First things first mumma, movement during pregnancy is actually really good for you. It helps with nausea, fatigue and just generally feeling more like yourself. But always listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, stop. Rest. Walk in place. Do what feels good for you that day. No guilt.
This is a gentle 30 minute full body routine broken into four parts. Take it at your own pace.
Warm Up
Before anything else, let’s get your body warm and ready.
- Deep breaths with arm circles forward and backward
- Gentle neck circles
- Chest opener stretch
- Clasped hands upper back stretch
- Side stretches
- Mini squats with hamstring curl
- Slow hip circles
Start with some deep breaths and gentle arm circles forward and backward.
Softly circle your neck and open up through your chest.
Clasp your hands together to stretch your upper back
then do some gentle side stretches.
Finish with mini squats, a little hamstring curl
and some slow hip circles.
Nothing intense. Just waking your body up gently.
Cardio and Standing Moves
This section works in intervals. 40 seconds of movement followed by 20 seconds of gentle walking or swaying to keep things going. Here’s what you’ll do:
- Standing core — tap opposite knee while exhaling on the lift
- Sumo squats with back pulls
- Oblique crunches — elbow to knee alternating sides
- Modified jumping jacks — tap ankles if jumping feels like too much
- Lateral lunges stepping side to side
- Sumo plie squats lifting your heels
Standing core work where you tap your opposite knee while exhaling on the lift, keeping your core gently engaged.
Sumo squats with back pulls, stepping wide and drawing your elbows back.
Oblique crunches staying in your sumo squat position, elbow to knee alternating sides.
Modified jumping jacks tapping your ankles if jumping feels like too much.
Lateral lunges stepping side to side with your chest high.
And sumo plie squats lifting your heels as you go.
Mat Work
Take a sip of water and come down to your mat slowly and roll onto your side first then ease onto your back. Don’t rush this.
- Glute bridges with a gentle pelvic floor squeeze at the top
- Bridge pulses
- Single leg extensions
- Calf raises
- Side lying leg lifts
- Hip dips
- Reach throughs — repeat both sides
- Cat and cow stretches on hands and knees
- Rainbow toe taps
- Fire hydrants
- Donkey kicks
- Bear hover — lift knees slightly off ground for 10 seconds
- Bird dog extensions — opposite arm and leg
Glute bridges are lovely here. Walk your heels in, press your palms down, exhale and lift your hips. You can add a gentle pelvic floor squeeze at the top. Think of it as a tiny lift and then a full release as you come back down. Add some pulses, single leg extensions and calf raises for extra work.
Then move into a side lying position for some leg lifts, hip dips and reach throughs. Repeat on both sides.
Come onto your hands and knees for cat and cow stretches, these feel so good on a pregnant body. Then some rainbow toe taps crossing one leg behind you, fire hydrants and donkey kicks.
Finish with a bear hover, tucking your toes and lifting your knees just slightly off the ground for 10 seconds. And bird dog extensions lifting the opposite arm and leg.
Cool Down and Stretches You made it to the best part. 😄
- Child’s pose with deep breathing
- Low lunge hip opener
- Wide legged forward fold
- Butterfly stretch
- Gentle neck stretches
Sink into child’s pose and breathe deeply into your side ribs.
Come up onto your knees and step one foot forward into a low lunge, tucking your tailbone to open your hips.
Then a wide legged forward fold, a butterfly stretch with the soles of your feet together and some gentle neck stretches to finish.
That’s it mumma. Thirty minutes. Your body and your baby thank you. 🤍
Source:
https://youtu.be/Ia6dNwVs1M8?si=tfwZJW4RX75AghxD