Pregnant. One word, eight
letters, so life changing! I confirmed I was pregnant about 5 weeks in, but
about a week before that I just KNEW I was. I think as runners, we are already
pretty in-tune with our bodies and I could just tell. We waited a week to confirm the
good news and took a home pregnancy test on Valentine’s Day (immediately after
I returned from a 12 mile run, I literally stopped at the drug store on the way
home to purchase the test!) When the screen flashed PREGNANT I gasped! And then
cried. And then jumped up and down for a
good 5 minutes in my kitchen with my husband.
Later when the news sunk in,
I wondered, will I still be able to run? I started running 3 years ago so I didn’t
run with my first pregnancy (my son is 6 right now). I had so many questions
about how to run and what to expect as a pregnant runner so I wanted to share
with you what I have learned (so far).
-Talk to Your Doctor. Talk to
your doctor as soon as you get confirmation of your pregnancy. You’ll want
their go-ahead to continue your running regime. Exercise is great for the baby
and for your metal and physical health and they are usually super supportive
about workouts unless your pregnancy is deemed higher-risk or there are other
complications.
-Follow other pregnant
runners on social media. This was a big one for me! You can find so many others
who are going through things as you and seeing other pregnant running moms
online can help serve as a great inspiration and motivation. Search popular hashtags
like #PregnantRunner #RunningForTwo and #FitPregnancy and follow, comment, and
support these other pregnant runners online.
-Go easy on yourself. I can’t
emphasize this one enough! You are probably suffering from nausea or extreme
fatigue (or both!). Slow down and listen to your body. The best thing I did
during these first 12 weeks, was to not worry about distance or pace. I went
out and ran for the joy of running and loved (almost) every stride! Some days
and weeks you will feel so tired and sick and 3 miles will be a struggle. Its
okay to stop and walk. Or take a nap instead. Other weeks, you may even forget
you are pregnant because running will feel so good! Embrace those days! Listen to your body.
-Eat often and get something
in your belly first thing in the morning. For me, this was vital for squashing
my nausea! As soon as I woke up every morning, I’d sip on water, half a cup of
coffee, and eat half a bagel. I’d then work on my computer for about an hour to let
that settle before going out for my morning run. It always helped me to have
something in my stomach at all times. My doctor recommended eat 5 smaller meals
instead of 3 big ones. I think I usually have about 8 smaller meals before the
day is done, but that’s another story J
-Plan your running route
around bathrooms. Pretty much as soon as the word PREGNANT flashed across that
pee stick, by bladder became non-existent. I can usually make it through a
shorter distance (4 mile) run without stopping, but after that all bets are
off! I have a park bathroom that’s about a mile from my house, so I always try
to run routes around that location so that I'm never far from
a bathroom.
-Invest in a good supportive sports
bra. Your boobs are growing at a rapid weight during early pregnancy and can be
really tender. I usually wear tanks with built-in support, but found these
weren't supportive enough during the early pregnancy stages, so I would double
these up with a sports bra underneath and that seemed to do the trick! If you
do find you need to purchase a new sports bra this early on, only buy one or
two, because your chest and rib cage will both expand the further you get
along.
-Kegels, Squats, and Planks
(oh my!). Pregnancy is not the time to slack on your cross training, especially
in a few key areas. If you only do one extra move everyday, do kegels, your
post-partum self will thank you immensely. Another great exercise to incorporate
is deep squats. Stand facing a chair, legs spread shoulder width apart and
squat down as far as you can, then squeeze your pelvic floor muscles on the
way back up. Core is still king too, even when sporting a baby bump. A strong
core will help support your back and help your abs recover faster after your
baby is born. All plank variations are an excellent choice to keep your core
nice and strong.
-Remember, you are in
survival mode. Now is not the time to chase PRs, or sign up for your first
ultra marathon. You can still work hard, but most doctors recommend listening to
your body and keeping your heart rate under 160 BPM. A good rule of thumb is
that if you are winded or your heart rate is racing, chances are your babies is
too. Enjoy, appreciate, and embrace your changing body every step of the way
and you will have a happy and healthy pregnancy filled with lots of running!
I’ll be back in the Second Trimester talking about what to wear as your body changes, running a half
marathon while pregnant, and support bands. Happy Running my pregnant friends!
Amy
@GoFastMommy
