Any other pregnant runners out there?

[kitstwins]

I can't find any current threads on running during pregnancy so I wondered if there were any other runners out there?

I'm just over 17 weeks (due early April) and still running, although at a fairly pathetic pace and distance. Three or so miles two or three times a week. As I don't have much of a bump I just look like a really rubbish runner. I've been running for years and ran the marathon this year so usually I bound along feeling pleased with myself but now I'm being overtaken by old ladies walking their dogs, which is levelling! Anyway, the plan is to keep running until it feels odd. That could be this evening or it could be a few more months.

Anyone else or is it just me out there?

Sorry - I don't really count, but I WAS a pregnant runner. Ran up to the 6 month point - in fact did a 10k race at 6 months pregnant (1hr 5 mins including a stop at a pub for a wee!) I also did weight training, and pilates. Once I stopped running I spent time walking uphill on the treadmill and also went on the crosstrainer.

I am kitstwins. Though barely can be counted as such at the moment, 8 weeks gone and too exhausted to run but planning on keeping going as and when I can.

Went for a run a couple of weeks ago and wore a HRM to keep my pulse around 150 ish. I've found it really hard to find definitive advice on running through pregnancy, ie. where to keep your heart rate etc.

It is hard to find definitive advice on a lot of exercise in pregnancy, although there is a lot more on US sites. The US Runners World site is a good one I think - better than the UK one. I think the offical 'NHS' line is that if you exercised before and you have no risk factors, then carry on as long as feel able to. I didn't worry too much about my heartrate, just because I know that my heart rate always sems to reach high levels quite easily - even when I feel fine and my percieved effort is low. I think as long as your breathing is fairly easy and regular, and you are not really pushing yourself then that sounds sensible. It took me 9 weeks to be able to return to running post delivery as I had a tricky birth - but I found I had retained a fair amount of fitness because I had kept exercising throughout. Was in the gym on my due date...although nothing happened on my due date!

With DS I ran until about 32 weeks (but on treadmill, as didn't want to take risk of tripping and falling outside) - but at a pathetic pace, then had to slow down even more to walking uphill on treadmill. Am now 27 weeks with DC2 and will have to stop running sooner - am getting cramps around womb and just feeling more tired more quickly. You have to listen to your body - shouldn't be running at 100% effort (slow down if you feel out of breath) and if things start feeling painful.

I'm not currently pregnant but ran til 36 weeks with DS and 34 weeks with DD including races up to 10 miles and had totally healthy pregnancies. I didn't worry about heartrate but ran at reduced effort and could easily talk while running. Take care not to dehydrate/overheat as well.

I was a keen runner until about 4.5 months when it just became more difficult; I felt heavy even though I had a small bump. That said I'm now 33.5 weeks and I still go the gym twice a week (was three times until 2 weeks ago) and do 30 minutes cross trainer and light weights; and I go to a pilates studio 2 x a week and do all manner of stuff.

I do feel heavier now and I'm slower and I don't do as much as I did but I have no intention of stopping exercise. I just am not so hard on myself if I have an off day. And I listen to my body.

Keep going until you can't

Hello there! Good to find some other runners. Believe in life I was told to keep my heartrate at around 140. As my garmin charger has mysteriously disappeared after our building work I've had to guess this. I'm going on whether I could carry on a coversation whilst running as this seems to be a good barometer. I was also told about 'perceived exertion' - if you imagine flat out, gasping for breath sprint exertion is '10' then aim for 4 or 5 of. It seems to be working for me so far although I must get a new Garmin charger.

I also struggled a bit with exhaustion in the first trimester and so really cut back. Hence my rather feeble mileage and pace now. 3 or 4 miles seems about right . Am running home from work tonight so I'll see how things go although I do feel as if I need the loo a lot (the sensation diminishes as soon as I stop). Does anyone else have this? I've guessed it's the uterus bouncing on the bladder - lovely thought - but I could be wrong on that one.

Notyummy and Pinkpeony thanks for the advice also. Shall be listening to my body and throwing in the towel as soon things start to feel odd. I'm pleased I've got this far (made it to 14 weeks when pregnant with the twins) so anything more feels quite positive. I just know that I'll miss running once I have to stop and, also, remember from last time how painful it was to get my fitness back up again post-birth. I think I had a permanant stitch for the first five months of running!

I had just started running again when I found out that I was pregnant - then stopped because I had a very busy time with travelling and work, then just couldn't face it with the morning sickness. I'm now 11 weeks and have started exercising in the gym again (weight training and some cardio on the crosstrainer and bike), and am now contemplating if should give running another go... If only just to try and stop the pounds piling on! (Eating carbs is the only thing that keeps my sickness at bay). My gym is about to start a beginners running club, which I might join - however, it's at 7am! Not sure I can get motivated enough.

I was a pathetic runner even before getting pregnant, so not worried about pace/distance etc. I just think as long as I do something, it's good for me & baby. To my surprise I found that exercising actually makes me feel better, both physically and mentally.

Kitstwins - the 140 HR advice is out of date. It is now advised to use the percieved exertion and exercise around 6-7.

Found as I got bigger a support belt helped for comfort too.

Thank goodness for that Chynah! It doesn't take much more than a veeeeery slow jog to get my heart rate over 140! I am not unfit (sub-50 minute 10k/20 mins for a 3 mile run) but my heart rate seems quite high even when I feel fine. Resting heart rate is good though.

Hi I ran till 38 weeks with my first baby. I got really good advice from my GP re listening to my body, keeping hydrated and not overdoing at. At one point quite early on, I ended up with Braxton Hicks and knew I had overdone it but after that it became pretty hard to overdo as your legs just stop working. I think if you can broadly hold a conversation then that is fine. The other advice I got was to do some strength exercises at the same time so that you build your core which seemed to work well too as I never had any back ache.

This time, I am feeling and being sick and can't face running so fingers crossed it passes quickly and I get back to pounding the pavements soon!

final bit of advice for running mummies - do your pelvic floor exercises religiously as running does jiggle everything up and down more [hence needing wees all the time when you are out running] and as a result I am sure my pelvic floor is more shot than it should be!

kitstwins after DS3 I kept getting a stitch when running, from what I remember (over 6 rs ago) I was told by gym staff it was due to the abdominal muscles still being 'loose' after pregnancy hence stomach literally bounces around a lot causing stitch pain; similar to the stitch you can get from your stomach being too full. Hope that makes sense as I am sure I havent explained it in a technically correct way. Anyway I increased my core strength & ab work & the stitch pain did stop.

I wasn't a distance runner but pre this pregnancy I was doing one 6-8 mile run plus x2/3 3-4 mile runs a week as well as the gym & swimming. I am too sick to do anything for past 3 weeks (am 9wks pg) but as soon as this passes I will be back at it even if I can only manage a 2-3 mile jog.

chynah what sort of support belt did you use?

I'm a runner/triathlete, attempted to carry on as long as possible but like you found that I slowed down VERY quickly! I just carried on as long as felt ok last run was 2 weeks ago in the first (and last for me!) cross country of the season. It was brilliant, but I had this feeling that was my last run for a while. Sure enough I'm now finding things much more difficult and plan to do an exercise dvd and try to get out on my bike (not in traffic) with my dh a few times just to keep moving.

IMO (not a medical professional) as an athlete you are more aware of your body than most people anyway so you know when something doesn't feel right. As long as you accept you're now just a plodder and don't try to beat people (harder than I expected to get out of that mindset!) I think it's fine to keep going until you feel it's too much.

I can't wait to get started again though am a bit worried about doing too much too soon. I'd like to be racing again by Spring...

I'm not a real runner (usually 1x10km and a couple of 5km a week). I'm 13 weeks tomorrow and only just getting the energy to do anything other than sit on the sofa filling my face. However the runs I have done over the past few weeks have been awesome once I get going - not fast or super far but feeling fab. I will be getting back into it in the next couple of weeks although I've promised I won't be as crazy on the running/biking on ice this year as normal - must remember to fix cross trainer!

MrsBigW - The support belt I got was very wide elastic which went under bump - can't remember the make but got it on line by googling maternty support belts - used it from about 23 weeks.

I'm 24 weeks, and just about still going, but very very slowly (and I have to keep stopping for a wee!) Doing 2-3 miles about twice a week. Am still running outside with my v patient running buddy and in the gym on my own. Just doing what I can and hoping to carry on for as long as poss.
I bought a belly bra, which has really helped

Good to hear what others are doing!

Hi Kitstwins

If you are a runner I think you can afford to listen to your body and use the perceived rate of exertion like one of the other posts said. The thing I was most concerned about was stress through the pelvis and on the pelvic floor, (worse for me as I was carrying twins). I really didn't want to risk any long term problems that would stop me exercising in the future. I also didn't want to be weeing myself! The relaxin in your body is also something to watch so you really need soft even ground for running as your joints are inherently weaker. I stopped running at about 20 weeks as it was uncomfortable, and stopped body step at 30 weeks. After this I could only walk and swim. I remember at about 35 weeks I could only just get myself in the pool and do about 20 lengths. It was seriously depressing. It is hard to accept what seems like such a decline in fitness but my trainer was very good at trying to make me see it as different, rather than worse.

All I can say though is it is worth keeping fit. I had c-section and recovered really well and was back doing high intensity stuff at 12 weeks.

Hope that helps!

I wish I had carried on running. I did a half marathon just before I found out I was preg but then I stopped running and I wish I had carried on! Too late to start again now of course (29 weeks) but plan to get back on it as soon as DC is born! Good luck to you. x

I ran the London marathon this year as well! Back in September at just 5 weeks I did the Adidas Women's Challenge 5K (admittedly pushing the double buggy with my almost 4 and almost 2 year old in!) and wow, where did my fitness/energy go? Almost overnight I'd been reduced to feeling like it was the first few weeks of running all over again! And there wasn't even a bump.

Haven't been out since but to be fair I bleed a lot in the first trimester, and I have incompetent cervix, so probably best I don't! It was so horrible running that 5K that it's put me off anyway.

At the start I did a lot of reading around it just out of curiosity all the same. Sounds like what you're doing is absolutely fine. The perceived effort thing is the most important - good luck trying to keep your heartrate under 140, impossible!

Given how I felt at just 5 weeks I'm impressed at all of you still running out there :)

I ran up until 26 weeks. Then I had a three week break due to holidays and it just wasn't comfortable any more. I'm still cycling and swimming, though.

My doctor said no racing after week 8 because she knew I wouldn't listen to my body during a race, but the heart rate of 140pbm or less is considered to be outdated as Chynah says.

I've found it really good to be able to get out and still be relatively "normal" (especially in the pool where I'm still faster than most of the other swimmers) and I don't know if the sport has anything to do with it, but it is been quite an easy pregnancy compared with the aches and pains that a lot of people get.

So do you think it's alright to have a break from running in the early weeks and then get back into it when energy levels return?

First pregnancy I didn't run at all. As this time, I was too exhausted in the first weeks and then too worried to start again after 12 weeks but this time I would like to start again once I've got a bit more energy.

Gosh, thanks everyone. This is really fab and good to know there are others out there plodding along like me.

MrsBigW that's really interesting about the stitch. I thought it was because I'd had such a sedentary pregnancy with the twins - the final month on bedrest, etc. All I can remember is feeling as if I had a knife in my chest for months afterwards, first whenever I walked everywhere and then for every run. It was pretty painful.

Good also to know about the 140bpm being outdated. I'll go by perceived exertion instead. In terms of belly band I'm using the Carriwell support band, which seems to be pretty good. And on the back of gillykins advice I will be doing my pelvic floor even more from now onwards. I do lots of pilates but it definately correlates that I have the sensation of needing a wee when I run so I think I need to step up the old PF's a bit.

Can really recommend the Shock Absorber 'Run' bra which is encapsulated and stops the figure of 8 movement. It came out late last year I think and is fantastic (did all my marathon training in it). The bras go up to quite big sizes too (I'm currently inhabiting an E cup) which is handy for pregnancy expansion. After that there's an Enell one that you can get on www.lessbounce.com (fab website) that has a zip up the front and goes up to ginormous sizes. It's hideous to look at but gives great support - I wore one for running when I was breastfeeding on top of another bra and didn't have a millimetre of movement.

What did people wear when they got really big bumps? Is there any specific pregnancy running kit or was it just a question of squashing into existing stuff/buying larger sizes?

I am still squeezing into my usual leggings (hurrah for lycra) even though I have put on a good stone and a half, then 2 sports bras, belly bra then just a normal maternity vest. I do need a bigger belly bra now though - I think the support band being directly on my bladder isn't really helping mind you! I am going to have a look at the support band you mentioned, kitstwins.
I think it's ok to be a bit stop start with it all when you're pregnant - some weeks I have done loads, other weeks very little and as long as you take care and listen to your body, as evryone else has said. There was some useful info on some NHS site - will try and find it.

I did the London marathon this year - 2 weeks before conceiving! - and have carried on running in pregnancy. I did a 10k race at 11 weeks and a half marathon at 22 weeks - at which point I decided enough was enough and I didn't want to run anymore!

I found that I became a plodder very quickly and for longer runs adopted a pace of 10 mins jogging 5 mins walking (which I didn't actually stick to in the half marathon as I set off too fast, then got a massive stitch at 3 miles and had to walk, then got bored at 9 miles and just wanted it to be over so jogged the rest!). I think the important thing is to listen to your body - it's a bit strange since when doing the marathon I spent a lot of time trying to ignore my body's complaints, but now pregnant am hyper-sensitive to every twinge.

I'm now at 26 weeks and doing antenatal yoga, swimming, aqua-aerobics and body conditioning at my gym - feeling pretty good still but happy to have toned down the intensity. Despite staying fairly active I'm starting to get breathless just walking about, and I seem to get a stitch in my bump just from walking sometimes, which is a bit disconcerting. But if I don't exercise then I start to feel stressed and miserable, so I think it's pretty important that I try to stay active.

Good luck with your running! And this has worked well for me to stop the disconcerting bump bounce:

www.amazon.co.uk/Carriwell-Maternity-Support-Band-White/dp/B001DBO5VK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1288380541&sr=8-10

Hi all, relatively new to mumsnet but this thread caught my eye.

As a competitive cycle racer and former triathlete I'm keen to keep working out as long as I can. Not racing, mind you, but maintaining my fitness and just getting out and enjoying myself running and cycling. It's a huge mental stress relief for me as well.

Found some good stuff on the net about it, in particular this article:
www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/the-pregnant-athlete

Basically it's about keeping tabs on yourself, not overdoing it, staying hydrated and listening to your body. On the plus side, fit mums have easier labours (supposedly) and exercise is good for the baby too as it grows.

As for me, I'm 9 weeks and have been so tired these past few weeks that I've really scaled back my riding and running. Even getting out for 30 min helps me though. It's frankly the only time I don't feel nauseous too!

Hoping to continue as long as I can, we'll see how it goes.