Pregnancy is a time of huge change for your entire body - but it is your abs that will suffer most, as they have tiny hands, feet, bottoms and heads slammed into them from the wrong side! Despite the fact that you have a tiny bundle of joy inside your belly, it is actually still very important to maintain an ab exercise routine - as long as you know what you're doing.
There definitely are special abdominal exercises for during pregnancy, and there are some ab exercises that you should definitely NOT do! Abdominal exercises that are safe for pregnancy:

1. Okay, here's a cheat one to start with.
   It isn't really an abdominal exercise, but pelvic floor exercises are absolutely necessary if you are working your abs, to ensure that you don't do any more damage than your little bundle is already! Do them as often as you remember to throughout the day.
   
2. The standing pelvic tilt is gentle but effective, and can be done throughout first, second and third trimesters.
   Stand against a wall, and imagine your hips as a bowl (containing baby soup!).
   Tip the bowl backwards, towards the wall, so that your lower back flattens against the wall.
   Tighten your ab muscles to achieve this, rather than using your back muscles.
   
3. Pregnancy crunches are safe for the first four months of pregnancy.
   After this time, lying on your back for more than a few minutes can reduce blood flow to your baby, by squashing the inferior vena cava blood vessel that runs down your back.
   Do them as you would a regular crunch, but go low and slow, and always hold your pelvic floor in as you do them.
   
4. The Squeeze is a simple exercise that you can do while sitting at a desk, even while concentrating on something else.
   Hold your pelvic floor up, and draw your navel in towards your spine.
   Make sure you continue breathing naturally.
   Hold the position for 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
   If you can do this 10 times, and as many times a day as you remember, you'll have a nice strong tummy with not too much extra effort!

Tips for doing abdominal exercises during pregnancy:

• If you experience any pain, stop immediately.
  Not just the growing fatigue of tired muscles, but any acute pain is a sign that something is not right.
  
• Create a pregnancy ab exercise plan, and share it with your doctor or midwife.
  
• Don't lie on your back after the fourth month of pregnancy
• Don't do exercises that involve lifting your legs from a prone position after the fourth month of pregnancy
• Always hold your pelvic floor in while doing your ab exercises
• Don't feel that you have to stop doing the exercises at any particular month.
  Just check with your doctor to see that the particular movements will be alright for your baby.