As you can tell from this blog's side bar, I have continued running through my pregnancy. Why? Lets recap.
For my pre-pregnant self, running proved to have the following benefits:
- feeling better physically (stronger, better lung and heart capacity, more energy);
- keeping my weight stable, which no doubt has long-term benefits;
- feeling better mentally (less stressed, more positive);
- self-esteem boost from reaching milestones.
What's not to like? Running helped me get in the best shape of my life before pregnancy, and when I learned I was pregnant, I didn't think I wanted to give up any of those benefits (except maybe the last one seemed less important). So I researched the subject as well as I could. One can always cherry-pick things to read, or course, but I was learning that:
- exercising is not linked to miscarriages, preterm labor, or any other pregnancy complications (all the things I would want to avoid);
- continuing an existing exercise program (at a gradually decreased rate) is good for the mom (for all the same reasons it is good for a non-pregnant person), and has health benefits to the baby as well (both from having a healthier mom and a more direct impact on the cardiovascular system, etc.).
So I continued. Despite eye-rolling and overt criticism from my mother and MIL (a sign of things to come, I am sure...). Despite the shocked looks I get when my belly and I flow by innocent bystanders.
Sure, I have had to adjust my work out to my energy levels and how I feel. In the first trimester, I was only up for short, slow runs (what's with the lack of energy and nausea and all). In the second trimester, I was feeling better and back to almost normal running schedule. In the third trimester, I have slowed down again (it is tougher to hold in the basketball and keep good form, and I am not about to run sloppy and risk injury), and shortened my runs (what's with the small bladder!).
But, overall, I feel that running has helped me stay in better shape, feel more mobile, be less tired, and keep my weight gain to where my doctor likes it. Simply by my mobility, you would not guess how far along I am. Sure, I have the "I feel so pregnant" moments like any other pregnant woman out there, but all things considered, I really don't have much to complain about. And that makes the running well worth it.
7 comments:
That surprises me. But a quick Google search proves you are right. Looks like it might get uncomfortable for YOU if you push too hard too far into the pregnancy, but safe for the baby. Who knew! Hope you enjoy your running.
I'd heard that it's only dangerous to run during pregnancy if it's something that's new to you, and definitely not if it's something you were already doing.
Mind you, I have a sneaking suspicion that my source for this information might be the _Sex and the City_ movie, so...
I totally ran while prego. I think I was running up until the 6 or 7th month. Then I could only run on the treadmill at flat, which was way too boring for me.
My friend told me I would have to give up climbing the moment I got pregnant (am not yet), so I looked into it. As with all exercises, one should not try a new sport during pregnancy but can continue at pre-preg levels like your doctor suggested, listening to your body. I've seen belly support devices that you might be interested in for your runs, and maybe for normal activity also. Back to my climbing, it does say that falling is obviously bad and impact sports are bad but if you limit your risk, such as climbing way below your ability, and again listening to your body one should be fine.
Your mom and MIL are from the older thought when exercise was thought bad for the baby and when doctors thought women should gain lots of weight to protect the baby. I hope this isn't a sign of them judging your during your entire motherhood. That will be crazy! But my mom judges me in my women-hood so . .
Good luck and glad you are still running.
FT - the way I look at it, we've only become sedentary in recent history, so being mobile had to not cause problems for the babies. I enjoy it, my doctor encourages it, so why not?
Cath - I definitely didn't start anything new here, so no worries :) Besides, Sex and the City is a good source - surely they had to check their info or they would get all kinds of complaints :)
SM - I am down to "flat" runs only by now (no treadmills for me - can't stand them!), but it is still nice to get outside for a change.
Jennie - one thing that surprised me was how dizzy I was for a few months early on in the pregnancy. Apparently, the pregnant woman's blood volume increases rapidly, but it takes the red blood cells awhile to catch up, thus the dizziness. It was bad enough to prevent me from running occasionally, but it never just hit me while I was already running, so if your experience is similar, you just might not feel like climbing on some of the days. Still, something to look out for.
As far as mothers/MIL's are concerned, they are definitely trying to play the "I have done it -> therefore I know better" card on me. Even on things like running where I was able to say my doctor was clear that I can continue with no harm, they have remained judgmental. I am trying to be better at ignoring them, we withhold some info (i.e., Hubby no longer responds with the "she still feels good enough to run" when his mom asks him how I am feeling after getting continuously lectured on how he should make me stop), and I am sure we will have to learn to say "this is not what we have decided to do" more and more often. In a way, it is actually hardest to tell no to my own mother as she gets offended thinking that me making a different decision from hers means I disagree with how she raised me. I wonder if all mothers are this way to a degree.
I hope you do share the good news when appropriate - good luck!
I'll also confirm that any exercise you were doing before is fine while pregnant as long as it feels okay to you while doing it.
As for advice from mothers and MILs... I heard a saying while pregnant: the only person who gets more unwanted advice than a pregnant woman is a woman with a newborn. So yeah, get used to it. We've coped by just not mentioning some things to our mothers. What they don't know about can't be disagreed with. :) For the advice we do get, we just respond with, "Thanks, that's really interesting! We'll have to give that some thought!"
Nicky - I guess I will have to practice saying that with a serious face sans eye rolling :)
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