HALF-WAY THERE!!!! About 140 days until we meet our little girl! Okay, I shouldn’t write out how many days because that still feels like it is forever away ha! It’s kind of like a marathon, I shouldn’t count down the miles (weeks) until the final 10k… just gonna take it a mile at a time:)
*43.38 miles last week including one really great long run of 10.18. Temperatures make the world of difference for my running right now so if I get out early enough (like I did for my long run last week) I feel so much better!
*I was looking back to my pregnancy posts with Brooke and at this point I was at around an 8:30 average pace for each run. This time around I am usually averaging a 9:22 pace or slower. They are right… each pregnancy is definitely different!
*Each week the chaffing continues to get worse:) Even body glide isn’t fully doing the trick anymore.
*Pancakes are still a very big deal in my life and if they aren’t thick and fluffy, I want nothing to do with them.
*I got the pillow. It’s amazing. I will be using this for the next 20 weeks.
*The heartburn is already out of control ha. Maybe that is because she already has a ton of hair;) Isn’t that an old wive’s tale? I had a dream she came out with hair down to her shoulders ha.
*At 20 weeks the baby now weights about 10.5 ounces! She is as long as a banana now!
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I’ve had a few questions about what my plan is in terms of getting back in shape after I have the baby. I’ve also had a lot of time to think about this question and come up with my game plan so here it is:
My conclusion: I’m going to be doing this quite differently than I did after having Brooke. Do I regret how I jumped (ehhh sprinted) back into running like I did with Brooke? Nope. My life at that time was very different. I needed running to help me to get through some of life’s challenges. I would NEVER recommend it or do it again though. With Brooke I think I was back to running about 2 weeks after I had her. I was running up until the day before I had her (and also in the parking lot of the hospital;) and jumped right back into 10 milers on the treadmill and racing a half marathon when she was 7 weeks old. I was able to jump back quickly with Brooke BUT…. I experienced major pain in my pubic area starting when she was 4-5 months old and lasting for a few years after that (it wasn’t as bad later on but for the first mile of every run I FELT IT). It wasn’t good for my body. At all. I learned from my mistake but I also know mentally that I really needed it at that time. It is what it is.
One pressure (that I put on myself) I have felt in the past has to do with writing a running blog and the fact that it is the thing that supports my entire family right now. I instantly wonder if it is important for me to get back in shape quickly after having the baby. But then when I really think about it, I feel like the most important thing for me to be is a good example this time around. I’m taking the full 6 weeks after our little girl is born to NOT RUN. To not put any pressure on myself to do anything but care for my little family (and of course share pictures of our life during this time.. but I’m warning you, they will probably be a bit shorter posts with fewer words because I’ll be sleep deprived). I want to be an example not for getting back to my normal body quickly but for truly taking care of my body and waiting to run until everything is healed up. I also really want breastfeeding to work this time and I think that giving me time to build a good supply without the stress of running will be good for it. These six weeks will be during my least favorite time of year to run anyways so I won’t be missing out on much! I’ll go for walks and probably share some selfies from that occasionally but I’m not doing what I did last time. I don’t think Andrew would let me either ha;) As my sister always says, ‘it takes 9 months to gain the weight with having a baby, you better believe it is going to take at least that long to have it come off.’ There is no rush. There is no pressure. Running will always be there for us when we are ready and I have my whole life to run. I only have so long with a little newborn to cherish. I only have one body to take care of.
I definitely have running goals up ahead of me that I’m really looking forward to in the future. I’m excited to work towards those goals and have a running coach again BUT the way for me to get to these goals means I have to be smart. I will need to wait to start running until my body has healed and to slowly increase my mileage and speed. I might stick to 5ks and 10ks for a while before I build up to the half-marathon and definitely the full marathon. Whatever I end up doing, I’m sure I’ll talk your ear off with all of my different plans.
Long story short… I’m going to be waiting the full six weeks to run. And I can’t wait for those 6 weeks of snuggling, bonding our family together even more and healing. If my clothes don’t fit again for a very long time… I am totally okay with that. I would be lying if I didn’t say that of course there will be times where I will struggle with my post-baby body but that is normal for a lot of women. I’m going to be gentle with myself and do what is best for the baby, me and my family. And I can’t wait to share the whole process with you!
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What worked for you after you had a baby? Did you experience any pain with your running after having a baby?
I’d love to hear any tips or lessons that you learned about post-baby body/running/etc!!
I’d love to hear some of your biggest cravings NOW (if you are pregnant) or for your pregnancies in the past?
60 comments
Stacey
I’m glad to hear this, Janae. I’ve been following your blog for quite awhile and remember being concerned when you went back to running so much, so quickly after having Brooke. And, I’m not just talking concern for you. You are a role model for Brooke and Knox, but also for your impressionable readers. You mention feeling pressure to run again so quickly after giving birth because your running blog is your family’s sole income source. I think the very reason that you have such a popular “healthy living” blog should be motivation for you to … live healthy :) Set a good example for us all! So many women (and LOTS of so-called healthy living bloggers) nowadays want to get their pre-baby body back ASAP — it seems even at the expense of their health. I’m glad you mentioned the pelvic pain. Your readers need to hear that by (I’m assuming) going against your OB’s advice and running excessively a mere two weeks past delivery, there were consequences. Thank you for being brave and sharing that.
I’m 25 weeks pregnant now, and have to admit that I envision it will be hard for me to see my body getting back in shape at a snail’s pace. But, like your sister advises, it takes months for the body to prepare for pregnancy, and should take months for it to recover… notice I didn’t say “bounce back” — our bodies, like it or not, will never be the same. But really, isn’t that a wonderful thing? Running will always be there, but like you said, we only get one body. I hope that if you feel you need to cut down running drastically, or even stop entirely during your pregnancy, you’ll feel empowered to do so. Don’t worry about your blog readers, we’ll be with you for the journey, no matter where it leads you.
Thank you, Janae, and take care of yourself!
The Hungry Runner Girl
SO EXCITED FOR YOU Stacey!!! You are so right, bounce back isn’t a thing… I read a quote from immaeatthat and she said, ‘Me trying to get my pre-pregnancy body back would be like me trying to get my 8th grade body back.’ Pregnancy changes our bodies and how luck are we to be able to do this!?! I definitely learned my lesson the first time around and can’t wait to do things completely differently! Keep me updated with how your re doing Stacey, I love hearing from you!
Stacey
Thank you, Janae! I love that quote. Take care!
Liz Connolly
I’m pregnant with my 4th child and each time I’ve had to quit running earlier and go back at it slower. The first I ran till the day he was born and got back super fast. That being the case I always get my speed back with some hard work. I’m almost 38 weeks and I can’t wait to run! I’m dying but we will do lots of walks till we hit the 6 weeks and take it slow from there. I’m thinking of starting running 3x a week and doing some HIIT and strength training the other 3 days till I’m really ready. I think runners are great at being in tune with their bodies and you will know exactly what to do.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I think that is a fabulous plan Liz!! I think I’ll be right there with you doing 3x a week once our baby is 6 weeks old! Keep me updated with how you are doing and CONGRATS on baby #4!!
Katie
I had horrible chafing when I was pregnant last year and Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel saved me! Just my recommendation :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
THANK YOU for letting me know Katie because the chafing is nuts right now. Can’t wait to try this! I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Hollie
Even though I’m not pregnant nor have had children, I enjoy reading these posts. I feel like the blogging world has changed since you had Brooke and you can pull in a lot of income from nonrunning products. In fact, I think there are a lot more sources than running gear products.
You’ll look great post baby. Your husband and children will all still love you no matter what weight you are at.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh thanks Hollie and I think you are completely right with that! I just like to worry about things that don’t need to be worried about haha;) I hope you are having a beautiful day!
Erica
I got the same thing in the pelvic area after my first 1/2 marathon after Hope. Went to a pelvic floor PT. It was the best decision and she got all that tissue aligned and firing as it should. Could not recommend it enough.
The Hungry Runner Girl
INTERESTING Erica… I’m going to have to find one of those asap if I have problems again! Thanks for letting me know! I hope you, Chris and Hope are having an amazing day!
mallory
Interesting about the pelvic pain…was it really bad? do you think it would have healed if you had stopped running for a while after it started or was it more of an ongoing stiffness type thing?
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh I am sure it would have healed up if I had stopped running for a while but for some reason in my brain I thought it was okay to run on since the pain went away after a mile or so. Definitely should have taken some time off (or seen a professional right away) to take care of it without continuing to run!
Mel _OutRunCf
We are following you because you are YOU and no matter what you do (running or not) you are amazing! It’s hard to be patient but I do believe that for long term health it is worth taking our time and letting our body heal. Before my son was born I was worried about going back to my pre-pregnancy weight like most women. Then he was born with severe health issues and I lost all the weight very quickly because I was worried for weeks about his health. He is doing great now but I felt that for me it was a lesson on what really matters in life.
The Hungry Runner Girl
You are so right Mel! I can’t even imagine going through what you did with your little baby having so many health issues! That experience definitely would have taught me about priorities too! You are amazing Mel!
Laura
Hey Janae! I think you’ve got a smart plan for your postpartum fitness. With my first baby I jumped right back into tough workouts and suffered some injuries over the last 4 years that I believe were initially caused by my haste. I just had my second baby almost 4 months ago and decided to be more patient with myself this time. I am following the Post Baby Bod plan from Gina/ Fitnessista and I love it. One thing that really has stuck with me is that she suggests thinking of that first month back into fitness as rehab. This time around, I waited 6 wks, got cleared by my OB, and then slowly added simple exercises. My body feels a lot better! I also credit waiting at least 6 wks to successful breastfeeding and milk supply with both babies. Plus, more time for newborn naps on your chest. :) Running and your readers will be here when you are ready. Congratulations to you and Andrew!
Sage
Unsolicited advice: When you do start running (and it’s so worth it to wait – I did) take the time to find a great bra. If you’re breastfeeding your body is changing a lot (sometimes by the hour) and when I started working out again, I got milk blisters (bleb). It was terrible. I was able to get over them (looser better bra/less gym time) and nurse until baby was 14 months. Oatmeal fueled those feeds – highly recommended.
The Hungry Runner Girl
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the advice Sage, that is just what I needed! Oh those milk blisters sound MISERABLE. Thank you for the Oatmeal tip too… keep the tips coming!!!
Carrie
I highly recommend having a wardrobe already set and not stepping into those clothes that might not fit for a very long time or never. Leggings, long tunics, non-skinny jeans, etc. Stepping into clothes that don’t fit is just frustrating. I did a half marathon 2 months after having my first and coached a marathon team until the weekend before she was born. For me at that time, it was right. I did wait at least 3 to 4 weeks before training again and had the okay from my midwives. With my 2nd it was a different story. She was just a very difficult baby and had multiple issues plus I also had a 3 year old (who thankfully still took awesome naps). I will have to say though, having fall/winter babies is nice. It is the time for loose corduroys, comfy sweats, bulky sweaters, etc. My first was a September baby and that was still in warm weather here but my second was born at the end of November.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Okay, that is such an awesome idea! I will totally be doing that… I get so frustrated with clothes that don’t fit so I’m totally going to this. Thank you for sharing that with me! I agree, I’m excited to have this baby in the winter so I can just be in sweats and not tempted to run until my body is healed this time:) Enjoy your Thursday Carrie!
Tiffany O
Thank you so much for being a positive, strong, healthy role model. It takes courage to stand up and say no I will do what’s best for me and my babe and my family. Truthfully my little lion is 8 months and I’m still not running (I couldn’t run while pregnant because I was bedridden) and even though I couldn’t have fathomed my life without running for such a long stretch of time I had to do what’s best for me and my babe. I love your posts running related or not and I’ll stick with you no matter where life takes your beautiful family. Also did you know Kodiak Cakes has individual pancakes?!? They are in pre-portioned containers and you add 1/4 cup water or milk and put it in the microwave for literally 1 minute! I get the protein maple and buttermilk and add frozen blueberries and then microwave it and it’s phenomenal :)
Sharsti @sugarplumrunner
LOVE your response and your approach this time around. That’s exactly what I learned with my second too. Running will always be there, but that first year with a newborn you never get back. It’s the best to just be patient with yourself and really soak up those newborn snuggles. So excited for you, you’re such a sweet mom and a wonderful example to us all.
Rachael
Oh gosh, I can relate to the pubic bone pain! I ran a half-marathon when my most recent baby was less than 4 weeks old. It felt really good for the first 10 miles and then felt like I was giving birth for the last 3 miles, and then anything over 8 miles hurt for the next few months! I don’t regret running again so soon after he was born (I ran until delivery and started again when he was 3 days old, but racing a half was definitely pushing it. I think I would have been in way more trouble if it hadn’t been my sixth baby–I couldn’t even walk for 6 weeks after my first baby so I can’t imagine how you ran a half! Good for you for taking care of your body post-delivery.
I will say though that the pregnancies where I was able to keep running until delivery (for me that was babies 4, 5, and 6) were WAY better recoveries than the pregnancies where I wasn’t able to run (I was on bedrest with #3 and didn’t start running until after my second was born). So that was a huge benefit for me in keeping up with the runs! By the time I delivered my last baby I was only running 30 mpw and I was at like 11:20 miles, but the speed came back immediately without any effort on my part! (Except for labor & delivery.) ;-)
Monica
I had my first baby 7 weeks ago and went on my first run today! I thought I would be working out and running well before the 6 week mark but every time I tried to even go for walk, my bleeding would pick up (TMI!). My doctors said it’s your body’s way of saying slow down. I LOVE reading these posts and can’t wait to follow along after your baby is born. You’re not just a running blog to me. Some of my favorite posts are about your family, your life outside of running, and how you tackle every day challenges.
Christine
Maybe I missed it in a previous post but just wondering how you told Andrew you were expecting? My hubby and I are trying and I’m looking for a unique way to let him know he’s going to be a (first time) daddy! Would love to hear your story ?
Maureen Feeney
Who cares how fast you get back into shape! You just grew a human and birthed it. Take 6 weeks or more to heal because the most important thing is for you and baby to be healthy!! I can’t wait to see all the pictures of Andrew, Brooke, Knox and you with the baby
Ashley McBain
I fully support your decision to not get back into running. Good for you!
You may have gained a huge army because of running, but now you’re stuck with us! We love you no matter what….running or not!
Thanks for sharing, Janae!
Mollie Sweet
Vanilla ice cream cures heartburn! Just a spoonful!
I started running (short and slow) 4 weeks after having both of mine. The first was just because I felt back to normal and I was bored, but I kept it super light (walking/running) and didn’t do it every day. This time I really needed it. We had just moved to a new place, our house wasn’t ready yet (air bnb life is super fun, until it’s not) and I NEEDED an outlet. So I would take my daughter in the stroller and run with her. It was also short and slow and often included long breaks and walks, but it was what I needed mentally. Nothing about it was for weight loss or getting my body back, which at 8 months ppm, 1 half and 1 marathon (BQ!) in, I’m not there yet, and I’m TOTALLY ok with that. I’m extremely happy with where I’m at mentally this time, I love my kids so much I would never want my post baby body back. I’m proud of how strong I am and I’m ok with a rounder tummy and my baby hips. :) I’m super happy to hear this change of pace for you!
Heather
Use coconut oil for chafing!
The Hungry Runner Girl
That is brilliant!!!!!
Jill
With both of my boys I waited the 6 weeks to get my OB’s ok to start running again, and then eased back into it! I had two summer babies, so we did go for a lot of nice walks together starting a couple days after they were born, but I felt like walking was a good for my body, and also nice to get baby outside in the sunshine. I will say even though I waited the 6 weeks and eased into running (as in, just 2 mile runs a couple days a week for weeks 6 and 7), I still had a bit of the pelvic pain you describe. It would also only last for a little bit in the beginning of my runs. It was a very dull pain, not sharp at all, so I figured it was just my uterus getting back to its normal size again. It eventually went away on its own. I think your plan sounds great!
Amanda
I am 18 weeks today!! Due very close to you, and it’s been so fun to read your posts while I am pregnant too.
I feel the same as you…. I think we are so obsessed with pre baby bodies, and the fact is you can never go back to that. Before I got pregnant I actually was taking time off running because I was so burned out on it. I’m a very type A person, and I had been thinking that if I literally missed 1 run, my whole training was messed up. I feel that now I’m much more mentally healthy about running, and I’m actually really looking forward to being able to run again after healing from birth!! I’m loving walking, but I’m actually excited for running, which is a big deal to me ?
Thanks for being a great role model!!
Mollie
Every pregnancy and woman is so different, and even though I always find the phrase “listen to your body” so annoyingly vague, it’s really true when you’re pregnant. I told myself I would take a full month off of running after having my son, and I’m glad I stuck to that. I did a LOT of walking (it was summer and my baby loved the stroller), and I did low-impact exercise starting at about 2 weeks. But I remember the first days and weeks after giving birth thinking there is not even a part of me that wants to attempt a run right now. Once on a walk I tried jogging literally two houses just to see how it felt, and I immediately was like nope, my body is NOT ready for this. I was surprised with how okay I was with that, and I did get back into shape much faster than I thought I would without really focusing on it. And even though I did lost most of the baby weight quickly, I also don’t think I will ever have my pre-baby body back – there’s no coming back from all of the changes that come along with growing a human in there, at least for me. But I’m so grateful that I was able to get pregnant and carry and give birth to a healthy baby, and proud that my body reflects all of that.
Suzy
I’m going to be the devil’s advocate here. The brain-stretcher. I’ll try to make it short. HA!
I love running. I’ve got an athlete’s mind. Sports and competition pump through my veins. Thinking about running and racing and competition and PRs? Those things make me feel SO ALIVE. It’s a part of who I am. Now, having a baby takes a toll on our bodies, the very machine that our athletic minds use to work out these passions of ours so of course we need to make adjustments, as we go. But don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You talk about running the mile you’re in, right? Just focus on today–don’t worry about postpartum running until you’re… postpartum.
Some people get a lot of breast milk and some people don’t. Sometimes it correlates with calorie/energy expenditures and sometimes it doesn’t. Running helped you get through stress after Brooke, and running will probably help you get through (different) stress after this baby too! Maybe not as soon after, or maybe not as many miles, maybe while breastfeeding, maybe while bottle feeding, maybe you’ll have a sore groin after 6 weeks off, maybe you’ll have no soreness at all, you never know. Until you’re there, in that moment.
Trust your gut, trust your husband, and take it a mile at a time.
XO
Marina @ Happy Healing
You have such a great attitude and I think this is 100% the right path to take! Thanks for being so honest as always, Janae :)
Monica
Love this!!!!!
Cami
I had a baby 3 months ago and she is sleeping 9 hours through the night right now! We took an online class called TakingCaraBabies that was $59 and a little over an hour long. It is worth every penny! The difference between our sleep experience with this baby and our first is unbelievable. I highly recommend the class.
Also, I really liked the breastfeeding classes offered through the hospital. I think they recommend taking them sometime in your third trimester. I hope your experience breastfeeding is better this time!
The Hungry Runner Girl
THANK YOU for the tips Cami, I’m going to have to look into TakingCaraBabies and I REALLY want to take one of those classes. Thank you and congrats on your new little one Cami!
Laura
I waited a full 7 weeks after Hannah and honestly it was the best thing I did for myself. It really allowed me to focus on her, recovering myself and transitioning to being a mom. Even though you are already a mom, it will still be an adjustment and giving yourself time is really important I think. I did take Hannah for a lot of walks after a few weeks and that really was so good for all of us. It gave me time out of the house so I didn’t go stir crazy, it got Hannah used to the stroller and fresh air, and it gave Brian and I some time to get out, talk and do things together but with her as well. When I started running again I actually think all of that walking helped my body adjust- I was more physically and mentally prepared to run again…easing into it. I had some pubic pain which I expected because I had Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction which had me stopping running at 27 weeks. The weeks of low impact, stretching and walking leading up to running helped give my body time to adjust and prepared and the pubic pain really only lasted a week or two after running again. I occasionally have some now but it fades, and doing PT exercises really seems to help.
Katie
I’m so glad you’re talking about this openly, Janae. I agree with the first comment above that you have a responsibility with your platform, and showing yourself running so soon and so much after giving birth without talking about the consequences of doing so is not good for your readers. I found postpartum recovery to be SO hard. I was amazed at how much more physical recovery was required than I expected! Even to walk around the block after a few days caused a lot of discomfort. It’s so important that readers hear the full truth so they can make their own choices with their eyes wide open. I also highly recommend seeing a pelvic floor PT if you have any lingering issues. It can be so incredibly helpful.
Aimee
Sounds like you are learning from your experience which is great. I have never been pregnant, and hope to be next year, so it is nice to see the way you share your journey and lessons learned here. I can’t really comment on cravings during pregnancy since it hasn’t happened to me yet, but I can definitely understand the pressure that you can put on yourself to “get back to it.” Smart of you to plan to take the time off and give yourself the bonding time you all deserve as a family.
Smitha @ Running with SD Mom
I used SportShield thru my pregnancy. No chafing ever – anywhere! If you want to send me your PO Box address, I will send you some!
Natalie
Such a great post as always. I am not pregnant and probably won’t be for a while, but when I do become pregnant I hope to be able to run through it just like you are. I love hearing about how different your pregnancies have been, and how differently your body has been reacting. You also have a very healthy outlook for post-baby, and it’s really admirable.
Tonya Hancock
I don’t know what you mean by “the full 6 weeks.” Do you mean you are going to take “a” full six weeks off? Or do you mean your doctor recommended six weeks and that is why it is “the” full six weeks from your perspective? I mean, obviously there will be more than 6 weeks after having your baby, hopefully decades and decades, so I am just curious where “the 6” came from?
After my son I started hiking at one week and running at two weeks. I started doing 5 ks at 2.5 months a half at 8 months and a marathon at 15 months. No pain with running thank goodness. My plan was to get to pre-baby weight by the time I went back to work when my son was 7.5 weeks old, and somehow I hit that goal.
I don’t believe in cravings; I love to eat lots of foods all the time so when I was pregnant I can’t say that changes anything. But there was definitely no guilt :)
April
As a long time reader and someone who’s expecting my second child a week after you, I’m encouraged to hear you won’t be so focused on jumping back into running. No, I don’t think there is/was anything wrong with doing that if it’s right for you. I got back to it pretty quickly after my first, but this pregnancy has been a lot different already so I’m just trying to go with the flow.
I’m selfishly hoping you’ll find some great pelvic floor exercises for post baby and share those with us :)
Michele
With each of the children I’ve had the recovery has been different, though I honestly feel like I’ve never gotten back to the point of running like I did pre kids! My last delivery was a c-section after which I had weird lower back pain and various other issues that lead to a diagnosis of diastasis recti (your abdominal muscles pull away from the lining of your stomach). This really affected my core while running and made running a bit unpleasant. My current pregnancy (#4) is my last and happily I found a good program to work on the diastasis recti as soon as I am cleared by my Dr. to exercise. I always start walking every day a the day I get home from the hospital because my body needs that movement, but THIS time around I am going to be much wiser about getting my core back where it needs to be before I tackle running or conditioning with weights. At six months postpartum I plan on working with a trainer because I LOVE being pushed specifically to my own bodies needs by a professional. I hope within a year to be running again like I did before having kiddos. I’ve learned after three kids that I need to be patient with myself. I need to focus on the things I can do and not worry about what my body used to be able to do. Happily I have a great support system and the cutest cheerleaders in the world, so that makes a big difference! Good luck!
Megan D
Yes! SO much yes! I am glad you learned from your experience after Brooke, but like you said, you also needed that experience to learn from it. So now you know how you want to do things differently. You didn’t do anything ‘wrong’ and each person is different and each post partum is different even for the same person. I think it is interesting that society now refers to post partum as ‘getting or body back’ as if our body went somewhere/is lost. Ummm this is the body the MADE a freaking human and then gave birth to it and has been here this whole time.
Lauren
Oh man, I USED to be a runner…after my first I was back at it at 6 weeks, then realized my bladder was not exactly where it should be ? But for some dumb reason I kept going anyway! Had my 2nd almost 2.5 years ago and he was 9 lbs which was huge for my small 5’3 frame. None of my ahem…lady organs stayed where they should be after he was born so I eventually switched to cycling and went to a pelvic floor PT. This helped me a TON but I will likely never run again (which I am ok with!) and am now strictly cycling through my 3rd pregnancy. I have been continuing the PT through this pregnancy and hope to have a better recovery this time around but will absolutely be waiting at least 6-8 weeks to get back into strenuous exercise. Having 2 kids and third on the way has helped me chill out so much and all I want to do is snuggle this final 3rd baby for as long as I can!
Shannon
Bless your heart, mama.
Allie
I struggle with waiting the full six weeks after birth to run because I crave it so much, but I do ease into it. I’m 3 months postpartum with my second baby right now. This time around I ran 1 time 3 weeks postpartum (1 mile), twice at 4 weeks (2-3 miles), 3 times at 5 weeks, and I’ve been running 4x/week ever since. I make extra sure though that I do it SLOW and don’t worry about my pace – I listen to my body a ton! I had very slight pelvic pain during those first few runs, but none now. I’m on week 4 of marathon training now and I’m still making sure to keep my pace slower since I’m increasing my mileage – plus I’m doing a fairly easy training plan. After the marathon I plan to do more speed work to get my pace back – that’s what I did after my first pregnancy and I PR’d in a 5k 9 months postpartum. :) Easing into things is definitely the way to go!
Kelsey
You’re awesome! Good for you for easing back into it. Newborn Snuggles > everything. Can’t wait to see her shoulder length hair =)
Daisy @ Fit Wanderlust Runner
That pillow is freaking amazing! My husband bought it for for Valentine’s Day and have been using it ever since. I miss sleeping on my stomach but this helps. Oh and watermelon is my biggest craving. Well actually all fruit!
Jenn
I’m curious about the coaching…I’m assuming you’re putting off your plans to start Coaching in the fall now?
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY JENN!!! So I currently have two clients I am working with and I am pretty sure I might be taking a few more this fall! I will post about it if I do! I hope you have a beautiful weekend!
Pam
You are making me so close to making a huge bisquick pancake :)
I’ve just started training for my first half marathon after my babe, 2 miles is killer I’m not sure how I’ll make it to 13 at this point!
Investing in a good running bra was definitely helpful, mine tripled in size early in my pregnancy too, it’s so weird cause they’ve always been so small! lol
Christine
After my first I waited 10 weeks before I started working out again. Prior to that (even when I got the 6 weeks okay from my doctor) I wasn’t ready mentally. Once I started working out again, I saw a whole new set of running goals that got me really excited! Starting over actually excited me and I loved seeing my progress every week! (I even made some amazing PRs!) My due date was yesterday for baby #2, gah! I plan to do the same, wait until I’m mentally and physically ready because I know it worked the first time!
I actually made blueberry pancakes this morning because you put the pancake bug in my head, haha! And they were glorious! But I’m eating Nature’s Bakery fig bars like it’s my job these days!
Kelly
After my 4th kiddo I started back with walking and it felt so great. I thought it was nice to feel great walking rather than sluggish and painful running. After awhile, my walking just increased to jogging then running. Now, I do feel like I kind of took a jump from the “easing into it” to the “running regular” because, well, my mom convinced me to train for a marathon (I started marathon training when he was 12 weeks old, but had been jogging for a few weeks prior). My midwife wasn’t thrilled with my walking at 2-4 weeks so I backed off until 6 weeks.
I did have quite a bit of hip and pelvic pain-carrying a newborn on my hip, running, and having 3 other kiddos took it’s toll. That being said, my milk supply was fine! Thank gosh!!!
I struggled with post baby body BIG TIME. But, the more I just tried to ignore it and wear comfy clothes and not obsess over it the better it was. I didn’t change a thing-I ate what I normally ate, drank lots of water, got fresh air and slowly, steadily, the weight came off. I do not weigh myself so I am just going by the fact that I returned to my running clothes eventually. Of course early on I had to accomodate and so I did. No sense in putting on too tight and awkward clothes!!!!
Enjoy the 2nd half. You only this pregnancy with this little girl right now! Enjoy her little bumps and wiggles ;)
Jill
Hi! Just wanted to tell you about my personal experience the second time around. Physically, I felt that I recovered so much quicker after my second and attempted to run 2 miles after 3-4 weeks. I felt awesome! A couple of days later, I attempted 4 miles. It did not go well. I got a stress fracture in foot and had to wear a boot for 3 weeks. A boot sucks while handing a 3 year old and a newborn- plus having to bring the newborn to the sports medicine doc and nursing while he examined my foot was very humbling. Apparently, nursing can make your bones weaker which lead to my stress fracture. My advice- take the full 6 weeks and increase mileage very slowly! Also, after 2 babies, I’m faster than I ever was. Having kids (and limited running time) is amazing for speed work. You are beautiful and your kids are lucky to have you! We will keep reading whether you run or not! You do you!
Nikki
Thank you for this post, even though I am a few weeks behind (I am 6 weeks pp and slowly catching back up on my emails and blog reading :) I needed this. I have been kind of body shaming myself at times for not fitting into my pre-baby clothes or not being able to workout like I did before but you are right, it is all ok and it takes times. I think I started back “working out” at the 2-3 week mark and I started with intervals and boy did my pubic area kill!! Even if I am doing weight training, certain moves kill but being the hardheaded person that I am I haven’t stopped. BUT after reading this it eased my mind a bit and it made me realize I shouldn’t be so hard on myself and shouldn’t force it. It will all happen when it is supposed to, so thank you!!!! I cant wait to see your little one in a few months <3
snowecho
What worked for you after you had a baby? Did you experience any pain with your running after having a baby?
i was lucky enough to have a personal trainer during my pregnancy and post-partum. he was qualified to train persons who were prenatal and postpartum and he had insurance to cover himself to that end – so that was a relief on some level. what worked is that we constantly monitored my heart rate prenatally and postpartum during any workout. for cardio i was biking only. at some point i was able to swim. he was well aware of the issues women face after giving birth, and we didn’t do any impact work, nor did we do plyometrics even. everything was about keeping my core together. since diastis recti is such a problem with women who are postpartum, we mainly focused on repairing that muscle wall that was stretched during the pregnancy. i also practiced kegel exercises to regain control of the pushing area as that was stretched a lot and needed to get back to its normal self.
I’d love to hear any tips or lessons that you learned about post-baby body/running/etc!!
if it feels like too much it definitely is and give yourself permission to stop. stay hydrated, stay hydrated, stay hydrated. oh yes, and stay hydrated! well rested too if i could manage.
I’d love to hear some of your biggest cravings NOW (if you are pregnant) or for your pregnancies in the past? when i was pregnant i wanted cheesecake. not the heavy stuff but the light fluffy stuff. i ate a lot of it prenatal and postpartum. i couldn’t eat as much spicy food and i was all of a sudden able to tolerate the bitter/tart tastes of grapefruit which i couldn’t manage before.