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strong abs = difficult labor?

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tracyhawk
tracyhawk Posts: 15 Member
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Hi, I'm in my second trimester. At my last visit to my nurse midwife, she told me to only do cardio and no weight training because if I build up my abdominal muscles, it will make a more difficult labor. According to her, the softer the muscles, the easier it is for the baby to move. She said the muscles were "like a wall of steel. Ballerinas and athletes have the most difficult births." Has anyone else heard this? I am using a pregnancy workout tape, and there is a section covering the core. I'm still doing it but I'm a little concerned I might be making things more difficult for myself in the long run. I would think you would want strong abdominal muscles in order to push.....

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  • jamie31
    jamie31 Posts: 568 Member
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    I have actually heard the complete opposite. I have heard and even read that stronger abs make a better delivery
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I have actually heard the complete opposite. I have heard and even read that stronger abs make a better delivery
    Same here. Something about the stronger abs making delivery easier for pushing or something like that.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    Uh Oh! I've been workin' my abs since day one a) hoping to use my abs of steel to push this little guy out, and b) I thought I might look better postpartum if I had some muscle tone to return to instead of a big blobby tummy.

    I'm no doctor, but I assumed the better physical shape you were in, the better your body handled labor.
  • Mewlingstork
    Mewlingstork Posts: 266 Member
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    I've heard more agreeing with better physical shape, can be easier labor. Easier is a hard word to put in the same sentence as labor... Like a marathon, wouldn't show up that day to run it. There would/should be some serious training involved. I'm not sure about it helping post partum, but certainly it makes sense to me that being in better shape can only help the intense work of labor. There's a reason it's called 'labor', right?? :)
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    That's such an odd thing for her to say, given that your abs are not like blocking your vagina or anything. LOL IDK, I have never heard of people in better shape having a harder labor. I was completely out of shape for both of my births and had HORRENDOUS back labor. I know they say a lot of that has to do with the position of the baby, but I was extrememly paranoid that maybe my abs just weren't strong enough to do enough work so my back had to chip in. LOL I know you're not supposed to do heavy-duty ab work while pregnant but I don't see how keeping in shape could hinder a smooth labor. There IS a point obviously where you start pushing and not just relying on your uterine contractions, and I would think that strong abdominal muscles would help when you get to the pushing phase. Hmmmm, wonder if I could have pushed less than 2.5 hours with my first if I'd actually been into exercise at the time...... guess I'll never know....
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
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    I have always heard the opposite as well. My midwife loves athletic clients!
    From my own personal experience, the more in shape I am, the easier the labor/delivery.
  • Amanda421
    Amanda421 Posts: 261 Member
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    I have no idea ab how ur abs affect labor but maybe the whole athelets have a more difficult time with labor has to do with their body habitus/ bone structure. ? IDK. thats just what ran through my mind when i read your post...
  • blink1021
    blink1021 Posts: 1,118 Member
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    With my first baby I was in awful shape and had no trouble with my delivery, but that could also be my wide hips too. The only downfall was afterwards that hard rock stomach I had with the baby inside turned to a wrinkly blob right after so if I had some stomach tone prior it might not have taken me so long to tighten it all back up.
  • PanteraGirl
    PanteraGirl Posts: 566 Member
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    Hrm....I heard the opposite...I could see what she means about the baby moving around easier while its still growing....but I thought during labour the more muscle the better for pushing unless your abdominal muscles split like mine did..I"m not allowed to do ab workouts.

    When I did some reading about it....I noticed that many times it was stated that it is one of those things some will promote while others don't think it is good for a mom to be. I don't remember any stats about it or studies to be able to give you more information.
  • tracyhawk
    tracyhawk Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks girls! Her advice seemed a little counter-intuitive to me as well, but this is my first baby and she has tons of experience, so I didn't question her in the office. I think I am going to continue with core work as well as light weight lifting and cardio. It's nice to hear about the experiences you all have had and the difference in labors of when you were exercising and not.

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