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Pregnancy Pelvic Floor and Core Exercises

Protect your pelvic floor and core throughout every trimester with safe, physio-led online exercises. 

 

Pregnancy Pelvic Floor and Core Exercises Overview

Pregnancy Pelvic Floor and Core Exercises Overview

Many women feel uncertain about how to train their core and pelvic floor during pregnancy safely, and it’s no wonder. There’s so much conflicting information out there. 

However, the evidence is clear: when done correctly, targeted core and pelvic floor exercise is not only safe, it’s highly beneficial (Davenport et al., 2019; ACOG, 2020). Research shows it can:

  • Reduce urinary leakage and prolapse risk by improving pelvic floor strength and control
  • Ease back and pelvic pain by supporting posture and spinal stability
  • Enhance breathing mechanics and circulation, keeping you more comfortable as pregnancy progresses
  • Support your growing uterus and adapt to the physical demands of each trimester
  • Improve labour outcomes, with greater muscle control and reduced risk of complications
  • Speed up postnatal recovery, helping you reconnect with your core and return to movement with confidence

When your pelvic floor and deep core are both strong and adaptable, they create the foundation of support your body needs as it grows and carries your baby.

The EMP Pregnancy Core and Pelvic Floor program combines workouts designed with the latest research in mind with years of clinical experience to give you a safe, structured plan for pregnancy and beyond.

With guided breathing, core-focused strength, Pilates, and pelvic floor exercises, you’ll learn how to move in ways that ease discomfort, improve posture and breathing, support your growing body, and prepare you for birth and recovery. The EMP pregnancy core and pelvic floor workouts include

  • Breath-coordinated movements that protect your core and pelvic floor
  • Activation and Strengthening of your deep abdominal muscles
  • Functional strength work that supports everyday movement
  • Targeted pelvic floor exercises for each trimester of pregnancy, with specialised pelvic floor workouts for common pregnancy complications. 

 

Quick Facts & Key Points

  • Research shows pelvic floor and core exercises in pregnancy is safe and beneficial when adapted to pregnancy (Davenport et al., 2019; ACOG, 2020).
  • Health benefits: May help to prevent urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and back or pelvic pain while supporting the growing uterus.
  • Labour preparation: Improves breathing mechanics, control, and endurance, aiding smoother labour and recovery.
  • Posture & stability: Builds core awareness and stability, reducing discomfort and improving daily movement.
  • Safe options: Include breath-coordinated movements, gentle activation, functional strength, and Kegels.
  • Why it matters: A strong yet flexible pelvic floor and core provide essential support for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

How does your pelvic floor and core change during pregnancy? 

Your body undergoes some incredible changes during pregnancy. However, nothing changes quite as much as your core and pelvic floor. As a physio-led program, we are passionate about helping you to keep your core and pelvic floor strong and connected with pregnancy-safe exercises and workouts. 

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Pregnancy Core Changes

During pregnancy, your uterus will expand from 70g to up to 1kg. As your baby grows, your abdominal wall has to stretch and lengthen. The linea alba (a strong band of connective tissue) thins and widens, resulting in increased abdominal separation. Between 72%-100% of women will experience rectus diastasis in their third trimester. This is a normal part of pregnancy required to ensure your baby has space to grow. However, safe pregnancy core exercise can help reduce the degree and depth of separation you experience. 

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Pregnancy Core Changes

During pregnancy, your uterus will expand from 70g to up to 1kg. As your baby grows, your abdominal wall has to stretch and lengthen. The linea alba (a strong band of connective tissue) thins and widens, resulting in increased abdominal separation. Between 72%-100% of women will experience rectus diastasis in their third trimester. This is a normal part of pregnancy required to ensure your baby has space to grow. However, safe pregnancy core exercise can help reduce the degree and depth of separation you experience. 

 

Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Changes

Your pelvic floor needs to be able to contract and lift to protect your pelvic organs and maintain continence. But it also needs to be able to open and relax. During birth your pelvic floor needs to be able to stretch up to 3 times its normal length to allow for the passage of your baby down the birth canal. Learning how to engage and relax your pelvic floor is vital for a healthy pregnancy.

 

Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Changes

Your pelvic floor needs to be able to contract and lift to protect your pelvic organs and maintain continence. But it also needs to be able to open and relax. During birth your pelvic floor needs to be able to stretch up to 3 times its normal length to allow for the passage of your baby down the birth canal. Learning how to engage and relax your pelvic floor is vital for a healthy pregnancy.

pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Pelvic Floor and Core Coordination Changes

During pregnancy, your pelvic floor and core muscles must continuously adjust to support the growing uterus and changing posture. The muscles work together to manage pressure during everyday movements, such as standing, lifting, or walking, while also protecting pelvic organs. Many women notice subtle shifts in strength, endurance, and control of these muscles, which is a normal and necessary part of pregnancy. Practicing safe, targeted exercises helps maintain proper coordination, reduces discomfort, and supports optimal function throughout pregnancy.

Pelvic Floor and Core Coordination Changes

During pregnancy, your pelvic floor and core muscles must continuously adjust to support the growing uterus and changing posture. The muscles work together to manage pressure during everyday movements, such as standing, lifting, or walking, while also protecting pelvic organs. Many women notice subtle shifts in strength, endurance, and control of these muscles, which is a normal and necessary part of pregnancy. Practicing safe, targeted exercises helps maintain proper coordination, reduces discomfort, and supports optimal function throughout pregnancy.

What is the EMP approach to pelvic floor and core exercise?

 

What is the EMP approach to pelvic floor and core exercise?

Maintaining a strong core and pelvic floor will help reduce your chances of experiencing long-term pelvic floor complications and abdominal separation. It is also incredibly important for your postnatal recovery. The Empowered Motherhood Program will help you keep your pelvic floor and core feeling strong and prepared for birth. 

Pregnancy Core Exercises 

The Empowered Motherhood Pregnancy Core Program is designed to help you maintain core strength, reduce rectus diastasis and optimise your postnatal recovery. There are specific exercises that we recommend doing in pregnancy to help support your abdominal wall and core connection including:

  • Deep core activation exercises.
  • Quadruped exercises promote pelvic stability and core control. 
  • Modified planks on a fit ball, wall or chair to support core strength.
  • Oblique-focused movements in kneeling and side-lying.
  • Rotational and functional movements to ensure your core can cope with daily life.
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Pregnancy Core Exercises 

The Empowered Motherhood Pregnancy Core Program is designed to help you maintain core strength, reduce rectus diastasis and optimise your postnatal recovery. There are specific exercises that we recommend doing in pregnancy to help support your abdominal wall and core connection including:

  • Deep core activation exercises.
  • Quadruped exercises promote pelvic stability and core control. 
  • Modified planks on a fit ball, wall or chair to support core strength.
  • Oblique-focused movements in kneeling and side-lying.
  • Rotational and functional movements to ensure your core can cope with daily life.
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Exercises 

The EMP includes pelvic floor workouts for each trimester. Research shows a structured pelvic floor exercise program in pregnancy can result in:

  • 62% reduction in urinary incontinence in late pregnancy and  early postpartum.
  • 20% reduction in the length of second stage of labour.
  • Reduction in the use of forceps in vaginal birth deliveries.

The EMP pregnancy pelvic floor program includes: 

  • Endurance contractions. 
  • Fast contractions to develop the 'knack' and support continence.
  • Pelvic floor release to prepare for birth.
  • Specialised workouts for women with prolapse. 
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Core and Pelvic Floor Birth Preparation

Your pelvic floor muscles need to be able to relax and stretch to allow for the passage of your baby out of the birth canal. From 34 weeks, our birth preparation program includes pelvic floor-specific workouts to help you to:

  • Release and open your pelvic floor to allow for the passage of your baby through the birth canal. 
  • Learn how to push optimally and use your core to support optimal pushing techniques.
  • Protect your pelvic floor during birth with specific birthing positions and techniques.
  • Reduce your risk of perineal tearing and trauma.
pregnancy pelvic girdle pain safe exercise

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating such an amazing program to support pregnant and postnatal women.”

— Brooke Pay

I absolutely love the EMP! It makes staying active and strong during pregnancy easy. I feel so informed when it comes to preparing my body as best as I can.”

— Elissa

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The Empowered Motherhood Program acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

The Empowered Motherhood Program acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.