Moving during pregnancy isn't about staying 'in shape' — it's about preparing your tissues, breath, and pelvis for one of the most demanding athletic events of your life. The right movement supports your changing body, eases common aches, and sets you up for a smoother recovery.
First Trimester (weeks 1–13)
Energy can be low and nausea high. The goal here isn't intensity — it's consistency. Keep moving in ways that feel good and lay a foundation of breath and core awareness.
- Diaphragmatic (360°) breathing — 5 minutes daily to wake up the deep core.
- Walking 20–30 minutes most days, at a pace where you can hold a conversation.
- Gentle full-body strength training 2–3x/week (squats, rows, carries).
- Mobility work for hips, mid-back, and ankles.
Second Trimester (weeks 14–27)
The 'honeymoon' trimester for most. Energy returns and the bump is growing — this is where intentional core and pelvic floor work pays off the most.
- Continue strength training, modifying load as needed. Form over weight.
- Swap supine (lying-on-back) exercises after ~20 weeks for incline or side-lying versions.
- Add pelvic floor coordination: inhale to relax/lengthen, exhale to gently lift.
- Single-leg work (split squats, step-ups) to prep for the asymmetry of labor and carrying baby.
Third Trimester (weeks 28–40+)
The focus shifts to mobility, breath, and birth prep. Strength still matters — labor is endurance work — but recovery becomes the priority.
- Daily hip openers: supported deep squats, child's pose, figure-4 stretch.
- Practice pushing mechanics: exhale-pushing and pelvic floor lengthening.
- Keep walking — it helps baby's position and your circulation.
- Perineal prep around 34 weeks, ideally guided by a pelvic floor therapy.
When to call a pelvic floor therapy
- Pelvic, hip, or low back pain that limits walking or sleep.
- Leaking with sneezes, coughs, or workouts.
- Heaviness or pressure in the pelvis.
- You want a personalized birth-prep plan.
Pelvic floor & postpartum OT in Basking Ridge, NJ
Modern Movement is a women's health and orthopedic occupational therapy practice based in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, serving moms across Somerset County — including Bernardsville, Bedminster, Far Hills, Warren, Bridgewater, Martinsville, Gladstone, and the surrounding Somerset Hills. We work with pregnant and postpartum women on pelvic floor health, diastasis recti, core recovery, low back & hip pain, and return-to-running — in person, one-on-one, for a full hour.
Want a plan built around you?
Book a 1:1 session with Amanda in Basking Ridge for a personalized assessment.