running during pregnancy - is it safe?

[fells]

I have just found out I am pregnant - probably about 5 weeks. I do a lot of running outside and on the tread-mill at the gym. I probably do 2 to 3 55 minute runs a week as well as using the cross trainer and step machine on days when I don't run. It strikes me that the latter two pieces of a equipment are fine to keep doing but I'm not sure about the running. Is it fine as long as I don't run too fast? Is it OK to get a bit hot and sweaty? I really don't want to gain too much excess weight during pregnancy so would love to continue exercising, though I realise this could be easier said than done! What do you think?

I've been wondering this too. I took up running at the start of the summer and I was up to doing 3 runs a week of 3-5 miles. I'm ten weeks now and did a few shorter runs in the first couple of weeks after I found out, but actually have been feeling too ropey to want to go out for the last 3 weeks. I spoke to the midwife today who said, don't know really, maybe it's a bit high impact, go swimming instead, but that conflicts with other advice I've seen and I would love to keep it up, if only gently and once or twice a week. So if anyone has any words of wisdom I'd be really interested.

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thank you, that's really helpful

Thank you scubamum! That was helpful. I think I might carry on with the running but maybe slightly shorter distances and slightly slower.
What do you reckon you'll do Mrs flowerpot? I have heard that you should continue with your normal exercise regime as much as you can but you still wonder if you are shaking the baby up or something!

Not sure really. Would like to keep it up as I have really surprised myself with how much I've enjoyed it and was soooooo pleased when I got to the 5 mile stage. I think I'll give it a gentle go a couple of times once I stop feeling so awful (soon, I hope!). A friend suggested dropping back down to say 10 mins run and 1 walk so that I don't overheat or get my heart racing too much, which sounds sensible enough to me. The other thing I've read is that you should be careful not to dehydrate.

I worried about shaking the baby out when I was pg with DD1 - stopped exercising and gained too much weight. This time I continued regular exercise until week 30'ish (too many other commitments by then) and feel much better (and look it too). My gym says exercise is fine providing you listen to your body and don't overdo it.

Oh and congratulations

I read in book. "What to expect... during pregnancy" (excellent - highly rec)that if you exercise reguarly then its ok to continue during pregnancy but if you run than you should stop after 4 months and continue with walking, cycle machine and maybe yoga. Most people tend to grow a bump by 4 months so it cant be good for it to be bouncing up and down. if you didnt excercise reg before falling pregnant than you should not take up new sports, wait until youare four months and do a slow moving relaxing exercise like antenatal yoga or swimming etc.
hope this helps

I also started going to the gym a few months ago, and since I got pregnant (I'm 10 weeks now) I've carried on going. The instructor at my gym said that I should avoid high impact exercises like running, but things like the cross-trainer, rowing and running machines are fine. I do think he was extra-cautious because I've had a couple of miscarriages this year though. When I spoke to my doctor she just said 'pretend you're not pregnant, you won't be able to jig the baby out' and that was it!

The general advice I've read is to stay hydrated, not to get too hot and not to push yourself too hard.

Sorry, don't know whether this helps or not really!

Actually, I've just remembered I read an article about this in the Guardian at the weekend, I'll see if I can find the page.

Here it is (never done this before...)

guardian article

The runners's world website has quite a lot of info about running while pregnant. here's one article

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

footstep
x

YES!!!!

I am regretting it a LOT that I stopped running when I got pregnant. But I felt terrible at the beginning and it was enough effort just to get myself to work every day (next time (if) I will get my priorities right!). Now I don't feel fit enough or comfortable enough to start again.

Rules I have read is to check with your doctor (especially if you have had previous miscarriage)
Keep your pulse to below 140.
Drink lots and lots of water before during and after (more than normal).
Be careful not to get too hot.

As others have said, check out the runners world website (they had an article about a woman who ran all the way throuhg the pregenancy, except for a short time during an injury and 2 weeks before the birth, she was running again 3 days after the birth!!!! I wish!!!) they also have a forum where you can get info from loads of others girls.

But, keep running!!!!!!

I'm 7 weeks pregnant and am feeling sick all the time - apart from when I'm running. I've checked with the insructors at my gym and they think it's a positive thing to do. Not sure how I'll feel when I start to get a bump though...

Hi Lolasmum,
Congratulations on the pregnancy! well done and keep up the running but take it slowly! You kind of get used to the bump as it grows. I find mine has growth spurts and I feel uncomfortable for a couple of days before I get used to it again. My suggestion is (not from experience as I stupidly stopped running) take Magnesium supplements (check with doctor) it stops the bump getting hard which I had a problem with when walking before i started taking it and also do some kind of good stretching exercises(pregnancy yoga is great).
Good luck!

I ran up to 4 months preggers and only stopped because the ligaments holding the bump up would get sore. I managed to keep up going to aerobics twice a week until I was 8 mths - just lowered the impact.
The main thing is to just use common sense and listen to your body. I had a lot of tutting and dodgy looks from busybodies but i ended up having one of the easiest pregnancys, births and recoveries that I heard about and I am convinced it was because I kept active.
Go for it!

I carried on going to the gym until my bump got too big, sure its the reason why my dd was born in 20 mins!!!