Any running Mummies to be?

[Wiggle4]

Im 10+1 today and whilst this will be my first baby,It's my second pregnancy as my last ended with a loss at 24 weeks.

I'm a runner and it's what keeps me sane and feel less bad about the constant stream of food baby currently wants and is getting haha.

My consultant says I can run as long as my body allows and that my body will tell me what it doesn't like. I've cut down to runs of less than 40 mins and at what feels like a comfortable effort but the part that worries me is my heart rate-its in the peak zone (160+) for the entire run and I'm not sure if this is ok for baby? Anyone have any advice or similar worries??

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Sorry for your previous loss too. Its great that you have been reassured by your consultant about running.
As far as I know the heart rate thing is a myth - and exertion is fine as long as you aren't feeling faint, dizzy, pain or bleeding. Or excessive breathlessness.
Your body will tell you when to slow down. I've run through both pregnancies and finished a lot earlier with my second. I kept up the gym til 40 weeks but started to feel uncomfortable running at about 28 weeks.

Hr thing is rubbish. Especially if you are a habitual runner/excerciser.

I think as a general rule as long as you aren’t attempting to do maximal effort testing / maxing or exceeding full maximum hr it’s fine. Also time/duration is also fine as long as you aren’t trying to go from 5ks to running a marathon, if you were comfortable running for 1hour + before there is no reason you shouldn’t now if you feel like it.
I’m a rower and am 17 weeks so trying to run once or twice a week plus keeping up with weights and rowing machine sessions now the first trimester tired seems to have gone.

It might be worth doing some research on form for how to protect your pelvic floor as you get further along. I’ve struggled this last week with feeling the need to pee for the first 10 mins or so of my run so was trying to pull my abs in too much and holding pf too tight which I’ve since found out is the opposite of what you need to do!
Your body will tell you when it wants to stop running (is it does) but just try to stay fit. Keep working your core muscles and glutes/hamstrings as due to all the ligament stretching going on these areas can suffer wastage during pregnancy.

I'm a cyclist not a runner but this thread is interesting. I did a reasonably hilly ride today using a heart rate monitor to keep an eye on things. My legs feel as strong as ever but its hard riding slow enough to keep my breathing under control. Sometimes you have to make bit of effort to get up things and mentally I am struggling with the idea that it is 'ok' to get off and walk!
I worry sometimes that I'm trying too hard but I keep breathing deeply and slowly so figure it is ok.
It's good to hear from other sporty mums to be! I want to keep cycling safely as long as I can. Like you say OP it makes me feel normal and hopefully will help me feel fitter for labour and life after!

I’d worry about your pelvic floor as much as your heart rate, especially as baby gets bigger. No one ever talks about pf injury before they have kids but I’ve found it alarmingly common amongst my friends, post-partum. Running with a big baby bouncing on it will put a lot of strain on your pelvic floor so do your research, don’t overdo it and weigh up short term fitness vs long term pf health. I’m not saying don’t run, just make sure you’re aware of the risks and take precautions as necessary, as pp said.

I was a triathlete but I had hyperemesis and even though it has vastly improved now, the position my baby seems to favour (transverse across the top of my bladder) makes running a horrible experience! I’ve tried a few times since about 18 weeks (I’m 26 weeks nearly) and every time has made me feel crampy and desperate to wee constantly! I’m using the crosstrainer a lot as my pelvic floor is WAY happier with the reduced impact. Cycling has also become much tricker unfortunately. I’m still swimming and doing lots of light(er) weights and circuits. I’m not worrying about my HR as I know that non-pregnant my HR can sit around 200 for a couple of hours and I feel totally fine so it’s impossible to work out where I should be at now. I did what felt like a really easy crosstrainer for 30 mins the other day and sat between 160 and 180 for the most part but easily could have held a conversation and was back down to 80ish within minutes of getting stopping so for me that seems acceptable. I find it really hard to not push myself to the limit as I’m so used to training to the point of ‘someone needs to hand me a mars bar immediately or I will pass out’ but I’m sort of getting it now as I have no choice 😂

Following this with interest. I’m a big runner (had a place for the marathon before I found out I was pregnant, which I didn’t do as figured was a bit much, especially as I hadn’t done as much training this time as I would have normally done) and do triathlons too. My GP told me to cut way back on running and to stop cycling in case I fell off. This sounded very extreme to me, and luckily my very sensible midwife pointed out that there are far more evidenced risks around lack of exercise than from pregnancy problems from running, particularly in terms of mental health. Plus I’ve been cycling for most of my life and have only ever come off twice, at very low speeds, so feel pretty ok about that risk level. I’m exercising most days - and am using the Squeezy app to keep my pelvic floor doing its thing.

I’ve been v v lucky and haven’t felt nauseous at all, and exercise helps with the tiredness. I’m planning on keeping things as normal as possible on this front for as long as possible (although am quite glad for the excuse not to do marathon style long runs...). I’m trusting my body on this.

Thank you for all the responses! It's so good to hear from other mummies to be keeping a level of fitness!
This has really helped to reassure me in these early stages that it's ok as long as my body says it is. I hadn't thought about the pf thing but further on with pregnancy I'm expecting to walk and swim more to keep my sanity. Because of my previous loss I'm having a huge amount of anxiety this time around and I find running really helps.

I've got a new tip - step away from Strava! Does anyone else use it?

Just looked at my ride from today and slightly horrified! They have age and weight related categories - can there be one for pregnant women too?!

ha - only joking but the competitive spirit is still alive and kicking! Main thing is my health and baby's health ( not QOMS)

Hello!

I'm a runner in my first trimester and finding it super difficult to run at the moment. I've noticed the heart rate thing too! My resting heart rate is higher than usual (its gone from 55 to 63) as well.

I have been swimming more, as it seems to make me feel less ill and I'm going to do more cycling for a few weeks until this nausea eases off, I'll just keep my runs shorter until it passes.

Just wanted to drop this link in for everyone else - it took me a while to work out where I had seen it

Its advise on running form to prevent PF damage

www.elvie.com/blog/running-pelvic-floor?utm_source=App+Users&utm_campaign=a0dae76c59-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c046f1a672-a0dae76c59-323758661

enjoy

Thanks for the link @Panda368

@stegosauruslady I haven't had too much nausea but opposite to you, when I do, I find it goes while running! I've been swimming too as a way to dial back my training but I don't really enjoy it