Running too quickly after having a baby.

A reader sent me an email the other day asking me about how long I waited to run after having Brooke and how that worked out for me.  This reader is about to have her own little one and as I was writing back to her I found myself telling her that I wish I would have done it differently. 

My doctor was supportive of me getting back into running pretty quickly after having Brooke just because I did have such an easy delivery/recovery and because I was running 40-50 miles per week leading up to when I gave birth.   BUT I’m guessing he was supportive of me slowly easing back into running but not jumping back in full speed like I did.  

I think I waited 3ish weeks to start running again (and I started running a lot of miles) and I ran my first half-marathon at 7 weeks postpartum with a time of 1:31.  

I have mixed feelings about that race when I look back on it (RNR San Jose).  I am proud that I could mentally push myself to get that time (it was a PR at the time) but I would never attempt something like that again so quickly after having a baby.  That race was actually completely fueled by emotions, I had no business physically pushing myself so hard so soon after having Brooke.  My emotions from a very hard week took complete control and I ran my heart out.  Running was my way of coping with the things going on in my marriage.  It was a way for me to run it all out and then move on with my day and be a good mom, put on a happy face, tell myself that everything was okay and be able to handle the things that were going on at the time.  Looking back, I now know that I jumped back into running so quickly for emotional/coping reasons. 

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I don’t know if my high mileage so early on affected my milk supply (I lost mine around 4 months).  I’m not sure if jumping back into running so quickly contributed to injuries that I had a few months later (I think it did because I had never had hip/IT Band problems until then).  I do know that I was exhausted during this time and things just didn’t feel physically right.  I know that I should have slowly eased back in and allowed myself more time to heal.  You live and you learn right?!

My advice now that I am a little bit wiser and in a much better situation——> There is no rush.  Enjoy that new little one as much as possible.  Running will always be there for you when you are ready (physically and emotionally) to get back into it.   Having a baby is crazy hard on your body (even if your delivery is easy).  Let your body take as much time as it needs to heal before jumping back into running.  OF COURSE, work with your doctor.  Do what is best for you.  We are all so different.  

I also realize that some women may jump back into it quickly and everything is fine and great but DO what is best for you and your situation.  Take the pressure off of yourself just because you think you should be running before you are actually ready to.  

I just know that if I am lucky enough to get another little human that I will wait the full 6-8 (or more if needed) weeks to run again after delivery.  I know I will GRADUALLY increase my mileage and speed and do exactly what my body needs during that time—>  recover.   

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Yesterday:  9 miles @ 8:20 pace on the treadmill while watching a bunch of Katy Perry music videos on my iPad.  I enjoyed it.

All of this free.  It takes a lot of talent to try to fill the cup up this much while holding a 2 year old and also making her cup of froyo all at the same time.  

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I take this stuff seriously (or creepily). 

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Since it was 60 degrees outside we were able to just hang out and eat it on the curb.  

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And then we made the random decision to go see a movie at the $1 (even though tickets cost $1.50?!) theater. 

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I’ve been feeling like I need a change and since I should probably stop dying my hair every 3 weeks, I am going to try out bright red lipstick.  This should be interesting.  

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Feel free to check out my latest article on Women’s Running about dealing with a bad race or run!  HERE!

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What are some mistakes that you have made in your training and what did you learn from it?!

Mom’s reading… how was it for you getting back into running after having a baby?

Who got some free Yogurtland?!

Lipstick—> yay or nay!?!

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122 comments

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I think alot of us using running/working out to cope with negative things going on in our lives. I suppose that can be both good and bad. Thank you for being so honest about your story and things you would do differently. We can all relate to different struggles we all have and talk about the things we did right and did wrong, and that helps other people with their own struggles.

I learned that I can’t run six days per week. My body doesn’t react well to it and mentally I break down and just don’t enjoy it like I should (and like I want to). I run four days a week, that’s where I’ve learned my happy spot is. I just need to get in four quality workouts rather than six days with junk miles (for me) added in.

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I never had child care when they were little so I waited until about 6 months when they could safely ride in a jogging stroller. My double jogger days are actually missed! I was not in any rush to return to running since my mindset was completely baby focused after giving birth.

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You’re venturing away from lip gloss?! haha!

I think I am learning right now that I’m not the kind of runner who should sign up for a race per month. I did that this winter to take advantage of the nicer weather and even though I’ve PR’d every race, I really don’t feel like I’m in a great training groove the way I do when I have multiple months to prepare for a single race. That’s what I was thinking last night anyway!

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The biggest thing I’ve learned in training is that you don’t have to push yourself in every single run. Easy runs are just as important as the hard runs.

Chapstick = always. Lipstick = awkward stains on my water glass.

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My biggest mistake in the past was not fueling properly. Not eating enough during intense training can bite you icily on the form of injury or hitting a wall. Eat enough and the right stuff!

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Very good advice Janae, everyone should listen to their own body and doc’s advice! Everyone will be different and that’s what makes us all spectacular, right? :)

Katy Perry’s Last Friday Night will always be my favorite music video of hers. I feel like it speaks to me.

I look like an absolute clown with red lipstick on, I hope it works out better for you, ha!

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I love the look of lipstick on other people (and even sometimes on myself) but I’m just so darn lazy… you have to apply that stuff EVERY SINGLE DAY! Oi. ;)

I adore Katy Perry’s videos. I love that she doesn’t take herself seriously and can just laugh. I strive to be like that. Plus, she’s got a little talent… :)

Oh, and I’ll let you know when I get back into running after baby… it has only been 22 months. Ha!

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Such a great open and honest post. Thank you for sharing! I am four months postpartum and while I’m back to working out I’m no where near where I was pre baby. But I also don’t have as strong of a desire. I’m listening to what my body wants and needs. It can be frustrating when my mileage is a bit low or pace is slower, but somehow in the end I know I’m doing what’s right for me. Thanks so much again!!!!

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I love lipstick! Gloss feels too sticky for me and lipstick adds such a nice pop of color.
I’ve definitely used running and other exercise to cope with stress. In my last semester of college I was exercising for a total of two hours a day to deal with graduation! I was overtraining and started to plateau and even slow down in my running! I learned that that much exercise is not good for me and thankfully haven’t made the same mistake when training for a race.

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I like lipstick under lipgloss for special occasions. I’m a lipgloss girl though and that will always be my fave!! Juicy Tubes by Lancome is my favoriteeee!!

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Mistake: running too many marathons back to back to back!
That froyo!!!!
Lipgloss: daily.
Lipstick: only for dressy occasions

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I started running 2 weeks after having my little one. I was almost 40 and going back to work at 7.5 weeks, so had set a goal to get back to pre-baby weight by then. I took it excruciatingly slow, both in pace and in distance (1 mile, pushing the running stroller, in 12 minutes), ran every other day, then added a half a mile each time until I reached 3 miles. Then I had 3 miles be my baseline with one long run each week that I gradually increased to 6 miles. After the first day I tried not to pay attention to speed, but of course got a bit faster each day. I ran a 5K at 2 months, and ran a 5K or 10K every month for 5 months (pushing the stroller). Then I took one month of racing, ran a marathon a month for 3 months (with dad or uncle watching the baby). Two more months off, then ran a half pushing the stroller, and the next month PRed in the marathon (sans baby, 22nd marathon overall). I am very proud of the pace I went to get back into it, and proud to have my baby with me almost every step of the way (with the exception of those 4 races, and in the longest (3 hour) runs leading up to the marathon I ran with him 2 out of 3 hours, leaving him with Dadad for the 3rd hour.

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That’s amazing, Tonya!

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Janae, I also got back to running fairly quickly after my 4th baby. (Feb. birth) I did not do a lot of running *while* pregnant, though. For some reason it just wasn’t for me. So, my mom wanted to qualify for Boston (again!) and we started training in April-ish for her late September marathon. By two weeks postpartum I was walking fast, and for long because it was great weather and so fun to be outside. I started running by 4 weeks, and my midwive was mad, but hey……shhh. That training led to many trips to the chiropractor and masseuse for hip problems. I breastfed fine, but finishing that marathon was painful and I nursed my baby asap! He was 7mo old. Oh, and my mom did BQ and I missed it by a bit but it was not my goal at all. I felt like walking and yoga would have been better training the first 6-8 weeks then a gradual increase to running. I feel as though the body takes 9-12months to recover from pregnancy and birth.

Lipstick-for the win.

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Your words are spot on about running post partum! And not only is every woman different, but I think even every pregnancy is different. After the birth of my 1st & 2nd kids, I was able to jump right back into running 6 weeks PP, but after my most recent delivery, I had a much harder time. It was a complicated pregnancy and I lost more fitness than the 2 previous due to workout restrictions. So I had to start back with lots of walking and slowly build up to actual running. Now 7 month later, I’m finally back to running 4 days/wk and building up my mileage base for s half marathon in a couple months.

As for lipstick, in more of a lipgloss girl myself! :)

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Thanks for sharing all these things Janae

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Great advice. I agree 100% :) .

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No free yogurtland here :( but it sure did sound good!

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I’m trying out the red lipstick too and it is HARD to get used to. It’ll look good on you since you have false eyelashes, though! Some bronzer + lipstick, you’ll be good to go out! I have always been a lipgloss girl (THE BEST -> Victoria’s secret), so I found lipgloss/lipsticks to be the best for me!

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I’ve definitely made the mistake of overtraining in the past, which led to a horrible pelvic stress fracture. It.was.awful. I’m definitely more sensible now in not pounding on as much mileage as quickly as I did back then.

And I LOVE froyo. I’m pretty sure I could eat it for every meal. Actually, I’m certain of that.

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Thank you for being honest! It’s hard to watch people have a baby then be out running so soon and wonder why you can’t do the same, so it’s really nice to read raw, honest posts like this. Not that some people can’t do that, but it’s nice to hear other peoples experiences. I waited the whole 6 weeks because my hips were very messed up after having Kate, but now I am a way stronger runner than I ever was before, so I’m glad I waited and started slow so I didn’t mess my body up!

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My post today is along the same lines in a way as what you are talking about today in terms of exercise as a new parent…I did not return to my normal fitness routine until my son was in preschool and I would absolutely back burner running and true workouts again in a heart beat if I had the chance to do it all again…I nursed for 16 months and was petrified in the beginning to even consider running/working out in fear of affecting my milk supply/having him get fussy/cranky from the lactic acid or whatever it was that could happen when you workout and nurse at the same time. My body was fully absorbed in raising a baby those first few years which was enough of a work out for me at the time! What’s funny is, I don’t think I missed my gym/running routine one bit.

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I ran through both of my pregnancies, but a lot less miles. Maybe 20-25. I got back into running about 4 weeks after they were born. I started walking first then moved to running. I wasn’t training for anything though and I just ran as slow as I wanted.

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What I would do for it to be 60 degrees right now….

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I started running about 7 weeks after I had my son (I had a c-section) and took it very slow. I actually followed the Couch to 5K program and couldn’t run longer than 30 seconds my first run. I ran with the stroller a lot and then eventually got a treadmill so I could run while he slept (the same way I do now.)

I kept pushing myself to get through difficult times too. Running was what I needed.

I like lipstick but can’t seem to pull of red!!

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running a half marathon on what I thought might be a stress fracture was not so brilliant…ended up in “the boot of shame” 2 days afterwards…

Not a big fan of lipstick BUT I am obsessed with Sugar lip balm – I love both the clear and the tinted versions. SO GOOD.

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lucky for me after having my baby i was so in love with her that i didn’t care for running. I got back after 3 months and im so happpy i did :)
thanks for sharing your story, you are one brave cookie

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Great advice! I only started running (on and off) in the last two years but it’s taken me two years to figure out that I can’t do winter running as much as I want. Even if I warm up before I go out, my body cools down way too fast and my joints start hurting so I’ve given up on it altogether. Maybe I’ll try again in a few years.

Good for you for trying lipstick! I can’t do it because I’d probably forget about it and smudge it all over my face.

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I love a nice dark brick red lipstick when I am going out at night. But mostly I just wear a shimmery lip balm.

I am actually learning now that all the years of running with very little cross training and stretch and strength work has left me injury prone. I just can’t seem to feel good and constantly have to stop running for weeks at a time. I am learning that my body doesn’t want to do as many distance runs anymore. But my heart and head don’t want to admit it. So I keep dropping money on races that I probably will have to bail on :(

Tough lessons but eventually I’ll learn.

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I think it’s really hard to hold off and not get back into exercise quickly, especially if it’s a norm for you. I teach lots of group fitness classes each week and with both kiddos I went back around 6 weeks. I taught all the way up to my due date and part of going back was because my subs just couldn’t cover some anymore, but also it helped me feel a bit more back to normal. Gotta love those endorphins! However, after both kiddos were 5-6 months old I totally wished I would have waited a bit longer to really feel fully recovered from having a baby. It’s funny that I had the same feeling both times but still felt like I needed to get back to teaching shortly after.

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50 miles leading up to the delivery? Oh my god, what? You’re superwoman. You’re incredible. How do you run with such a huge belly and how did it feel? Did you run slowly?

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I am happy to read this because honestly seeing people out there a couple weeks after growing and delivering a baby has given me moments of feeling like I am not doing something right. My baby is 11 weeks old and my body is still saying no thanks to formal exercise. Plus I don’t know when I would find the time, my baby nurses A LOT of the time and playing with/cuddling her is where I want to be. My baby is doing fantastic and I am happy so I know we are doing what is right for us. Thanks for your honesty.

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The biggest mistake with running that I have made is to slow down on those easy days. I forget that if I drain myself on those easy days, then I won’t have anything left on the days when I actually need it.

My fav lipstick/stain is Clinique Blackberry. I’ve worn it since high school, eek I guess that would be for about 15 years.

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My little one is now 16 weeks, where I slowly started running after 4 weeks. The first 2-3 weeks was all run/walk in the 2-5 mile range. It was hard for me coming back physically. Didn’t realize how weak my hips and pelvic floor became after delivery, which made my already out of shape body even more difficult to move. I’ve incorporated yoga and strength training on the road back, which I think has been helping build back strength in the areas that lost it. Haven’t yet done any speed work or hard miles, only easy miles in the 35-40 mpw range. Feeling pretty solid at this point.

That being said, I don’t think there is any one right or wrong way to come back. I took 12 weeks off work where we got into a pretty solid rhythm, then when I started traveling with my job things became very disrupted. Think that’s the challenge of parenting, one moment you think you’re doing okay and the next you feel like a failure who has no idea what the heck you’re doing. Seems like the best option is to make decisions you feel are right for your family, and move forward confidently.

Hindsight is always 20/20!

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This is such a great post…thank you for sharing your story.

I waited about 5 weeks and then did some very easy run/walking. But I definitely didn’t do any real running until after my 6 week post partum appointment. I put so much stress on myself about working out and being on the go all of the time, I FULLY enjoyed being told to sit back and relax for 6 weeks. :)

Now I want some fro yo…for breakfast. :)

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I appreciate your advice! Your situation was totally understandable, but I love that you’re able to look back and learn from it. And I think it’s so awesome that you are giving that advice to your followers!

I’ve just recently been on a little bit of a lipstick kick. My lips are super pale, so a little color is good for the ol’ lips and it’s kinda fun too! ;) Can’t wait to see your pretty red lips! You’ll totally rock it!

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I waited 6 weeks postpartum with all my kids. I was super protective of my milk supply and took it slow to make sure not even one drop was compromised. This is what worked for me even though it was sooo hard doing about half the mileage/speed I wanted to. I liked to keep it in perspective by reminding myself I have my whole life to run and playing it safe wasn’t going to kill me!

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I am 5 weeks postpartum and started walking at 4 weeks. Yesterday, I walked and ran a quarter mile to test it out. Felt good, but did not want to chance anything and not tempted to either. Perhaps I try a .5 miles today.

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Great post! Thanks for sharing!

My birth experience was a bit different bc I delivered 2 months early after a month on hospital bed rest and I got pregnant while marathon training so I had a good running foundation as well. Following delivery it was a month of the NICU for my lil boy. I knew then and I know now that I needed running emotionally…I felt guilty, I felt that my body and myself failed my baby (crazy hormones!), but I also knew that i needed to be with my baby more than I needed running. So the NICU i was at. Also, I knew I wanted to breastfeed because that was at least something i could do…so honestly running terrified me of losing my milk supply which was a constant struggle for the 10 months I did nurse. I did my first run at 6 weeks postpartum and my pelvic floor muscles hurt, after all the pain I went thru, I wasn’t in a good place mentally and emotionally to tolerate pain so I stopped running. At 8 weeks I tried it again and it was a bit better. Then I took my son with me on his first jogger stroller run when he was 8 weeks…that was the best, except he cried the.whole.entire.time. So needless to say running stopped 100% after that – that is my only regret. i wish I would have been stronger to figure something out so I could at least get in 2-3 runs per week, but crazy wk schedule, crazy post-NICU healing, etc etc it just didn’t happen.

But nearly 3 about 2 years later I started running again. And nearly 3 years later I still running and racing again and setting PRs so for the new mom just remember that if you get back to running then awesome! Enjoy it!! But if you don’t enjoy the time being a mommy bc its really the best and just know that the running will come back again.

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It’s so hard to take a step back in those crazy post-baby weeks and months. Waiting an
Extra week or two to start running again, or whatever your activity of choice is, seems unthinkable. But doing too much too soon is a recipe for developing lingering injuries, I found. But it’s so hard to know what’s right for you, until you exceed it!

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It’s easy to say NOW when you’re not bursting with excitement to get back to running because you just had a baby that you will wait longer ha ha. And maybe you will. But I started running about two weeks after my first baby and it was a little too soon I realized later, but I couldn’t help myself when that time came around with my second and third babies also. It’s so thrilling to lose the belly and be out there again so I rushed it every time but I wouldn’t have traded it.

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Hi there! I don’t usually comment but I’m a super long time reader! I just wanted to put my two cents in about working out too soon after baby – I’ve seen a couple women end up with diastasis recti – the separation of your abdominal muscles, from working out too hard to soon (specifically, doing any ab or impact work). And when I say separation, I mean some women can end up with a 6 inch gap! This might be a good topic to do a post on – I see way too many women working out right after baby, and because many doctors aren’t familiar with the condition (though physiotherapists definitely are), they often give the go ahead to workout without asking women what exactly ‘work out’ means to them. :)

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Thank you so much Jess for sharing about this. That sounds painful! I will have to do my research and write a post. Thank you!!!

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Such a refreshingly honest post – love it Janae! Makes me sad to think that skies were grey in your marriage so shortly after having Brooke. :( So happy that you’re in a better situation now! <3

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Since you were vulnerable and honest about your story, I’ll be with mine as well. I’ve given birth to four children (14, 12, 9, 11 months). I ran my first marathon when I was 20, and had my first baby when I was 21. I eased back into running with the first three, and nursed them all well into their second year of life. I jumped right back into running right after I had Callum (the baby) and he’s almost one, and my milk supply is still ship-shape. I have an SI joint that acts up from having babies and running hard, but nothing to write home about. Personally, we all need to do what we need to do. I’m a HUGE advocate for running as a way to manage stress/anxiety/depression. I wrote my thesis on it for Senior Seminar for my Kinesiology degree. The way that stress etc can affect our bodies may have been FAR worse on your person than purely running-related issues. I’m personally so proud of you for coping so well through what sounds like the hardest time of your life. The PR was the icing on the cake, and your daughter will thank you one day for taking care of yourself enough back then, during such a hard time, so that you were able to take care of her. <3

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I am very inexperienced with lipstick so when I put it on I look like an eight year old that broke into her mother’s make-up bag. So nay for me, I like the look though and wish I could pull it off :).

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Thanks so much for this post ;)
The comments from readers are so great to read too. I’ll update after I deliver.

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Such an honest post! Thank you!
Hind sight is 50/50. It was important for you to cope and keep your mental well being
I hope if you ever have another child you get to enjoy those days with a new baby, because they can be such a wonderful time.

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Great insight! Looking back and reflecting always makes us wiser, doesn’t it?! I wish we knew the right way to do things at the time it happens!

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my baby is now 12 weeks old (how the heck that happened is beyond me!) and I’m just barely getting back into running. Last week I was able to do 10 miles in a 3 day period. It’s hard because I want to jump right back and push myself, but I spent the majority of my pregnancy on bed rest with an iv in my arm. Jumping back would only hurt myself. I also worked really hard to get the whole nursing thing going and I wanted to make sure my supply was established. It can be so frustrating but I need to remember to be kind and that I will go back to higher mileage and faster paces, this is my third baby and I’ve always been able to come back. It’s being patient that’s hard. I wanted so badly to do red lipstick… But I felt like a clown!! Keep us posted on how it looks!

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I had planned to get right back to running after delivering my baby, since I had run until 36 weeks and run/walked until the day I went into labor. Then, it took 47 hours of labor until he was born and was much harder on my body than I expected. I started walking with him in the stroller right away, but my body let me know loud and clear I was doing too much. In the end, I started running short distances about 10 weeks post-partum, even though I started walking with him almost daily by the time I was 5 or 6 weeks post. The walking did wonders and by the time I ran I was much stronger and faster than I expected. In the end — as usual — it all worked out!

And totally separately, lipstick is my new hobby. I was always afraid of it not looking natural, but now I love it as a way to change up my look!

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I can’t believe I missed free froyo day!!! I’m so upset with myself, this is unacceptable. I’m gonna set an alarm/reminder for next year haha

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Labor tore me up and it took me forever to recover. It took me a long time to get back into working out.

I run through emotions too. Which means I run great when my life is hard and I slack off when things are good. Kind of like the pride cycle. I have the running cycle.

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amen, sister!

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With my daughter, my body felt ready right away. But she breastfed practically around the clock at first so it was very hard for me to run for more than 20-30 minutes. And those boobs…I’m usually a pretty small girl, those breastfeeding boobs took some getting used to.

With my son, my body took much longer to get back to running shape. From the middle of my pregnancy until about 6 months after he was born my hips were just in so much pain…I don’t know what it was about carrying him, he just sat weird or something. When I started back to running with him I had to go so slow and work back up. It was a process.

Now they are both “big kids” and I look back on my concern about getting back to running and wonder why I cared so much. They were babies for SUCH A SHORT TIME! Now I wish I had just sat on the couch and held them for a whole year (at least).

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I just had my first baby back in December. It was an easy birth but I did get 3 2nd degree tears. At 2 weeks pp I hopped on my elliptical but I took it very slow and only was on for no more than 20 minutes. I did that two of three times a week. It helped big time with the baby blues. I didn’t get on a treadmill til the end of my 6th week (too cold to rum outside here and I don’t fit in my prepregnancy winter running clothes to run outside) but I’m taking it slow. I’m currently 8 weeks pp. I have a half marathon that I’m running at the end of May as my motivation to keep going with running and it’s helping to keep my depression away. I want to be the best, healthy and happy mommy for my baby boy.

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I have definitely done too much, too soon (especially after a break from running) – turns out you can’t/shouldn’t just try to pick up where you left off.

I don’t think I even own any lipstick. I have countless lip balms though. I can reach 5 from my couch alone. It’s a sickness.

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I remember being amazed that you could run so fast so quickly right after having Brooke, but it’s really good to hear your thoughts on it. It definitely sounds like a good idea to wait a little longer!

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I swear I was still wearing those fancy hospital undies 3 weeks out so I just can’t imagine. Plus, I had a big boy who was literally eating nonstop. I did join a walking group while I was out on leave, but once it was time to head back to my 12 hour days, I have not been able to find time to exercise.

I’m nearly a year postpartum and haven’t run a single mile (I ran 10 halfs in the year before I got pregnant.) we even bought a BOB as our first big baby purchase because of how important it was to me. My lunch hours were filled with visiting my sweet boy at daycare and now that I’ve stopped that, I’m always running to Target or the grocery store to get those things I just couldn’t get on the weekend when he wouldn’t nap or was sick so we stayed home. Or I’m getting a much needed haircut or my brows done. Weekends never go as planned and are filled with so many other things. But I brought new shoes to work today and I am really going to make an effort to get back outside on my lunch breaks and make my health a priority.

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After my babies I felt happy to take good care of them. That’s all I could muster.

Red lipstick. It’s tricky. I would love to look like Gwen stephani but it’s not going to happen. If you want to do it then go for it! I don’t like lipstick on me at all. Just our special lip gloss from VS. :)

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I’m probably not the best person to ask about postpartum running…..I usually waited a good 6-9 months (yes, months not weeks!) till I started running again. I did this with all 3 babies and I gotta say, each time I’ve come back even stronger. Now the reason I’d wait so long was partly due to no childcare so I waited till I could take them in the jogger, part laziness (okay maybe laziness is a harsh word, I was so dang tired from midnight feelings, little sleep, etc) and part just not being into it yet.

Some things I’ve learned in training – slow runs are good! You shouldn’t do every run full force. Bad runs happen – not every run can be great. Listen to your body – if you feel some aches and pains coming on it’s okay to take some rest days. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

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My big training mistake was that I learned that I was not fueling correctly and was so afraid of putting on weight by eating carbs. I simply had no energy. I pushed myself to a point of severe anemia. I also over trained and had stress reaction in my 3rd met. Since then I have learned so much!!! I am now much faster and stronger :-)

My favorite lipstick is Burt Bees Lip shimmer, Fig

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Ross begs me to wear lipstick, but I can’t handle it. It tastes and smells weird. Plus, I am always drinking out of my water bottle and so it is seems impractical? lol. Is that a thing? I love the way it looks on other people, but when I wear it I feel extremely self conscious.

It is hard for some people to look back and admit what they did may not have been the best. So I applaud you for realizing that maybe, for you, that wasn’t the best and that you learned from it. It is important not to beat ourselves up over it (which it sounds like you haven’t) but that you just know what you will do differently next time. As much as I wish I could have run my whole pregnancy, it didn’t feel right so I did other things. I started running (slow jog/walk intervals) at 3 weeks, but I feel like I am still taking it easy and my baby is 6 months! I am just so injury prone that I don’t want to risk it and not be able to run!

Yogurtland was the best. I hope we do that every year together for the rest of forever.

Off to read your article. They are always some of my favorites.

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Hey! I love your blog- you are truly an inspiration for me! I have a question: how do you deal with getting sick and not being able to run for a couple days? I am struggling with a gross cold- 1st grade teacher!!- and need to take a couple days off…I’m super bummed because I had great plans to do some killer workouts. How do you deal with it?

Lipstick- Nay- lip gloss- yay!
I wish we had a yogurtland where I live!

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You gotta do what you gotta do… take the time off to let your body recover. When I have a head cold I usually slow down and cut down my mileage if I really want to run. Get better ASAP Irene and I hope you guys get a yogurt land soon:)

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I ran until I gave birth to Ella. My dr was awesome and told me to wait only two wks… But it was def too soon… I took a bit more time (a month) and started again and it felt soooo much better:) I think it’s a listen to your body kind of thing ya know?!

I love lipstick on others just not on me! I’m a nude lip play up the eyes kind of girl;)

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All three of my pregnancies were tough and I had bed rest with all of them.
I agree – take it slow- running will always be there.
Possible mistake was not taking more time to build a base before training for a marathon. When I ran the marathon in Sept (my first in a long time), I didn’t have a huge base going into the training that started in May. I stopped nursing in February and was running, but not a lot of miles.
By summer I was up to 50+ miles a week + speed, tempo, hils ect.
Could this have contributed to developing the stress fracture I have now? Who knows, but maybe…

Can’t wait for Menchies foyo day!

Lipgloss – yes! I haven’t worn lipstick in so long.

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Janae thank you so much for your honest post! I think hindsight is 20/20 and sometimes it’s painful to remember things that we wish had gone differently. but it is SO important to review and share! if we can learn from eachother and ourselves maybe we will all suffer a little less heartbreak and pain. thank you

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Thank you for being open and honest about your experience. I didn’t actually start running until after I had 3 kids. My youngest was 8 months. I’m just gonna say it moms take time off running when you have an infant they grow lightening speed. Time off racing and recovery means time spent with baby. I promise you will not look back and wish you really had a great race when you had an infant. You will look back and see photos of you snuggled with your gift that baby.
Gotta keep it real;) then rock that jogger when they are a sitting up on their own baby and let em sleep while u get strong.

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Loved this! I think the most important thing to remember is that everyone is different! But I love love loved your perspective on this :)

I LOVE lipstick, but I’m very selective with my brands because I hate when lipstick dries my lips out! Chapstick will always and forever bemy favorite though.

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I commend you for using running to cope! Although we can overdo it its better than turning to something unhealthy or never finding an outlet for sad emotions!

You are so right that post partum runng just really varies depending on the person. I ran my first marathon at 6 months post partum with my twins—- big mistake! It was so incredibly exhausting training for 26.2 and taking care of two infants. The stress and hard training actually has messed with my cycle and I’m backing off now try to get myself back on an even keel. I personally gained roughly 60lbs during my pregnancy and felt that I had something to prove— how silly!
I remember trying out running at 3 or 4 weeks postpartum and feeling like my insides were going to fall out!!! It was harder than I’d ever imagined. You are so right that pregnancy and delivery is really rough on our bodies. Like you, I’d probably give myself a year to just run on my current energy levels/feel. Hind sight is 20/20.

Lipstick looks ridiculous on me but it will look gorgeous on you!

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Hi J! Wow, you did jump back into running quickly after just three weeks. That must have been a tough time for you, so I can see how you wanted to seek “normal” in your running routine, so great advice here to tell people to wait a little longer. I love red lipstick, by the way. And I didn’t get any froyo. So sad!

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I SO wish I would’ve got free yogurt! Sadly I don’t have any froyo shops nor have I ever had it :( I know I’m missing out hardcore.

As for your getting back into running, maybe your injuries happened then so that you’re smarter in the future and it prevented an even bigger injury (like your muscles doing even more overcompensating). I believe everything happens for a reason!!

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I appreciate your honesty in this post, especially as I’m 30 weeks with No. 2. While I ran with my first pregnancy, my mileage was LOW and my comeback was slow – especially as I had a C-section. I’ve been running farther and better than the first time around, and I know it will be tempting to jump into running the way I had. This post is a good reminder that just as I do now, I’ll need to listen to my body.

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I had 2 C-sections and 1 VBAC, I took everything easy and let my body heal but I had too. Even now sometimes if I am working on my core my scar will hurt.
I started running longer distances without really know much about fueling. It was all trial and error. I should have studied more but I didn’t think too much of it. I signed up for races I wasn’t ready for and it showed. I had to suck it up and move on in order to get better.

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I love that picture of Brooke eating froyo! Too cute!

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I’m not too much of a lipstick wearer, but I got a new pink color that I’m trying out. I just think that all lipstick looks funny on me!

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Get that Fro Yo girl! I’m going to Menchies this week for free Fro Yo! I really liked your article on running after pregnancy. I’m not pregnant, but I’ve always wondered about running while you are pregnant but haven’t ever read anything about getting back into it after you give birth. Thanks for shedding some light on the topic!
I don’t wear lipstick, however, this year I kinda wanna add some color to the lips!

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Yikes. I have no idea how you started running 3 weeks after having brooke. Three weeks after having my daughter, it still hurt to poop. Haha. No joke. I would cry when I had to. Thanks to a nasty tear… Besides that, my pregnancy was suuuper easy. I ran with my dog the day before I had my daughter. But due to that and than not being motivated, I didn’t run for a while. . I don’t regret it.
I like what you said “running will always be there” thank you. I really needed to hear that while going through an injury. I tried to run this sunday.. and it just wasn’t happening. :/

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I got a DNF during my first half ironman and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had been coasting during my training and not putting my heart into anything and the big ol’ fail was a huge kick in the pants to get it together.

No FroYo for me :( The two places by me just closed. Hard times for Fro Yo in the Midwest.

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I had my son well before I started running. I do feel that I could run with no problems the day after he was delivered, though. Maybe this is a ‘woman thing’?

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Yeah probably:)

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What are some mistakes that you have made in your training and what did you learn from it?!
**Doing too much, too fast. Sometimes I get motivated by other runners and want to try to increase my mileage too quickly, then I get injured. I still do it, I can’t help it. I am very competitive and want to be ‘as good as’ them.

Mom’s reading… how was it for you getting back into running after having a baby?
**I waited 4 weeks. I ran and lifted weights throughout pregnancy. It was not an easy one for me. I’m little and my boy was big so it ended up being an emergency C instead of hippy-dippy drug-free natural birth like I wanted. It was traumatizing. My first half was 4 months post-partum. I think I waited long enough. I wasn’t breastfeeding, was sleeping ok, and had a solid base from before. It went well.

Who got some free Yogurtland?!
**I wish I did.

Lipstick—> yay or nay!?!
**Nay. Makeup feels really foreign to me, like some alien goop on my skin, and nothing feels as good as washing it off. I do wear it, but probably once or twice per week, tops. And never lipstick. I think I look weird with it on.

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Since 2013 was my guaranteed entry into the New York city marathon I ran throughout my pregnancy. Isla was born June 27. Had planned on 5wks off but ended with 6wks b/c the fire season was so bad there was too much smoke to run in. Probably a blessing b/c during my 1st 3mi run I couldn’t wait to get home. I had basically peed my pants because of delivery! I had 11wks to train and ran the marathon in 4:15 with a stop at mile 18 to nurse the baby (I had pumped at 530a to catch a 6a ferry. The race didn’t start until 1030 so by mile 18 my jugs were full!) A newspaper reporter saw me on the side of course nursing and wanted to put me in the paper. haha. No thanks! I had to get back to the race. Anyways I did like having a race to focus on after the baby. I’m not sure I’d do it again so soon after.

No Menchies or yogurtland in town. Maybe I need to move?!

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My biggest mistake when I started running was to not get properly fitted for running shoes. I had no idea what I was doing and just grabbed an old pair of sneakers and started running all the time. I ended up injuring myself and not being able to run for 2 weeks. Now when I start to feel any kind of pain or twinge, I think about my shoes and if it is time to replace them bc that’s usually the first sign that it is.

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I’m a lipgloss girl but I just tried and started using Rimmel by Kate 08 Rosetta… I’m obsessed! Topped with VS Loveberry gloss makes it even better.

Thanks for your honesty, Janae. It’s hard to admit when we don’t(didn’t) have an ideal situation and even harder to say, “And I did not cope in the best/healthiest/wisest way I could have.” You live, you learn, and hopefully you do better. I try to remember Maya Angelou’s quote: “When I knew better, I did better.” It helps. :) Anyway, it’s nice when a running blogger can say, “Yep, I did it but I really do not recommend it.” Good on Ya!

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Thank you for this awesome post!

I too, had a very easy pregnancy and delivery and was out running literally days after giving birth. A lightbulb moment occurred as I read your post because my milk dried up at about 4 months as well, go figure. I was definitely running for emotional/coping reasons.

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I think I waited a few months after having my girl to run, but that was because I was busy with school and honestly had no time (or legit energy outside of readying/studying) to go run. I ran my first half at 5 months postpartum, and I think it was a really good amount of time in between having my daughter and doing a half. I felt good and not overwhelmed that it came too quickly. I definitely think you did what you had to do with your problems at the time, and looking back it may have felt rushed, but if it made you a bit more sane, then I think it was probably worth it!

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I’ve heard running a lot while pregnant might give you bladder damage. I guess nothing bad happened to your body while you ran high mileage even late during pregnancy??

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Luckily, I didn’t experience any bladder damage (that I know of). Same goes for if I get pregnant again though… I won’t be running as many miles.

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Lipstick is so fun for fancy nights out! Although.. mine lasts about 1.2 seconds before it’s rubbed off on a glass or something. Post a picture of your glamorous new look!

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I happen to like lipstick, glosses and balms alike. Sugar is one of my favorite brands and I love a good MAC lipstick. I have to comment: Made in the US with some foreign parts? what the heck? I’m guessing it’s the tube but that’s weird…

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I started running again at 2 weeks postpartum BUT I was doing run/walk intervals as I eased into mileage again. I started into training after a month or so and ran my first post-baby marathon at 7 months postpartum. Finished in 3:37, which was good for me but similar to your experience – I was SOOO exhausted! The crazy changes of being a first-time parent were wearing on me emotionally/mentally/physically, even after my son was 7 months.

Baby #2 is due this spring and I am going to take it EASY this time and just enjoy the newborn baby weeks/months :) And somehow try to adjust to parenting two. I’m excited and I would be lying if I didn’t say I’m scared out of my mind.

A 1:31 at 7 weeks postpartum!? Mistake or not, that is impressive! I couldn’t run that time at 7 MONTHS postpartum! And lipstick >>> YES! Though I can’t pull off bright colors :)

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I had Max in December and did not run again until March. Mostly because of winter and I had no access to a treadmill then. Max couldn’t be in a jogging stroller that young either – so I waited. No biggie :-) I lost all the baby weight and now I think i am more fit – there isn’t really any reason to rush to start to lose baby weight.

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You’re too cool letting that image go to print. Love the transparency and honesty in your face.

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This is such a great post! I had a really hard birth with our LO where everything that could go wrong did and I jumped back into running way to fast too. I waited 8 weeks and that was not enough. I ended up with the same injuries that you dealt with Janae and now after more then 4 months of physical therapy I’m just getting to the point where I can run again. I’m so happy to hear you be a cheerleader for women to take their time after birth, more women need to hear its okay to slow down and be a mom. I wish I had some one say that to me.

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Thanks for reminding me it was National Froyo day yesterday! There is no Yogurtland nearby (or any yogurt place nearby for that matter), but as soon as I saw your post I reminded my friends of the day, and we set out on a mission to get froyo! The college we attend is in the middle of nowhere, so we had to drive 45min to get it, but it was totally worth it :)

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I rarely post a comment, but wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your honesty. It’s so easy to push ourselves to our physical limits when we are going through difficult & emotional times. It’s the desire to make ourselves so tired and filled with endorphins that we are Teflon.

I ran HARD leading up to and just days after my first miscarriage and subsequent D&C. It was my way of pushing all of my negative emotions out, but I was also running away from the problem. It took me almost 8 months to have a period. Now I’m dealing with my second miscarriage a little more than 2 years later and I’ve decided that I’m going to just breathe and heal…I’m going to treat my body kindly (that can be different for everyone) because it’s delicate right now.

Thanks for bringing up such a tough topic Janae! We all need to be as kind to ourselves as we would be to others!

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Thank you so much Michelle for your comment and sharing your story. I just want to give you a big hug. Thinking about you and you will be in our prayers.

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What are some mistakes that you have made in your training and what did you learn from it?!
– Believe it or not, overhydrating! And it took me forever to figure out why that’s why I felt so sick after long runs. Now I monitor my water intake/loss to be safe.

Lipstick—> yay or nay!?!
– Chapstick all the way. But then again, I work in the hospital all the time, and we don’t wear much make up. After 12 hour shifts and too much CPR, the mascara starts to look scary.

Thanks again for your honesty in this post! Very refreshing :) Nice to know I’m not alone in my ordeal. I work a double today, so please have some froyo for me with lots of gummi bears and rainbow sprinkles!

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With both my pregnancies, my OB gave me the okay to run after 4-weeks. I made sure to find an OB who ran marathons. It was a match-made in heaven when I interviewed her (I had my prior OB for 10 years and as soon as she gave me a big NO on running, I researched new OBs) and she told me she ran Boston Marathon 5 months pregnant and finished in a 3:35 time. DING-DING-DING. I was 6 weeks pregnant with #1 and joined her running group. LOL But yeah, she gave me the okay to run at 4-weeks and I took it easy. When #2 came, I was back at 4-weeks and ran it easy with my daughter in the jogger.

Some mistakes I’ve made with training — probably being hard on myself. Even with baby #2 being almost 17 months, he is still not sleeping through the night (which I expected), I’m nursing him throughout the night, my 3.5 year old daughter is energized with “let’s play this now” on top of that add making dinner, loads of laundry, cleaning the house, working full time — so yeah, I’m exhausted! But I try to get my training in on my lunch break (except we’ve had ice-storms the last few days and I already sprained my ankle recently and don’t want that to happen again), I set my alarm early and am awake but the baby freaks out, etc. I sound like I’m making excuses, but I need to just need to suck it up — SLEEP when kids sleep, at least most of the time.

lipstick – YAY. Love me some YSL lips and even Revlon. :-)

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Oh how I love you Janae! You are so honest and I love that you are willing to share your stories to help others!! I waited about 6 weeks to start running again and I started very slowly. I had some recovery issues though (minor, but still issues), so that almost made me take it slow. And wow your yogurt is impressive! I wish I had known about this :(

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OBSESSED with lipstick–I wore red basically every day for the month of December. I think it’ll look fabulous with your darker hair color and skin tone.

I higgghhhly recommend lipliner of the same shade. It’ll save your life. And then do a layer of powder (with a concealer or foundation brush) on the skin just surrounding your mouth after you’ve perfected the lip. It’ll make it last longer not bleed, and make it look flawless.

Yay lipstick!

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Thank you so much for the tips Aaryn! I am totally going to try this!

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Let me know how it works out, and definitely post a pic for all of us to see–I know I speak for many when I say I wanna see you rockin’ them lips!

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I really want to like lipstick, but it never seems to look right on me. I love the look on others though. I guess I’m just more of a gloss kind of gal!

I wish there was a Yogurtland close by but I’m going to have to wait until Friday to get mine from Menchies. I can’t wait!

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Training mistakes: No real mistakes except that I haven’t trained hard enough. I need to start training harder :-)
I love Yogurt land but unfortunely do not have any close to me.
Red lipstick… always a yes! I say go bold or go home… LOL
Awesome job on your running… I am so jealous. I am running tonight after work.. Gotta get miles in when you can!

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Running 3 weeks post baby is quite a physical accomplishment. I was a sleep deprived zombie for 8 weeks after having my kids! I had c-sections so it wasn’t an option, but I don’t think I could have done it anyways. But I agree, give it some time, as hard as it may be.
I have never worn lipstick, so it looks really out of place on me! I do have at least 3 lip balms in my possession at any time – and one with me always when I run!!

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It’s a relief to hear you say that. As much as I want to get back to running after baby, I want to honor my body and the healing process and remind myself that baby is priority and the running will come. I think there is a lot of pressure for new moms to get right back to their pre preg weight/body, which isn’t too realistic. But I totally see that it can also be a great coping mechanism and destressor.

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Thanks so much for sharing and being so honest! I really appreciate it! I think many people compare themselves to others (including me) and after I had my baby (now 10 months old) I remember reading all these blogs (including yours) and everyone was running so quickly from pregnancy I felt I should be able to as well. Why not these other ladies are doing it? My body just wouldn’t go…I waited until 6 weeks and eased into it I still got injured. Everyone’s body is different. Thanks for the post!

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oh. good.. i mean.. i will probably wait until fox is, like, 7 years old before i run. that should be a legit amount of time to wait, right?! ;) p.s. miss you!

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Thank you for sharing this. I had a really difficult pregnancy and delivery and couldn’t run for a year and a half. And I felt so jealous of my friends doing marathons less than a year after giving birth. I thought I should be better or stronger or tougher. But the truth is that everyone’s journey is different and you have to listen to what your body is telling you. I wish it were easier to silence those negative voices. The whole experience taught me to be extra supportive and sensitive to other women’s post partum fitness journeys.

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I love how you take everything you have been through and learn so much from it, that is so amazing and admirable of you!! I jumped in to running too soon after spraining my ankle and wish I had waited longer.
Lipstick- YAY! And always!! :)

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I just wanted to say that your friend Megan has inspired me to wear my hair like that. I’m kind of loving the half-bun now. :)

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Oh yay!!! I love it!!

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I rarely comment here, but I always read. I just wanted to say that your post was just what I needed today and such good advice. After my 1st & 2nd pregnancies I was in no hurry to get back to running. I can’t even remember how long I waited (maybe 6 weeks, maybe 3 months?) because I was just focused on my babies. But this past December I delivered my 3rd son as a stillborn. It has been a devastating experience, complete with a legal nightmare involving my doctor. This time there is no new baby to focus on. I have so many emotions that I really just want to push out through exercise. But I bled heavily for seven straight weeks after delivery and was pretty much forced to take it easy. I also wasn’t able to exercise during the pregnancy because of complications. So as a result of so many months without working out I’ve lost almost all of my fitness. I put on more weight than I would have liked and haven’t been able to nurse which usually helps to burn it all off. Anyway, long story short – my recovery has been really tough. Not to mention my family and I moved across the country during the middle of all this. I’ve only been back to running/working out for about two weeks, but I’ve found myself getting so incredibly frustrated and angry with myself about my lost fitness. Your post was the friend I needed to remind me to be a little kinder to myself. Like you said, running will always be there. Eventually I will be able to enjoy a long hard run again.

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Oh Carrie. I can’t even imagine what you have gone through and what you are continuing to go through. You are surviving an incredibly challenging time and that is more than enough for you right now. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. You are incredible. Keep me updated on how you are doing. xoxoxo

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I always admire how you are able to reflect and learn from your past.

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Thank you for sharing – I’m sure a lot of your readers will feel better with their own decisions because of it!

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For me…not taking enough time off after a race.

I so wish I was into lipstick…it’s just not me. Dying to see you rockin’ the red!! :))

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Thank you for sharing! I also started running at 3 weeks postpartum, although just 1-2 miles at a time to re-build (I had a C-section, and quit running almost completely while pregnant). I ran 2 marathons and a 50k within the first 9 months of my little boy’s life, and a half ironman when he was 16 months old. I, too, was in a horrible marriage. We got divorced when baby boy was only 18 months old. Looking back, I can tell it was totally me coping with the fact that I was miserable, and I regretted getting married (although did not regret having my son, of course!). I think I felt it was the only thing I could control, since the rest of my life was not what I pictured it would be. I am proud of my accomplishments, but at the same time, don’t ever want to feel what I was feeling at that time.

My little one will be 4 in a few months, I am happily re-married, and my husband and I love to work out, run, and be active together! Reading this just took me back and reminded me of how far I have come. :) Thank you.

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Hi Janae…great post. The last picture of your run where your sister ran with you the last part is great. I remember that post it brought tears to my eyes then and now. Sister love is the best :)

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