Pregnant Runners - WWYD?

[kitstwins]

I'm just over 20 weeks and have been running once or twice a week (sometimes more if I can manage it) for 2-3 mile distances. Before getting pregnant I was running much further distances, etc. but tailed it right back to slow, comfortable levels.

Anyway, I went for my usual Sunday morning run today and it was a bit of a fiasco. In short, I couldn't really do it. I found my bump very tight and uncomfortable low on the sides (ligaments) and generally had to keep stopping and walking. Is this it? Should I hang up my trainers and concentrate on other things instead or have any of you found this and carried on through it. The bump tightness did feel uncomfortable but is this normal and part of running and pregnancy. I fancied carrying on with the running a bit longer but obviously I have to listen to my body. I suppose I just thought I'd get a bit further than 20 weeks.

What would you recommend? I stopped at 16 weeks last time but that was with twins.

Any advice from those further along or who have run in previous pregnancies gratefully received.

[kitstwins]

Sorry for the typos - managed to miss out a a few ?s

[Renaissancewoman]

There is an American bloke called Dr Clapp who really advocates running through pregnancy. There is even case for training benefits in pregnancy as your heart and aerobic abilities increase. This is why top level athletes like Paula Ratcliffe are able to come back after babies. I am nowhere near that level. I took up marathon running and triathlons after having my first child and kept going through pregnancy in a similar fashion to that you describe.
I too suffered from pain at the side of my bump where the ligaments are. I generally got this about 17-20 weeks. It was temporary in all 3 of my pregnancies. You have got to listen to your body so if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Try the cross trainer or walking on treadmill at speed with a gradient instead. Both use similar muscles to running but with lesser strain. Keep trying as the weeks go on to see if the discomfort eases as your muscles and ligaments get used to the growing bump and let go a bit.
As my bump got bigger I ran with a lycra support belt which helped enormously and also wore lycra shorts pulled up high (skins compression stuff) over bump for even more support (although the elastic waist can sometimes be a bit uncomfortable - I cut half of the elastic in the waist to ease it).
With all of my pregnancies I stopped running about 28-30 weeks as the bounce just didn't feel comfortable but I had babies over 9lbs and a big bump. I did cycling, cross trainer and gradient speed walking instead and all were great and helped me get back to running quite soon after birth.
Well done and good luck!

[Maitri]

I found that I had to abandon running after only a few weeks of being pregnant as my digestion couldn't cope with it. Sounds odd but after only a few minutes I'd feel so sick despite not suffering from ms at any other time. I've kept on with speed walking which has slowed to brisk walking now that I'm 24 weeks. I felt really frustrated to begin with but I think that we're all different and that, as renaissance says, our bodies give us the best signals. Good luck!

[littleposset]

I ran until 36 weeks getting progressively slower until I was almost walking. Some days were uncomfortable and I walked the same distance I would have run. After 36 weeks every day was uncomfortable and I walked every where. The only problem was I went into labour thinking ?I walked 5 miles this morning; I?m way too nakered to have a baby tonight!?.

Getting back into it was fine as well, DS is 12 weeks and I run 5-7k every day again. Every one at the mother and baby group thinks I?m barmy though and I think the general advice is do whar feels right :)

[kitstwins]

Thanks all. That's all good advice. My plan is to try again (gently) on Wednesday and then if it feels crap again just stop and walk. Maybe it just doesn't suit me past 20 weeks. I'll give it a go anyway.

[Chynah]

I got this pain in my first pregnancy at about 23 weeks. It always hapened in the first mile or so and I would just walk for a bit and try and stretch up with arms on that side and then start running again when it felt better and it would be fine. The pain never happened after about 27 weeks and I kept running til 36 weeks.

[cara2244]

Lots of walking, including a hill every day, and swimming.

[emmyloo2]

I am a runner and was very fit and active before I got pregnant. I stopped running at around 17 weeks because it just felt a bit ucomfortable. However, I still go to the gym most days and use the cross-trainer and bike to work up a sweat. I have found I have managed to stay nice and fit throughout the pregnancy. I am now 5 days overdue and still exercising (out of boredom more than anything). I personally think the exercise has stopped me from having most pregnancy ailements and even at 41+4 weeks I feel ok and still managing to walk on the treadmill etc. My main thing was listening to my body and making sure i don't overdo it.

Good luck.

[DreamingofFour]

I did lots of Step in previous pregnancies and had to stop with ligament pain too, this pregnancy have got into Spin - in my opinion the perfect exercise for a pregnant woman since you get to sit down as much as you want and you can totally control your own pace (ie. no need to keep with the rest of the class). I am 36 weeks now and still enjoying it. I definitely found it helpful to be cardiovascularly fit in labour too, it didn't take any of the pain away but somehow I felt better prepared for the biggest cardiovascular challenge of my life!!