Gentle Exercises for a Healthier Pregnancy
Nurture your body and your growing baby with these safe, therapist-recommended movements. Each exercise is designed to ease discomfort, strengthen your body, and prepare you for birth — all from the comfort of home.
Why Movement Matters in Pregnancy
Staying gently active during pregnancy has incredible benefits — for both you and your baby. Regular, safe movement can reduce back pain, improve sleep, boost your mood, and even prepare your body for a smoother labour.
These exercises have been carefully chosen by our therapists here at Knead You to complement your pregnancy massage sessions — helping you get even more benefit between visits. Always check with your midwife or GP before starting any new exercise programme.
Exercise 1
Cat-Cow Stretch
Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
How to do it
Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips. Inhale slowly as you drop your belly towards the floor, lifting your head and tailbone gently (Cow). Exhale as you round your spine upward, tucking your chin to your chest and your pelvis under (Cat). Move slowly and mindfully, following your breath.
⚠️ Safety tip: Keep movements slow and gentle. Avoid over-arching the lower back in Cow pose as your bump grows.
Benefits
- ✓Relieves lower back pain and pelvic discomfort
- ✓Improves spinal flexibility and posture
- ✓Gently strengthens the core and abdominal muscles
- ✓Encourages baby into an optimal birthing position
- ✓Promotes relaxation and mindful breathing
Exercise 2
Bird Dog
Core & Balance
How to do it
Begin on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Slowly extend your right arm forward and your left leg back simultaneously, keeping your hips level and your core gently engaged. Hold for a breath or two, then return and switch sides.
⚠️ Safety tip: Keep your hips square to the floor — avoid letting them tilt or rotate. Move slowly and with control.
Benefits
- ✓Strengthens the lower back and glutes safely
- ✓Improves core stability and balance
- ✓Reduces the risk of lower back pain during pregnancy
- ✓Trains coordination and body awareness
- ✓Helps prepare the body for the physical demands of labour
Exercise 3
Sitting Butterfly Pose
Baddha Konasana
How to do it
Sit on the floor with a straight back — use a folded blanket or cushion under your hips if needed. Bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall out to the sides. Hold your feet gently, sit tall, and breathe deeply. You can gently flutter your knees up and down like butterfly wings, or simply hold the pose and breathe.
⚠️ Safety tip: Never force your knees down. Sit on a cushion to tilt the pelvis forward if your back rounds.
Benefits
- ✓Opens the hips and inner thighs to prepare for labour
- ✓Reduces tension and tightness in the groin and pelvis
- ✓Improves circulation to the lower body
- ✓Supports pelvic floor relaxation
- ✓Calming and grounding — great for stress relief
Exercise 4
Child's Pose
Balasana (Modified)
How to do it
Start on all fours, then widen your knees to accommodate your bump. Sink your hips back towards your heels (or as far as comfortable), stretch your arms forward on the floor, and rest your forehead down or on a pillow. Breathe deeply into your back and sides.
⚠️ Safety tip: Widen the knees enough that your bump has space. Never compress the belly. Use a bolster or pillow under your torso for extra support.
Benefits
- ✓Deeply releases tension in the hips, thighs, and lower back
- ✓Promotes a sense of calm and safety
- ✓Lengthens the spine gently
- ✓Relieves fatigue and stress
- ✓Encourages deep diaphragmatic breathing
Exercise 5
Hip Flexor Stretch
Low Lunge Stretch
How to do it
Come into a low lunge: one foot forward so your knee is over your ankle, the other knee resting on the floor (use a folded blanket for comfort). Sit tall and gently shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the back hip. Keep the front knee in line with your ankle and breathe through the stretch. Hold for 20–30 seconds and switch sides.
⚠️ Safety tip: Use a wall or chair for balance if needed. Do not lunge so deeply that you feel pressure in the pelvis.
Benefits
- ✓Releases tight hip flexors, which are strained by the growing bump
- ✓Reduces lower back pain caused by anterior pelvic tilt
- ✓Improves posture and gait during pregnancy
- ✓Prepares the hips for labour
- ✓Alleviates sciatica discomfort
Exercise 6
Kneeling Side Stretch
Lateral Trunk Stretch
How to do it
Kneel on a comfortable surface with both knees together (or slightly apart). Place one hand on the floor beside you for support and raise the other arm up and over your head, reaching gently to the side. Feel the stretch along your side from your hip to your fingertips. Hold for a few breaths and repeat on the other side.
⚠️ Safety tip: Keep your hips stacked over your knees. Do not overstretch — move gently and stop if you feel any discomfort.
Benefits
- ✓Relieves tension in the sides of the body, which work hard during pregnancy
- ✓Creates space in the ribcage to help with breathing
- ✓Stretches the obliques and intercostal muscles
- ✓Reduces side stitch and rib pain common in the third trimester
- ✓Improves posture and lateral flexibility
Exercise 7
Standing Wall Pelvic Tilt
Posterior Pelvic Tilt
How to do it
Stand with your back against a flat wall, feet hip-width apart and a few inches from the wall. Gently flatten the small of your back against the wall by engaging your lower abdominals and tilting your pelvis slightly. Hold for a breath or two, then release. Repeat 10–15 times.
⚠️ Safety tip: This is a very small movement — do not force your lower back flat. Use the wall as a guide, not a push.
Benefits
- ✓Strengthens the deep core and pelvic floor muscles
- ✓Significantly reduces lower back pain in pregnancy
- ✓Improves posture and spinal alignment
- ✓Easy to do anywhere — no equipment needed
- ✓Excellent preparation for the pushing stage of labour
The Bigger Picture
Together, these 7 exercises form a well-rounded routine that supports your whole body through pregnancy and beyond. When practised regularly alongside your prenatal massage sessions, you may notice:
Significant reduction in lower back and pelvic pain
Better posture and balance as your centre of gravity shifts
Reduced swelling and improved circulation
Stronger, more resilient core and pelvic floor
Better sleep and reduced anxiety
A calmer, more connected experience of pregnancy
A body better prepared for labour and postnatal recovery
Faster postnatal recovery and return to strength
Pregnancy Massage
Our specialist service
Pre & Postnatal Massage
Read our in-depth guide
Aftercare Tips
Maximise your treatment
Ready to Feel Your Best?
Pair these exercises with a specialist pregnancy massage and give your body the full support it deserves. Our therapists are trained in prenatal massage and are here to help you feel comfortable, supported, and nurtured throughout your journey.
Open 7 days · 9:15am–8:15pm · Studio & Mobile available