Pregnancy is full of changes, you are growing a little human after all! And the second trimester is when everything really starts to feel real and you’re past the morning sickness. I get it now when people tell you to enjoy the second trimester, it’s definitely when you have the most energy! However at the same time you might be feeling confused or overwhelmed with what you can and can’t do when it comes to your workouts so I am here to help you! At this stage relaxin is increasing so while you want to stretch you want to be careful not to overdo it. Your belly is growing, your balance is shifting, and even exercises that felt normal a few weeks ago might suddenly feel awkward or uncomfortable.
This is also the stage when your workouts start to have a bigger purpose: not just staying active, but preparing your body for labor. The right modifications now can make all the difference, protecting your core, supporting your pelvis, and helping you move confidently and safely through your pregnancy. As a certified pre- and postnatal Pilates specialist currently in my third trimester, I’ve been adjusting my own workouts and guiding my clients through this stage.
Here are the four key ways I recommend modifying your workouts to stay strong, safe, and ready for childbirth.
1. Adjusting Your Core Workouts
Your core goes through big changes in the second trimester. Deep crunches, heavy twists, and planks on your stomach can start to feel uncomfortable and that’s your body telling you to adjust.
Diastasis recti, or separation of the abdominal muscles, is often a top concern women have that muscles will be overstretched and never return back to normal. But, during pregnancy, your abdominal muscles WILL separate, you cannot stop that, because your baby needs space to grow. However, you can work on engaging your core intentionally, so the separation doesn’t get too wide or deep. Safe, targeted core exercises help maintain posture, protect your connective tissue, and support your spine, while still building strength that will serve you during labor.
2. Swap Riskier Exercises for Safer Alternatives
You don’t have to stop working out, but some modifications will make your routine safer and more effective. Here are some second trimester alternatives, I recommend:
| Common Exercise | Pregnancy Alternative | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Crunches | Dead bugs or kneeling core work | Builds core strength without placing direct pressure on your abdomen |
| Deep twists | Side planks or gentle rotational stretches | Maintains spinal mobility safely while reducing abdominal strain |
| Planks on stomach | Side planks or elevated planks | Protects the belly and pelvic floor while still building stability |
| Heavy weight lifts | Bodyweight or light resistance with proper form | Strengthens muscles safely without overloading joints or core |
These swaps let you continue strengthening your core and supporting your pelvis, keeping your body ready for the physical demands of labor.
3. Prioritize Mobility and Stretching
As your hips, spine, and ribcage adapt to your growing baby, stretching and mobility work become even more important. Incorporating gentle stretches into your routine can help reduce back and pelvic discomfort, improve circulation, and support posture. Think of mobility as creating space for your body to move freely, which is essential for comfort during pregnancy and positioning during labor.
4. Use Your Breath to Protect Your Body
Breath work is more than relaxation, it’s also a key part you should focus on in your second-trimester. Coordinating your breath with movement will help reduce intra-abdominal pressure, build body awareness, and prepare for labor.
Exhaling during effort keeps your core and pelvic floor safe while making every movement intentional, functional, and labor-ready. All of which will also directly transfer to an easier recovery as well.
Final Thoughts
Everything you do before labor is preparation. Every movement you make now builds endurance, stability, and awareness for the physical demands of labor as well as postpartum recovery. Intentional strength and mobility work will make pregnancy more comfortable, reduce back and pelvic discomfort, improve labor efficiency, and support faster recovery. You’re not just maintaining your fitness, you’re training your body for one of the most physically demanding events of your life!!
Remember, your body is capable of so much more than you realize so it’s important to stay active and push yourself when you can. YOUR body and your baby will thank you! There’s a lot of fear-mongering about pregnant women having to cut back and take it easy but ultimately, if you’ve always been active pre-pregnancy, you’re going to feel better being active during pregnancy too. This applies to both your mind and body.
However, at the same time, this isn’t the moment to suddenly start lifting weights and working out heavily if you weren’t doing that before… See the pattern? Keep up with your usual routine, just modify where necessary, listen to your body, stay active, enjoy this time and relax!!