Being active in pregnancy – can running harm pregnancy?
During pregnancy the two most obvious physical changes are weight gain and the growing bump – but other changes also occur including a softening of the ligaments and an increase in blood volume.
This means considerations must be made, but medically is a good idea to stay physically active during your pregnancy – which includes running! The overall guidelines suggest you can continue with activity you were doing pre-pregnancy.
The American college of Obs and Gynae say ‘Generally, participation in a wide range of recreational activities appears to be safe during pregnancy.’
Benefits of running in your pregnancy
If you feel well there are lots of benefits of running while pregnant. Can running harm pregnancy? Not if you are already doing it and there is no specific medical reason why you shouldn’t. Remember that pregnancy is not the time to start running – but if you are already a runner, it is fine to continue – unless, of course, your healthcare professional has advised against it for specific reasons.
Keeping exercise has also been found to help with many of the traditional discomforts of pregnancy – such as sickness, back-pain and water retention.
It goes without saying that if you suffer abdominal pain, any bleeding, contractions, chest pain or dizziness stop running and seek medical advice.
Is it safe to run while pregnant in the first trimester?
It is very normal to worry about the safety of your growing baby in the first trimester – but medically it is absolutely possible to carry on running while pregnant first trimester.
Your breasts may be very painful during this first trimester, so you may wish to upgrade your sports bra, or consider cycling or swimming instead – this will very much up to how you feel.
Second and third trimester running – can running harm pregnancy later in the pregnancy
For many women energy levels return in the second trimester, and it should be possible to keep running while pregnant 2nd trimester if you feel well and up to it. Be careful about running over trail terrain – only because you don’t really want to fall over.
In the third trimester, see how you feel. As the bump gets bigger it may well get more difficult or uncomfortable. Stress incontinence – a slight leaking of urine is very common in the late stages, which is fine but keep in mind running might set this off. Some women can run right to the end of their pregnancy and others choose to stop when it feels too difficult.
So unless you have a medical issue – the answer to can running harm pregnancy in the second and third trimester is no – but your comfort in your pregnancy might stop you out of choice.
Can running harm pregnancy if I am experiencing pelvic pain
You may experience pelvic or lower back pain during pregnancy. If this happens, reduce exercise with a high impact on the body and seek advice from your healthcare professional.
Pushing yourself in pregnancy
Pregnancy is not the time to go for personal bests – focus your mind on keeping moving and staying active and this will serve you well. Keep a pace where you can talk whilst running, and you won’t be over exerting yourself. Take breaks whenever you need and make sure to stay hydrated. Again, do not take up running during pregnancy – it should only be continued if you have already been training.
Challenges or issues with running through your pregnancy
One of the hormones released during your pregnancy is designed to soften the ligaments, so later in your pregnancy extra care must be taken as you are more susceptible to injury of the joints – especially during high impact activity like running. As your bump grows you may find yourself off balance as your centre of gravity is moved forwards.
If running becomes uncomfortable during your pregnancy, switch to an exercise bike or swimming. As a runner you might find this difficult to do, but listen to your body – you will know when to stop running during pregnancy depending on how you feel, and will know that running will be there waiting for you when your baby is a few months old and you will develop new fulfilling routines then.
Advice for running through pregnancy
If you have had any complications with previous pregnancies or this pregnancy, make sure to discuss running and any exercise with your doctor. We would advise you to tell your medical professional that you plan to continue running.
Don’t increase distance or pace during pregnancy, and in the third trimester if you able to continue you should decrease the running load even if you are feeling well.
Make sure to stay hydrated – pregnancy takes its toll on the body so you will need to be extra careful about water intake.
Your joints will be more prone to spraining or twisting, so think about the surface you are running on and take extra care.
Keep all running at a chatting pace to manage your exertion.
People are commenting when I am running pregnant – what should I do?
If you run through your pregnancy and have an obvious bump some people may feel they can give you funny looks or even make comments. Obviously your running is none of their business at all, but could be very upsetting. It is a choice for you to make based on the evidence and how you feel, so do feel free to ignore them or ask people to kindly mind their own business.