdomen, which occurs due to muscle tension in this area, cannot constrain the child or reduce the volume of the uterus. Until a certain time, by “squeezing” a little, the mother will be able to hide her position (up to a maximum of 14-15 weeks) - as long as the uterus is placed in the pelvic and abdominal cavity. Then, at least draw in the stomach, at least not - it still will not disappear anywhere.

When is it contraindicated to pull in the stomach during pregnancy?

However, there is a small percentage of women who are contraindicated in any tension of the abdominal muscles. They belong to a risk group in which pregnancy occurs with some pathologies. Most often, such patients are referred for periodic or permanent stays in the department of pathology of pregnancy or gynecology in order to prolong the prenatal period as long as possible.

In this case, the woman does not face the question of whether it is possible to retract the stomach whenpregnancy. She must remain in bed most of the time for the entire nine months. Any physical activity can provoke a miscarriage or premature labor, bleeding and other problems. Fortunately, such situations are extremely rare and in most cases, patients with pregnancy pathologies are under the close supervision of doctors.

Exercise with benefit

Moderate physical activity is very beneficial for the body, especially if you can do it during pregnancy. It is impossible to draw in the stomach so much that it hurts the baby when doing various exercises. You don’t need to rest on it, lie down, you shouldn’t do a variety of twisting and power loads. Harm can only be caused by muscle overstrain, during which there is a violation of blood circulation in the pelvic organs. But the body's natural defense mechanisms will work to normalize the situation, and the muscles will relax.

When registering, each pregnant woman is consulted by a physiotherapist who gives her a list of exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and the press. Of course, training should take place at a measured pace, although among the recommended exercises there are those where a woman will need to do quite active movements, for example, rotate her pelvis, strain and pull in her stomach a little. Is it possible to download the press during pregnancy? In the usual way, no. But in order to keep the muscles in good shape, doctors recommend doing the following complex.exercise:

• lying on the floor, slightly raise the pelvis from the floor;
• sitting on a chair, lean back until the abdominal muscles noticeably tighten, then return to the starting position;
• Stand up in a shoulder-width stance and alternately raise your legs bent at the knees, pulling them to the opposite elbow (left knee to right elbow and vice versa).

Women in position can also do yoga, swimming, gymnastics.

Exercise during pregnancy

Doctors always warn their patients against excessive activity in the last trimester of pregnancy. At this time, they benefit from outdoor walks and breathing exercises. In the early stages, sports are acceptable if the woman led an active lifestyle and before she became pregnant. Trained muscles need to be kept in good shape all the time.

Practical experience shows that those women who do not sit still for nine months of pregnancy give birth easier and faster, they have better labor activity, fewer ruptures, and subsequent recovery is an order of magnitude more successful than those who overprotected themselves. But it is strictly forbidden to start sports activities (and especially for the purpose of weight correction), bearing a fetus. An unprepared body may not endure such a load, and there is always a risk of disrupting a pregnancy.

Pull and drag - there is a difference

So we figured out whether it is possible to retract the stomach during pregnancy, and in general, what exercises are acceptable for women during this period. Needless to say, if accidentally or deliberately pulling in the stomach is not something dangerous, then pulling it is a huge risk.

Women need to wear clothes that will not squeeze the stomach and pelvic area, because even minimal discomfort in this area is fraught with circulatory disorders, and as a result, fetal hypoxia. Lack of oxygen can lead to the fact that the child will lag behind in fetal development. However, this threat has nothing to do with wearing a prenatal bandage, which does not pinch the stomach, but raises it, that is, in many respects it performs the function of a woman's weak muscular corset.

Summarizing the above, it is necessary to remind all expectant mothers once again - adequate physical activity favors the successful course of pregnancy and successful childbirth, so do not deny yourself a feasible workout, but at the same time they should never forget about caution!