Running whilst breast feeding (not at the same time!)

[afrikat]

Are there any fellow runners out there? I am 19 weeks and due to extreme fatigue and generally feeling crap I haven't been able to keep up running too well.

Before getting pregnant I was running 20-30 miles a week, doing 10k's and thinking about a marathon.

I am looking forward to getting back into running after the birth (tho slightly worried about those first few weeks of pain trying to make my body run again!) but not sure how soon this will be possible. Presuming (hoping for) a natural birth with minimal damage etc is it realistic to start again at 6 weeks? What about having milk filled massive boobs to contend with?? Any advice / musings from other runners welcome.

I ran until 26 weeks pg, started again when dd2 was 5 weeks. I've since had a bit of hip pain when running, and am slightly concerned I should have left it a little longer- was just very keen to know if my pelvic floor would hold out! I made sure I fed dd straight before I went, and have had no issues with the boobular area. You sound way fitter and 'better' runner than me, I do 10 km max, and am pretty slow, so if I can do it, I reckon you'll be fine!

i wear 3 sports bras and went back to running 3 months post csection. ran pregnant up to 34 weeks so had retained my fitness pretty well. breast pads are essential at first for all the leakage. now i'm single i use a running buggy and try to time it for dd nap.

I was very fit prior to falling pregnant but never ran until after DS was born. I started running when he was about 7 months. I never thought it would take that long for me to start getting back into shape, but it did! Sleepless nights, colic and cake got in the way.

I'm still BF DS who is now 18 months. I run 5-6 days a week 3-7km per run, depending on how tired I am.

My advice would be to listen to your body and try not to compare yourself and your abilities to your per- pregnant self. Oh, and get a good sports bra!

I'm currently breast feeding and there is no way I could run anywhere! I'm terminally knackered from lack of sleep, and I'd spray milk everywhere if I tried it!

I've got a good few half marathons and trail races of around 15-18k behind me but stopped running at about 12wks pregnant.

I am hoping to start a run/walk programme at around 6wks post birth mainly in order to get fresh air and 20mins a day baby-free time.
My plan is to work up to running the local parkrun 5k weekly and stick at that distance for quite some time until I feel my body is properly recovered. I think that I could probably run straight away but doing the run/walk programme will prevent any injury and also be more realistic if I'm exhausted and sore and be a short enough time away from the baby. I feel that no matter how bad the sleep deprivation is I will go mad if I don't get 20mins fresh air without buggy or sling three times a week.

Should say, although not running in pregnancy I am cycling, doing yoga and aquafit.

I would have struggled to start again at six weeks I think but everyone heals differently. I did run not long after that but had to time it carefully around bfing as full boobs can be quite sore to run with.

I bf and started walk/running at five weeks (forceps birth, episiotomy). Got back to running for about 5k more easily than I expected, perhaps due to leg strength from carrying dd!
I needed to wear a good sports bra in a size larger than anything I owned pre-pg, and for practicality for a long time i ran straight or soon after feeding. Helps enormously with size, leaking and also leaving a contented baby behind.
But i think you can't predict your body in advance, listen to it first and i highly recommend walk/run to start with.
I bf for a year, and after about six months it really didnt seem to notice at all. Mind you, i never got back to long runs which might have put stress on joints. They do say bf keeps relaxin hanging around so you are more prone to injury. I had something related, which kicked in at about three months - stiffness. Could go running in the day no prob but when I got up in morning or in the night i could only walk like an old crone, I was that stiff. Couldnt get down stairs unless i went on my bottom!

Good luck.

Btw, even though I was the slowest person at my local running spot, it was so exciting to be me again, to be shuffling and to be in the fresh air that I loved it. When others passed me I used to think, ha! If you knew i had given birth six weeks ago you'd be deeply impressed at my, ahem, speed!!!
(I also did loads of sling walking with baby, just as good for fresh air, if you cant get out on your own. And v good for strength!)

Thanks for your responses - I shall definitely play things by ear and take it slowly. It's ages away anyway really but I am just missing it so much it would be nice to know there is a possibility I will be running again by the end of the year...

Good bra is the key. I never stopped running in most of my pregnancies, would just start again slowly.

Enjoy your pregnancy! You've got 22 weeks to go. Relax and worry about post pregnancy fitness after the baby is born. You have 6 weeks after baby comes to catch up on sleep and recover from being pregnant. Good luck x

I'd really recommend this to anyone in London. It's a really friendly run club for mums and meets once a week. Some of the girls there have run marathons, some have done little more than get off the sofa but nobody gets left behind.
I know Mumsnet is suspicious of anything that looks like an advert but I've been to this and it genuinely is great!

Africat- I gave up running between 12- 19 weeks due to exhaustion but I started again and am still managing to run once or twice a week 3-4 miles at 30 weeks pregnant. I figure every run could be my last ( during pregnancy) and just enjoy it. So maybe you could try running again before the birth?

Babylonmoo - I am still managing the odd trot and at 19 weeks I am finally feeling less exhausted so will probably do a bit more. It just feels so weird going from running 10 miles in under 8 minute miles to finding it hard work doing 3 miles at 10 minutes a mile - I know it's all about keeping it moderate and not pushing myself but it's hard to switch that mindset :)

Can I ask what you are running in? I have just about pushed the stretchiness of my usual running gear and don't want to spend too much on bigger stuff. Any tips for cheap work out gear?

Borrow your partner's? I bought a new sports bra - the same as I always wear- shock absorber run bra- but in a gigantic size with a crop top on top. Boobs fine. My running trousers go below my bump and I am wearing the bigger end of my tops and sometimes my partner's (for cold layering). I also wear bump band to cover gap! I don't feel the need to buy anything as running window may be closing soon. I was not as fast as you but I ran a lot. I now mostly swim with the odd run or two. I really enjoy them even though they are short and slow. Not very runnerly but I am still far from the slowest runner in my local park!

I have one of those bras in just about every size now, they are such good running bras. Yeah I think I will just have to go for the baggy hubby t shirt rather than shelling out on more stuff. A crop top is a good idea too as the ridiculous boobs still move a bit in the bra. Thanks!

I ran until 6 months preg and then started again at 7 wks post c-section (with doctors permission). Initially did 10 mins per day and gradually built up to my normal runs over a few months.

I just used to time my runs for straight after finishing a feed and it worked fine as baby was settled and boobs were empty. I didn't have massive boobs though. Normally A/B and went up to C/D. I wore a newly fitted sports bra plus a tight crop top too for extra compression.

Was fine for me. I enjoyed that bit of me-time.