Exercise and bleeding - Help!

[babylily]

Hi,
I'm 6 weeks pg and up until a week ago a very keen runner (5miles, every other day...)
Thing is, on my last two runs I had bright red bleeding - on both occassions I just presumed my period had started and then stopped. It wasn't until I was a week late that I dared to test and got my BFP (we'd been trying for over a year).
I haven't run since my BFP and today visited my GP to ask about the bleeding when I ran and what might have caused it and if I needed to be careful - i.e. stop running or do more gentle exercise. His answer was 'just one of those things. running won't cause a miscarriage and you can exercise as normal throughout'
understandably I'm not feeling confident about this answer. Surely if running made me bleed I should avoid it? What does everyone do exercise-wise? I had severe SPD in my first pregnancy too, but my GP also said that running won't make any difference to that either, despite the looser ligaments.
I see midwife at 8 weeks, and I expect she will be more realistic in her answer...
or is what my GP says right and I'm worrying myself unnecesarily?
Anyone tried one of the pregnancy exercise dvds? I miss my running high, and I want to do something exhilerating..but safe!

I ran through my last pregnancy and am still running at 23 weeks this time and I have never yet experienced any bleeding from it.

I had two miscarriages and on both occasions was advised to stop exercising (when the m/c were threatened, I had bleeding).

Tbh, I don't think that there is anything you can do in early pregnancy to influence the outcome either way. I lost both pregnancies despite having no stress and basically taking to my bed.

When I was pregnant with DD I had no bleeding. When I was pregnant with DS I was even picking up DD occasionally.

Saying that, because I had done all the recommended things (no lifting/exercising etc) I did feel that I had done all I could, that it was not my fault.

Good luck.

I had some bleeding after running in the 1st trimester when I was pg with DD - so I walked briskly for a few weeks and then ran again and no bleeding so carried on (not saying you should carry on running). I did slow my running down and ran until quite late. I did carry on with all my other excercise too. I did have ascan after my first bleed and they checked everything was in the right place and there was no obvious physical reason for the bleed, they thought it might be the increased pressure when running.

Have you seen a MW yet? if not give them a ring and see what they say.

I had bleeding, my GP told me to rest and I was signed off work. I didn't have miscarriages, so do try not to worry.

I don't think anyone knows what causes a miscarriage (and I don't think anything you do or don't do actually causes problems) but the way my GP put it is that it can be a sign you are doing too much. She also said it can be caused by all the new blood vessels, and some of them break (a bit like nosebleed) so I suppose running is going to increase that sort of thing, as opposed to lying on a sofa!

It's likely to stop after the first 12 weeks, so maybe it's worth taking a six week break? Bleeding is worrying, so you might find trying to rest eases it, and so makes you feel less anxious.

Good luck

I'd wait and see what your midwife says, but I do know women who ran right up to their ninth months. I won't, cos I can't even run now - but if you're already a keen runner and in good shape, I think the key to pregnancy exercise seems to be making sure you don't overheat (not good for foetus) and making sure you don't exercise to the point of actual fatigue - stop just before then.

I really should exercise (in first trimester) but I'm just so TIRED that I want to go to bed instead. Maybe I should start swimming....

Hmmm, although obviously see what the midwife says I would caution thattheir response may be influenced by their general attitude to exercise.

With DS I had one midwife look at me as if I was nuts when I said I was still running - muttered something about the baby getting a headache and recommended I tried walking or swimming instead! Obviously I ignored her, didn't mention it again and carried on until my poor old pelvis couldn't take any more (30 wks).

I didn't have any bleeding mind you.

Hope it all turns out OK.

thanks for the replies. The blood vessel theory sounds right to me,wonderingwondering.
I'm desperate to get out there, ironically just to help relieve some of the stress and worry.... but I'm going to do a bit of power walking instead until I've spoken to the midwife...I'm glad to hear that it worked out positively for you, oopsandbabyJ. Was awake all night last night because I was worried I didn't feel pregnant enough. Roll on the next 34 weeks....