Want a Baby but not a Belly?
By Mitzi Archer
BodyTek

You’re pregnant! But after the initial excitement and well-wishes reality sets in and you may be thinking, “What about my stomach?”
Ah yes, your nice lean stomach may grow to unwanted proportions. Not to worry, BodyTek has talked to some experts to help you keep your abs strong both during and after your pregnancy.

Julie Tupler says that an expanding belly all comes down to one thing: the diastasis. The New York-based registered nurse and author of “Lose Your Mummy Tummy” explains that the diastasis is the separation of your abdominal muscles during pregnancy to make room for your uterus.

The connective tissue that holds your abdominals together separates and thins as your organs push against it. Think of stretching a wad of chewing gum and that’s what’s going on between your abs when you’re pregnant. Tupler says this gap is hard to close and gets larger with each pregnancy so it’s important to keep your stomach muscles strong so the divide doesn’t widen. By doing this you’ll have strong muscles to hold your innards in place instead of that loose tissue.

Still skittish about working that tummy and hurting the baby?

Becky deLeon, a registered nurse and manager of PregnaGym says there’s nothing to fear. More than 2,000 women come through the Los Angeles-Area PregnaGym; a hospital affiliated program.

“The number one question is, ‘Is this going to hurt my baby?’” deLeon says.

She says strong stomach muscles helps protect your precious cargo.

“You’re hugging your baby with those abdominal muscles,” deLeon says. “The abdominals take the majority of the blunt of holding the baby for nine months and in order to get the baby out you need to know how to breathe and how to push properly even with an epidural.”

deLeon also says studies show that exercising during pregnancy not only helps with labor it also helps keep an expectant mother’s emotions in check.

“They are so surprised they can do the things they can do,” deLeon says about the women she’s worked with. “They are truly emotionally and physically prepared to have that baby.”

Work it, baby, work it!

To keep your abdominal muscles fit both Becky deLeon and Julie Tupler recommend exercising during and after your pregnancy. Here are a few easy moves you can do. Both also say these exercises are good for mothers who choose to have cesareans although they may have to work harder and longer for a lean stomach.

Tips from Becky deLeon, manager of PregnaGym:

Get down on all fours and pull in your abdominal muscles, arching your back like a cat. Hold for six to eight counts and repeat for a set.

Standing leg-lifts – lift one leg up and bend standing leg. Tighten stomach and leg muscles. Hold six to eight counts and repeat for a set.

Sit with legs crossed with your back against a wall. Tighten lower back muscles against the wall, hold and release. Repeat for a set.

Julie Tupler, author of “Lose Your Mummy Tummy,” recommends using her Tupler Technique Exercise. This move can be done anywhere, she says.

Sit upright, back straight, in a chair or up against a wall with your legs crossed. Suck your belly button towards your spine.
“Think of a sideways elevator to your spine,” Tupler says. Hold for a count of 30. Count out loud so you don’t hold your breath. “Then think of taking your belly button out of your spine and touching the back of the chair or the wall,” Tupler says. Squeeze five times while counting out loud and end with a nice big breath.

Do ten of these Tupler techniques every day.

Remember to consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise program during your pregnancy. Want to see what a diastasis looks like? Log onto www.maternalfitness.com