Fitness fanatics - when did you stop running?

[CareerGirl01]

Am 23 weeks pregnant and still managing to keep up a fairly regular regime including 2x 5k runs a week. All okay until yesterday when my bladder felt a bit 'squished' may just have been the way baby is lying - want to keep running till 28 weeks when I've promised myself I will knuckle under and do preggie stuff such as swimming and aqua aerobics/Zumba.
Am I being too ambitious?

37-39 weeks. Am not a fitness fanatic though.

I say do what you can for as long as you can. I'm an erstwhile triathlete who hasn't been able to do jack since SPD/ PGP kicked in at 20 weeks. It sucks and I wish I could be more active.

Only 13weeks but still running 10 km races! Run til you feel uncomfortable is what experts say.....

The question is why do you still want to run?

I love running, not for exercise particularly, I just love it, but stopped very early. Running is high impact, that coupled with the extra weight of the baby, and ligaments loosened by relaxin is asking for injury. The thought of being laid up injured unable to get out and about when pregnant is just to horrible to risk.

Also running isn't a particularly good form of all round exercise. It is great for stamina and weight management (not that anyone should be trying to lose weight when pregnant), but completely hopeless for the muscles and core areas you will need for labour. It is far better to focus on exercise that works on the whole body - upper legs for squatting in labour (a good position which makes the most of gravity), back and core to prevent strain as the bump grows, arms for lifting the baby and buggy etc

Lastly, running is v uncomfortable as early on boobs hurt too much, and then later because the baby is on your bladder.

If I were you I'd get a new routine going, something with variety that exercises the whole body not just the legs.

Or you could just keep running I suppose, if it makes you happy.... just warm up very well, and stop if you get hot. My consultant's rule on exercise was anything goes provided you don't get hot or sweaty.

I also love running and know I should start doing other things, but can't afford pregnancy pilates/ yoga/ maternally fit. Does anyone know of any good (and substantial) work outs for pregnant women, preferably free? (One of the many benefits of running!)

I'm not an amazing runner but I did easy 5 min treadmill runs until weeks 36 and 38 of each pregnancy. Nothing at all hard, but enough to remind my body who's boss. My gym trainer scribbled in BIG letters across the top of my programme 'MAINTENANCE', I was not to get hot or sweaty, just keep my body ticking over.

If you go back to the treadmill while breastfeeding, even at 12 weeks post natal, then wear 2 sports bras. I didn't realise I was channelling Dolly Parton that first visit back .

I stopped at around 20 wks with dd, was just too uncomfortable (pain underneath bump). Stuck to swimming after that.

Gertrude, not quite free but swimming is fantastic, you can swim pretty hard without risk of injury...and its great fun seeing the faces on blokes you've overtaken several times when they clock your bump

I used to be a swimmer until I started running for London Marathon in 2006, so have started swimming again now as my alternative "pregnant" exercise. But interesting about upper leg exercises and core - might need to address that

The other thing to add is don't go back to running to soon after the birth even if you feel fine. I read a thread on here recently about a very keen fit runner who went for a jog at 4 weeks post natal and suffered a prolapse.

Hi worsestershire I've been doing squats etc in the gym - and starting my Pilates/yoga again. I do my running - most of it - on the grass to take off the worst of the impact. It's more the outdoors nature of being able to work out- gym is okay but I want to feel the fresh air on my face and a walk doesn't cut it. Ill probably ease off it soon - I've got a spin bike at home which I can't use now - but ill probably opt for that post natally and have a break from the gym (I can stick it outside and get the benefits of fresh air and low pact exercise). Was just wondering what other mums do. I've been working out for 20 years and it seems a shame to stop while pregnant- esp as I'm hoping for a VBac after an emergency CS last time.

mrsmellow get a trainer to show you some upper body stuff. You can still do tricep dips - as long as you do them with both feet on the ground and are properly supported.

I ran loads but stopped really early. I was just too knackered in the early weeks! Oh, the tiredness...at 34+6 I'm still feeling nothing like the exhaustion of those early times. Unfortunately by the time the exhaustion passed at around 14 weeks, running felt really uncomfortable already. I did try to keep up some sort of regime with dog walking, swimming, aquarobics, zumba and ante-natal exercise DVD but frankly have done bugger all in the past 6 or 7 weeks. I can't even walk the dogs very much any more - my (lack of) bladder means that about 45mins is about top whack.
I'm very, very jealous of anyone who's still getting a decent workout! I absolutely can't wait to get back into it, I feel like a total blob.

stowsettler my first pregnancy was like that -and I'd been gym crazy all the years before. When I had my post natal check up I relished going back to exercise - did it under supervision though. Because I don't take my time exercising for granted I've actually got fitter in the four years since having DD1 - so don't worry about slacking!! You'll get it all back and enjoy!

worsester I also love running. I want to run because it fella me feel sane. I like being out on a bridle way in the fresh air. I don't think anyone should discourage a pregnant woman from doing their choice of exercise as long as its still comfortable & safe. Oh and I can break a sweat just walking up a flight of stairs so I definitely sweat when I run.

careergirl it's great to hear you're still running at 23 weeks. I'm 11 weeks and am still enjoying it. I'm only doing 5k runs now too where I used to do longer. I bought a DVD called "10 minute solutions; Pre Natal Pilates" It was £5 in HMV but if you look it up on youtube you can see it for free. I really like it.

I'm not discouraging anyone from doing anything - I was simply asking why people wanted to run, and I did say my consultant was of the view that 'anything goes provided you don't get hot or sweaty'. That last bit is important - as raising core temp can have adverse consequences. I personally had a bleed when running (before I knew I was pregnant), and I know someone who had repeated miscarriages before they slowed up on the exercise, so it's not an old wives tale.

There are much better routines out there for fitness, and strength if that what people want, and all of them can be done outside in the fresh air. Running is great, but the OP did say it was a bit uncomfortable and I took that as her having an interest in alternatives. I was just pointing out it is not the be all and end all of exercise, and that people (me for instance) have given it up and stayed just as (if not more so) fit.

Flying - at 11 weeks you have hardly any bump so yes, running will be piss easy. You'll shoot out at 20 and then you'll know what I'm talking about. When the baby sticks its head in your bladder.... enjoy

I ran (well jogged) up to 32 weeks, am 34 weeks now and just haven't got round to going out in the last couple of weeks so have stopped now and will just swim instead. I cut down from doing 5 runs per week to 2 and really reduced my speed but I really enjoyed it so kept going. I did try to run one day when the baby was in an odd position which felt uncomfortable so I just walked for a bit until it felt comfortable again.

Just because you get sweaty, it does not mean you are necessarily overheating to risky levels.

Present guidelines suggest that a core body temperature of 39 degrees C or above is risky. A study found that for women exercising at moderate to high intensity for 20 minutes, temperature increased by .5 degrees C to 37.3 degrees C in late pregnancy. Some researchers suggest that physiological adaptations such as a tendency towards increased blood pooling at the skin and an increased blood volume lead to more efficient heat loss. There is no evidence that exercise raises body core temperature to a level likely to cause problems.

As for being ambitious - really depends on the person, (a friend of mine was happily teaching intensive step classes 8 months pregnant) so sure it is possible that you can keep running til 28 weeks, just concentrate on how you feel and not on that arbitrary deadline.

I stopped early, about 20 weeks which is when I started to show. I found the boob bit uncomfortable.

I kept up everything else though, even spinning and body pump until 39 weeks.

I know a couple of women at the gym who have managed to run all the way through.

Hi I was/am dead keen runner and cyclist.With my last pregnancy I was still runnning - but at 13 weeks did some over enthusiastic downhill running and got bad pelvis pain (pelvic girdle pain (PGP/ symphysis pubic dysfunction (SPD)).

Now I might have got this anyway - but possibly later if I hadn't been running.

Fortunately for me I was fine to cycle right the way through. I had envisaged I would do a lot more walking but my pelvis was too bad - so cycling was a big godsend.

I also did a bit of swimming (I used to always do breastroke - but couldn't due to pelvis - so had to work on front crawl).

If you use a gym, the stepper things are less impactful than running, also stationary bike if you are not confident cycling out and about with a bump - both these have good cross over to your running fitness.

There are loads of free pregnancy workouts (yoga/pilates/ general fitness) on you tube which I remember doing last time.

Obviously you don't want to go crazy with effort - but depending on how you feel about it you you can work quite hard - up to a perceived effort of 6 or 7 out of 10.

Exactly woodifer - exercise is completely personal, what works for one, doesn't necessarily work for another. Pregnancy is about listening to your body, and not pushing yourself. Usually workouts are about pushing to get to the next level, but where we are now it's all about maintenance. If your body feels hot, or hurts, or tired, just slow it down or stop. I'll happily walk for 2 hours, but I wouldn't run. Other people look at me like I'm mad to walk so far, but will happily run for 10 mins on the treadmill.

The one thing I will say though is I gained a much better body when I started varying my routine to include all body stretching and toning exercises. Running is not kind to the looks!

I'm 24 weeks and doing parkrun (5k) once a week. Athough now it is more of a run/walk. I'm going to do it for as long as i can, although i suspect it will all be walking by the end as it's getting a little uncomfortable now.

My midwife was very enthusiastic and said i can keep on running as long as i feel able.

I do a lot of walking the rest of the week...pushing a 16 month old around up and down lots of big hills.

I find running works best for me physically (looks included - sorry Worrcestershiresauce but my body apparently loves it! I always seem to look better when I run regularly) and mentally. I previously did outdoors bootcamp classes and running and now just down the running and I don't miss the bootcamp but do agree with worcestershiresauce that ideally you'd want to be doing more muscular exercises too so am trying to reintroduce some for after my runs. Have not read anything linking running to miscarriages but can imagine it could make bleeding worse in some cases. I've had some light spotting but running doesn't seem to exacerbate it for me. I plan on carrying on until it doesn't feel right for me as it makes me feel human :-) trying to add in some diversity is good though for the added reason that if you can't run anymore you won't then have to start a new regime from scratch. But if one more person mentions pregnancy yoga to me I may scream - it really is the last thing I feel like doing! Sure it works for lots of people and I even do some yoga poses after running and squats etc but it does not come close to the euphoria I get from more demanding exercise!

Worcestershiresauce, just realise I meant to add, so glad somebody else is still walking long distances. I walk 40 mins most days as part of my commute (really not that much??!) and people seem to think it's madness usually, let alone now I'm pregnant!

BB01 - you are so lucky, I love running, but if I did as much as I wanted I'd go v scrawny round the top half and sinewy round the legs. V ageing - not good! As for pregnancy yoga, totally agree..... Nooooooooo! Pilates I get (although I took some convincing). Yoga just makes me want to kill someone .

My favourite exercise is cycling & I envisage keeping that up til later in my pregnancy. You're right, worsester I have zero bump yet & running is not uncomfortable, I will stop when it is. Cycling (offroad) this time of year can be pretty grim with all the mud. Throwing on a pair of trainers & going for a jog is so much more simple.

I was out on my mountain bike today & oh boy do I need better sports bras, I've never had boobs before now & they really jiggle!