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Pregnant runners' club
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Hi Sonita. I am pretty sure I ran earlier with my daughter, probably around 12 weeks I guess. I too had a quinny but I used the maxicosi car seat in it to run with as it felt more secure and has the head hugger and and I only ran on very flat paths. I live in Windsor so used the roads in the great park which are ideal as smooth and mainly traffic free. Good luck, you will be able to see if baby is getting bumped about.
Boo to the SPD. I had it with my first, it came and went from about 20 weeks but I was able to run up to 30 weeks and stayed using the gym, crosstrainer and weights until I gave birth.
I am now pregnant with my second, he/she is due in February, so am 24 weeks. When is everyone else due? This forum used to be so big we had a huge list when I had my 1st. It has dimished in size somewhat since!!
I saw a very good Osteopath on a regular basis and really reduced my mileage and only ran when I felt ok. I had problems with the SI joint and a touch of SPD, so the main pain was around my lower back. The osteo did lots of pelvic manipulation and put it back into place when it became misaligned. I also saw him fairly soon after the birth and I was back running 3 weeks post delivery albeit shorter and slower runs to begin with.
This time round, I am being a little more cautious, have really reduced mileage and I am not running more than 5 miles at a time and a lot slower maybe 1.30mm slower than my normal pace, although I am not sure I can run much faster...I think I have shortened my stride and kept my feet a lot closer to the ground than usual to avoid too much impact. Still, I could still be struck down with it, so am just grateful for being able to get out and plod.
Also, I am trying not to do any hoovering which aggravates it!!
We are fairly close in dates then. I'm due mid feb.
Hi Anjelicals,
I was told 6 months...but i guess you are right....if the surface is not bumpy then it should be fine...I have a maxicosi which i can attach as well...there is a bed too...Once i get a green signal from the gynec, i guess I will try it out..with a light jog!
Hope you all are well!!
Sonita
Is the bed the carrycot? I found that offered next to no support and had no straps so would def not run with that.
yes it is a carrycot..I wont use tht fr running..We use that as Simona's bed..she prefers this to the bassinet!! Funny girl!
I havent been on here for a few weeks (inthink inneeded to come to terms with not running!) Runningbean, I feel exactly the same about the frustrations about not being able to run and SPD! I should've stopes sooner but was in denial (esp as tou said the pain only really starts after the run) until the last 5k I did (24 weeks) when I literally could not walk/move after for 24 hours! It was like my pelvis had given way and I had such severe pain in my groin, radiating down my legs at one point I wondered if I was in labour! My pelvis felt unstable and after seeing the Physio had actually subluxated due to the high impact of running.
With regards to the question about will a Physio just stop you running, well ones worried about that and no, mine didn't, she was very sensible and said that sometimes it makes it worse sometimes it doesn't and to keep going if I felt ok. She initially said continue runnig but have me extra exercises to do. It wasn't until it got so bad she told me to stop but to be honest by then I was so painful I knew I had no choice as being able to walk is kind of a necessity with a toddler to look after and an active job!
In my opinion whether you can run or not with SPD or pelvic pain depends on the severity of the problem & whether its just pubic symphysis separation causing discomfort or whether it is actually mal aligned or becomes subluxated. In my care the former I found running bearable but the latter definitely not!
I am now 28 weeks and have not ran for 4 weeks
I also agree about the pre-natal yoga being a bit pointless! I did it with my first and found the only useful bit was the relaxation at the end, which did relax me after a busy day at work. I haven't bothered going this time. I think people forget that although we are pregnant we still want to do something pretty energetic and keep the core strength up.
Happygonicky, I agree about the back pain & I'd forgotton how bad it is even though I had it last time! I want to sit down but when I do it is just so uncomfortable!
SPD is worse this time too although so much better than a few weeks ago.
SPD does normally go immediately after birth but because of the hormone relaxin still being present for several months after (this is what's responsible for the pubic symphysis widening) it can still plague you after for a while. I have to say, mine went immediately after last time....
Anyway good to hear from you all. Take care
sorry for all the spelling mistakes, stupid predictive text! should know by now to proof read!
Hello all,
Interesting chat to come back to! Like Em, I was avoiding the thread for a bit while I couldn't run! Em, you're doing great! Gynae physio was great, pelvis had got misaligned and now feel like new. No tubigrip! Or even exercises, as such (couple of stretches) .She was very definite about not running again while pregnant (am now 31 weeks) though and the not being able to walk without pain scared me so much that I took her at her word. However, this thread (Angelicals, in particular) is making me think again. She put the pelvis getting misaligned down to weak glute (v. plausible, have been doing much less on the strengthening front than usual), impact from the running and an element of hypermobility - all of which strikes me as being very possible. I suppose it's possible pelvis could go out of line again - no doubt the relaxin has a part to play in this, but if it does, I'd know what the problem was. Do I take the risk? Would love to go back to some very light jogging. Perhaps on grass and take it very steady.
Am about to start pregnancy pilates (was slightly shunted out of usual class because they needed to make up class numbers and, to be fair, thought it would be useful), am doing pregnancy yoga still (which slightly does my head in!). I was thinking about aquajogging but have let my gym membership lapse (was happy running and wanted to save a bit of ££). Could really do with doing something a bit more active.
Any thoughts? Maybe I will give it a gentle go? I'm normally very obedient with physios, but if I feel OK....
i would take it easy until you deliver..i did some aqua walking and stretching..and light swimming...i think you should try that vs run or walk..esp climibing stairs should be avoided. Take care!!
OK, that's sensible. I've just found out that I can reactivate my gym membership, so aqua-running and light swimming it is. Thanks for the voice of reason!
My pain is manageable since I stopped running, more daily discomfort than true unbearable pain and I'd like to keep it that way!!
Will be itching to get back into it after though!
Em
Yup. You're absolutely right. Spinning is an option and might well give me that cardio fix. To risk going back to the way I was... Thanks for the wise words! Am glad you're feeling loads better!
I did my first run 2 days back since giving birth..its been 6 weeks..i managed only 5K ..could have gone on more but the uterus was not yet in full form..it felt heavy...so i guess its wise to go slow...(like u all..i was itching to get back but im careful...)..No point taking a risk! Take care all of you!
Well done Sonita, that's a great inspiration. Around 6 weeks is what I am aiming for. I couldn't sit down for a while after my first, never mind run! I felt like my insides were going to fall out, I was black and blue down there not to mention midline abdominal separation and massively painful boobs for at least 2 weeks, and the leaky wee(!)....I didn't leave hospital for 2 days and was pleased to manage a slow, short dog walk 4 days after. I am hoping (depending on the birth!) 4-6 weeks after is a realistic aim seeing how everything was last time but we'll see, Sonita, definitely an inspiration that it is possible although, well done. (P.S I did have quite a traumatic birth in theatre with ventouse first time round though, don't want to scare everyone!! ) Remember you will still be producing relaxin so take it steady and your core will be all wobbly, stretched and saggy so go steady. Speaking from personal experience after last time, I thought the adivce in last months runners world about concentrating on getting core strength and pelvic floor back to some strength before building up running too quickly is probably very sensible advice.
Yea, i think core strengthening is important..i am going to start doing this..it took me around 6 weeks to get better..i had a pretty nasty post delivery recovery..i had some placenta left inside and some stitches had to be undone..so i was off my feet for a few weeks! Brutal...but my delivery was only 4 hours (from start of contractions to having Simona in my arms)...
Im curious - do some women really start running right after delivering..say a day or two later?? I dont know if I believe this....
I dunno, I'm not sure, Paula Radcliffe apparantly did a week or so after but she is a professional athlete with lots of help...I know I wouldn't have been able to for at least 4 weeks, but I guess it depends on your delivery and your body?! I think if you rush it too much and your abdo/core/pelvic floor is not ready you risk damagaing yourself for longer, also the pelvic floor has to be ok to take the high impact without leakage(!) I would also want my uterus to be contracting down and the bleeding to at least be almost stopped/slowing right down otherwise you may cause some more bleeding to start again and I wouldn't want that... Poor you re the placenta, I have a real fear of post-partum haemorrhage! Irrational I know but hey!
Didn't Paula Radcliffe also suffer a stress fracture of the Coyxx due to coming back too soon?
After my first, I ran about 3 weeks later. There is no way I wanted to run before that. I took it slooowly though and built up gradually. I really concentrated on the exercises that the hospital gave me for getting my abdominals back together, then started on strengthening exercises. I think I did them twice a day...or something equally as obsessive!!
Happygonicky, I think if the physio has specifically said don't run, I wouldn't. It will more than likely be all the relaxin kicking around that causes the unstability and I guess it is *only* 9 weeks. How about cross trainer or spin?
Sonita, good one on the 1st run back, long may it continue
Either the sacrum or cocyxx...I think
Hey all,
Hope everyone is well? I'm being very sensible and not running (bit of aquajogging, power-walking and am going to do some spinning too, as suggested). Am also planning some cross-trainer action. Dr and midwife think baby is breech so have added 'baby-turning' exercises to list! Yikes!
Good luck with the turning exercises
Thank you! Mm, not sure. I was breech as a baby and the placenta was damaged in the process, so I was quite ill when born. Will do a lot of research into it. Really don't fancy a C-section though! How are things with you? Are you feeling OK?
I'm fine thanks, just big and uncomfortable. Rib pain & back pain if I sit down & pelvic pain if I walk too much! All ok though which is good
It's such a funny thing, isn't it! Wouldn't have thought it would remotely have bothered me before! It's a good point you make re recovery times. What will be, will be. So much of pregnancy is out of our control, I am learning!
Same here re back and pelvis pain. Much harder for you having to look after your little one too! Is your husband helping out a lot? Hope so! Went from being tempted to run a couple of weeks ago, to consoling myself with a nice, long walk on Sunday and putting pelvis out again. Got it sorted v. quickly (yay to fab gynae physio service!) and have learned my lesson. Aqua areobics, preg yoga, 'normal' walking and pilates about the limit now. Still, not too long to go. I've even laid out some stuff for hospital bag (and I'm a packing-at-midnight-before-a-flight kind of girl!
oops, I did a similar thing on a long walk pushing the buggy on Saturday, forgot that pushing things bad for pelvis, and a 2 mile walk which included lugging buggy up and down a bridge tice was a bit too much. I don't often use the buggy as I normally make him walk and stick to shorte (slower!) walks. Could hardly walk Sat night but it was much better Sunday.
My husband is lovely and helps out a lot, except he had arthroscopy sx on his knee at the end of last week so hasnt been much use this week. He may have to go back for a crucitae repair sat some point as his ACL is completely gone and he has also torn his meniscus but we've agreed not to do it before the birth as I want him to be able to drive me to hospital!
Very organised packing your hospital bag. Last time I found unpacking it and repacking it gave me something to distract me when in early labour at home! I had only half packed it as J was 10 days early (which hadn't even occurred to me!)
Take it easy. When do you start maternity leave?
oops sorry for all the typos!
It's so easy to forget what you're not supposed to do, isn't it?! Just trying to get on with things normally etc. Am glad rest has eased things though! How many weeks are you now?
Ouch re your husband. That doesn't sound much fun. Is it healing OK? Sports injury? Fair enough re driving you to the hospital!!
I did think to myself it's highly unlikely things would happen so quickly I wouldn't have time, but I was talking to a friend at the weekend who was kept in at a routine appointment and induced - that made me get on with it!! Plus husband and mum kept asking me to get sorted. They're both very organised types, me not so much!
21st December. So excited! I honestly won't know what to do with myself. Mind you, Xmas should be a nice distraction! What about you?
I only 2 days of mat leave before J arrived so I've decided to give myself more time & also having J means I'm a lot busier than last time.
His knee is complicated but basically an old football injury that he suddenly made worse again by tripping over a step in the back garden!!! But yes thanks it is Ealing fine and he's being good and doing all his physio
Take care.