Couch to 5k whilst pregnant?

[LittleNutTree]

I started doing the NHS C25k in September and I'm now on week 8. I just got a BFP this afternoon and guess I'm around 4wks pg with DC3 (eek!). I've never been a runner but am really enjoying it now and would hate to think I'd have to give up, but would equally hate to think I'd damage the baby or myself . (I don't know why I think running would damage the baby, I seem to have gone into P3B mode! )

So in short, being relatively new to running, do I have to stop or is it okay to carry on?

[LittleNutTree]

Oh, and if anyone 'knows' me, (unlikely since I mostly lurk!) I'm not sharing the news just now so would appreciate it if you could keep it on the quiet just now!

[AmandaCooper]

Apparently it's quite safe to maintain the same exercise routine you had before, so you should be fine to carry on at the level you're at. I'd be cautious about stepping it up a lot though. I kept up my normal gym routine for the first six weeks. Unfortunately I then hit a wall of exhaustion and can now just about walk upstairs!

[Crumm24]

I was doing couch to 5K when I got my BFP (currently 33+5), but before I even did the test, I had started to slack off because I was out of breath and feeling sick! By week 8 are you already running for 20/25 minutes? (Is it a 9 week programme - sorry, I can't fully remember!) In which case, your body will have adjusted almost all the way so you could keep doing it as long as you don't push yourself too much, and you feel physically well enough to. I like to think that any (gentle!) exercise I do during pregnancy will help me keep active in labour, [naive] so would say keep it up, but listen to your body!

[stinkinseamonkey]

I was doing 5k 3x weekly before BFP, then nothing for first few weeks after BFP because I felt so rotten so took it up again a few weeks in but went back to week 1

running you have to be careful with, particularly in the first trimester, because of damage you can do to YOUR joints no the baby! (due to more relaxin hormone in first trimester). But so long as you have been properly fitted for running shoes (you are NOT the same shoe size in running shoes as normal shoes) and do your pelvic floor exercises and take care not to injure yourself it should be fine.

Stay active and fit, labour isn't called labour for no reason, you need to be as fit and healthy as possible for it