Exercise advice

[Youngoldmum]

Hi everyone,
Just found out I'm pregnant after 14 months of trying and I'm an older mum at 38.
While TTC I took up running and had just managed my first 10K the week before finding out. I about 4.5 weeks.

I am obviously going to curb the running now and don't want to jeopardise the thing we've waited for so long for. Just wanted advice on what is OK to do when pregnant as I won't be seeing a midwife for another week and a half. I was signed up to do a 10K at the end of May which obviously I'm not doing now but I do want to stay fit and do want to get back into running post-baby.

Any advice or things docs have said would be great

Thanks 😊

Congratulations! Advice is to carry on at the level you are accustomed to - don't start anything new, don't push to improve pb's, avoid activities with a risk of fall/collision (horse riding, skiing etc). Also listen to your body and if you are very uncomfortable, ease off or stop. I ran up until 20wks with dd, then the weight on my pelvic floor became too uncomfortable. If really recommend staying as active as possible though, it will help so much with birth and recovery (and all studies show, baby's wellbeing). Also it won't be quite so discouraging when you get back to it properly .

You don't have to stop running if its something that you are used to. I continued to run until 22 weeks with this pregnancy, I just dropped my pace a little and limited myself to 5k maximum, and did 2-3 times a week. I cancelled the half marathon I had booked for the week after I found out! If you don't feel you want to run you could speed walk, or swim instead?

Keep going with your normal routine don't try to improve try to stay at the same pace until you feel its getting harder. I know lots of people who have still being going to term in 20 weeks and not slowed down so far m, my first pregnancy I didn't exercise and felt awful this time I feel almost normal just slightly more tired. Last time by 20 weeks I had spd and was on prescription pain killers daily this time I'm fine I credit keeping my fitness levels high as I can

Look up fit pregnancy you will see lots of advice and stories on how good it is for you to be as active as possible for pregnancy and birth and it can do wonders for your recovery.

Don't stop running if you don't want to - just make sure you don't go so hard that you can't speak. I ran to 16 weeks in my first pregnancy and 25 weeks in my second.
Keeping fit during pregnancy made it much easier to get back into training afterwards, and I think it helped with both labours as well.

Be aware that many women find from week 6 to 14 exhausting so make sure you listen to your body and if you need to reduce what you are doing for a bit then do so. Pregnancy and labour do require you to be as fit as possible. I wish I was fitter before I got pregnant.

As others have said, don't do anything new but you can def keep training. It will help you physically and psychologically.
A few rules are

• don't overheat (so don't push it)
• listen to your body
• accept your new limits

First tri you'll be exhausted - I went running outside and twice had to call DH to rescue me as just was pooped, so stuck to treadmill after that.
Second tri I went 2-3 times a week but just half hour plods - I didn't do any hills as they overheated me!
Struggled with spd a little in this pregnancy so at 21 weeks was told to stop running as it could exacerbate it, but last pregnancy I ran to 25 weeks.
Get good maternity trousers with support for bump once it gets bigger (fittamamma do good ones).
Also stretch lots and maybe do some pregnancy pilates too - this has made me much more aware of my body and movement with bump, and how to exercise safely. I'm 31 weeks and still gaming / weights / swimming but the pilates has helped me be aware of my core to protect my back, and has given me good stretch ideas.
Good luck and congrats!

You don't have to stop!

At 6 weeks I cycled 100mile race (regular cyclist)
At 8 weeks I walked 30miles in two days.

After that I didn't feel like doing any big stuff but continued to cycle and run shorter distances up until about 25 weeks.

During early pregnancy the main thing that could prevent you from carrying on as normal is sickness or tiredness.

Running a 10k in the early weeks is not going to break the baby, as long as you are a regular runner and have no other medical reason not to.

Not a parent but I watch bodyfitbyamy on youtube and she was pregnant recently and posted some great pregnancy work-outs that my friends loved!

I'm a dance/fitness teacher. Just over 34 weeks and I'm still going. Was dancing without too much issue up until 29 weeks, but now I'm feeling it so doing my best to slow it down. Your body will tell you if you're doing too much. I plan to keep going in some guise until term - just getting much less bouncy!

Thanks ladies. Running was a fairly new thing for me so I'll take it easier, the 10k is off the cards as I was only just able to run that far and it was a push.
Those that have taken running back up after birth - how long was it before you could start running again? I just read 6 months somewhere so hoping that's not true!!

That will completely depend upon your recovery, bf, how much sleep you may or may not be getting. I'd say keep an open mind and an appetite to get back to it but don't pressure yourself and remember that the newborn months represent a very short space of time in the grand scheme of things , think of all the years you didn't run before, whether you wait 6 or 12 months after LO arrives, it pales into insignificance . Walking with a buggy or sling is great maintenance in the meantime.

And I'd say the women running before 6m post birth would be by far in the minority, mostly very fit/determined/more likely young! I don't want to discourage you, you might actually want and feel up to doing it - but don't underestimate the physical battering that pg, birth and a newborn inflicts!

Like others have said it depends on your recovery with ds I was many months before I felt normal again I went to a zumba class from 6 months but i know people who have had their 6 week check went back into there fitness routine and back to normal by 3 months.

It's a lot easier to get back to running if you don't stop in first place. You could probably keep up running 5k's for a long while (if you want).

Don't overheat, keep hydrated, watch for ligament strains. Anything your body is already used to is usually fine. Congratulations, :).

After DS was born I ran 6 weeks post-birth and first raced at 5 months post-birth (10K).

After DD was born I ran 48 hours post-birth (very slowly!) and ran my first race, a half marathon, when she was 10 weeks.

Oh - and DS's birth was complex and quite traumatic, hence the longer recovery time. With DD it was straightforward and I was very lucky.