Running in pregnancy, advice please!

[running3]

Hi, I had a bfp last weekend and am entered into a half marathon next weekend, so all being well will be 6 weeks pregnant. I've run for years and have done halfs before but training has been less consistent over the past year due to various things (hip injury, broken collarbone, mc) so I am a bit less fit than I had been. I had always planned to continue running when pregnant but I did 10miles last weekend (furthest in a long time, though I have been building up and obviously made sure I took it fairly easy) and it felt fine except I was panicking about getting too hot. Later that day i had a banging headache despite trying to stay extra hydrated. I have consequently bought a new running belt with a bigger bottle and plan to eat far more afterwards on my next run, but I still have a niggling doubt that perhaps I shouldn't do the half. Obviously I don't want to risk any harm to my baby. Am I being completely ridiculous to consider doing it, or am I being ridiculous to worry about it when my body knows running and has previously been pushed much further/harder? What would other pregnant runners do?!

I think it really is about listening to your body. I am 33+2 with twins and ran throughout the first two trimesters, stopping when I got to about 26 w because my ligaments just didn't feel quite right after. Not pain, just weird. Swapped to cross trainer instead and all well.

I had pretty bad morning sickness till about 15w/16w but found the running helped. I used to wake up, throw up, and go for a run!

Oh @kitty1013 I was meant to do the winter run. I kind of think I could've done it but will try next year.

My DP is taking my place in the Hampton half next week so I'll be on the sidelines cheering / sulking.

I certainly draw looks at the gym with my enormous bump, which, I must admit, I get a kick out of. People don't disapprove, most of them have just never seen a heavily pregnant person actively working out and a lot of people still have the vague sense that a visible preggo should be sitting down somewhere quietly as opposed to, you know, staying fit and healthy. Men sometimes get a slightly panicky look in their eyes

I love working out while pregnant. I think my pregnancies would have been so much harder work if I hadn't.

^ I'd second that Queen. I've found being fit made a huge difference, both in terms of handling the normal day to day discomfort and in terms of recovery from giving birth. I'm only 4 days out from #2 and in very little physical discomfort, I'm just tired. If you've been doing some light strength work most/all the way through then that helps to counteract some of the annoying effects of relaxin.

Yeeaah well done on the 10k kitty!! Good luck with your scan on Friday. Fingers and toes crossed all is well x

Agree with both of you that keeping active does make for an easier time of it. The amount of pregnant women I know or hear of who give up all physical activity is astounding. Apparently 3/4 pregnant women having a normal low risk healthy pregnancy are too sedentary. And there was the study recently that said that a sedentary lifestyle can cause as much long term damage as smoking.
Anyway, I digress. Well done on 10k kitty and I hope everyone's scans go well.

Went on the treadmill at the gym tonight which reminded me just how much I'm missing just going for a run outside. I'm hoping I'll feel brave enough to get back to it after my dating scan.

Hi ladies
Just to say my scan went well today. It has caught up from last time, a nice heartbeat, measuring 7+3 when my dates are 7+4 so im very happy with that. Phew. Obviously running had no ill effects. I've had a bad cough so not done much exercise this week, but hope to get back to it next week.
I don't think I'll manage the half marathons im signed up to though :(
Hope you are all doing well.
Kxx

Don't despair Kitty! I think of birth as an event I'm training my body for, with its own special requirements. Instead of thinking about the race you can't run, think about the massive challenge ahead in about what, 20-25 weeks' time, and train for that!

If you mind looks whilst working out come and train at a university campus gym. It is mostly used by men 18-23 who are way, way too embarassed to do anything but look at the floor

Oops 30-35 w not 20!!

You won’t cause a miscarriage but do listen to how you feel. I did the Henley 10km at 6 weeks with ds 1. At that stage I ran 10km at least every weekend- it should t have been a strain at all. Instead I had a stitches/pains like fireballs, as it was a loop I had to stagger back. Morning sickness hit that night and it was all over for exercise.

Thank you Johnny and time for your comments

Good idea re a uni gym to be ignored! I go to a cheap gym at a school (out of school hours obviously ) with mostly young clientele, they are much less nosy than the posh gym I used to go to. The (big) downside is that there's no loo near the gym- not great in pregnancy!

I am going to have to have a CS this time as have had extensive pelvic floor repair surgery that I don't want to ruin. So I won't get to show off my impressive fitness in the delivery suite ha ha. But I am very keen to keep a base level of fitness/strength and not put on unnecessary weight.

My husband is very competitive and is showing off that's he's running more than me at the moment (it's usually vice Versa). It's a Bit unfair, I feel!!

Kxx

This thread has a slightly judgemental attitude to being inactive in pregnancy. When not pregnant I run, go to the gym and before children played basketball, indoor soccer and kayaked. I love being fit and healthy. 5 weeks into pregnancy I turn into a couch potato. Even at 5m so post the hyperemisis exercise will make me nauseous and even a decent walk pace or standing on the tube has my stomach muscles seizing painfully. I don’t think I’m alone in this and should be better off as I started out fairly fit. I fully support a society that is ok with a pregnant woman needing a seat and jumps to offer it.

It’s generally fine. The following caveats:

1. Dont redline your heart rate - it can divert blood flow from the placenta
2. Dont overheat
3. Be aware that you balance will gradually change
4. Be aware that your ligaments may loosen even quite early on the pregnancy which could cleave you prone to injury.

It’s great to stay fit and active. Be mindful and listen to your body. This probably isn’t the time for pushing for performance increases, but rather for keeping things ticking over.
I’ve been unable to run since about 15 weeks of my first pregnancy due to severe joint issues that set in at that point and have never resolved. So keep active, but don’t push it and listen to your body.

And yes - I was really fit before pregnancy Then I got hyperemesis so severe I couldn’t lift my head without puking, then my joints fell apart.

Let’s not judge pregnant women for either excercises ing or needing a sofa! Each pregnancy is different

I specifically said women having a healthy low risk pregnancy. I'm sorry you had a tough pregnancy, that sounds really difficult. However that doesn't change the fact that we live in a really inactive society and there are health implications to that. I'm sorry if you felt judged but I dont think anyone has been nasty.

Oh and I support pregnant women wanting and getting a seat too. But that's not really relevant here.
I also support a society where women can carry on with perfectly safe activities that they enjoyed and want to do without being scared off by well meaning but completely inaccurate statements.

@timeisnotaline - obviously if you can't work out in pregnancy you can't. I didn't do anything between 8 and 14 weeks this pregnancy because a double whammy of sickness and anaemia had me hardly able to walk for 5 minutes. That's not what anyone is saying. But many people who ARE perfectly capable have unnecessarily sedentary pregnancies and you do tend to get looks, confusion, questions if you continue to be as active in pregnancy as you were before.

Nobody's judging people who aren't up to exercising, just talking about the benefits of staying active and that people are far too unduly scared of carrying on with exercise they were doing before.

Time- I'm sorry if you feel this thread is judgemental. I really would never criticise anyone for what they can or can't do. Everyone is different and has different pregnancies!

I do actually appreciate having people tell me I don't have to stop running if I don't want to. But I'm only 7 weeks!!! A lot could change - and Im sure it will. For now I feel ok and don't want to stop my current exercise level. I just feel nervous as I never see anyone with a bump exercising at the gym etc. So I appreciate the positive support of people telling me it can be done. Whether I personally will manage it at a later date....well that waits to be seen!

And I fully support offering seats. 100%!!
Kxx

Keep on going! I jogged until I was about 15 weeks then I just couldn’t manage it any more and alas the problems I’ve had mean I still haven’t almost three years on. :(

Be sensible and listen to your body is the rule. It’s good to be as active as you can - and it’s ok of course to not manage as much for the time you’re pregnant - on a background of good fitness, a few months ‘off’ isn’t going to do you any major damage.

OP something I found really positive in the second tri was getting a personal trainer to do me a basic pg exercise routine. Nothing fancy, just about 10-12 exercises that would be safe and ideally help with birth.

It helped take my mind off what I couldn't or didn't want to do, and made going to the gym feel positive. I started it around 15w and still doing it religiously at nearly 34!

I still go running (mind you it's only 5k and it's once a week) and I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow :3 do what feels comfortable and don't push yourself too much :-)

I did the half and really enjoyed it, took it easy and felt fine. I've had a bit of a sore tummy since though which I'm desperately hoping is due to eating and drinking too much to make sure I rehydrated and refuelled enough! Fingers crossed.

So glad your scan was ok kitty!

A personal trainer is a good idea. I'll try to keep running but as others have said you just don't know how your body will react. We can only try and do what we can do!

Hope everyone else is feeling ok

I wondered how everyone was doing? I'm now 13 weeks and managing to run at least twice a week . Sometimes the tiredness takes precedence though . I still love the feeling when I do run though, and don't want to totally lose all my fitness .
My hip can feel a bit sore afterwards though,
I'd love to hear how everyone else on this thread is getting on!
Kxx