Many women worry that running during pregnancy will hurt their baby; after all, it is quite a high impact exercise. However, your body is made to put up with this kind of stress, and running while pregnant will usually be absolutely fine. In fact, it will help you cope with weight gain, provide you with an endorphin boost, and make sleeping that little bit easier.
Of course, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. See Your Doctor
Most women will be able to run while they are pregnant without doing any damage to the baby, but not all. As long as you are enjoying good health and there are no complications with the pregnancy, your doctor should give you the all-clear, but certain conditions can make this kind of exercise unwise. Make sure you see a medical professional before you resume or start doing any kind of exercise.
2. Keep It Slow and Steady
If your doctor says it's okay, you should certainly be able to run during your pregnancy, but that doesn't mean you should be training for a marathon or pushing for a PB. It becomes much harder to maintain a rigorous pace when you're pregnant, so aim for shorter runs of around 30 minutes and make sure you never get too out of breath. You should be able to maintain a conversation without feeling breathless.
3. Keep Your Core Strong
Core strength is important for all runners, but it's even more important while you're pregnant. You'll be carrying around more weight, and that weight will be changing every day and be kept in a position you're not used to, so you need to be able to maintain stability. A strong core can help make that happen, and will also help prevent any back pain while you run.
4. Eat and Drink Right
Pregnant women will generally overheat more easily than others, so avoid running in the heat of the day and make sure you drink plenty of water. Try weighing yourself when you get back home; any reduction in weight will be due to a loss of water, so drink more until you achieve a balance. You should also make absolutely sure you're fuelling your body with plenty of nutritious food.
5. Wear a Support Band
If you're a runner and you're female, chances are good that you'll have a pretty large collection of sports bras to keep your breasts in check as you run. Wearing a belly support band can provide a similar level of comfort, especially as your pregnancy progresses.
6. Keep to the Pavement
As your pregnancy progresses, your centre of gravity is going to continually shift. This will make it harder to stay balanced, and you'll obviously want to avoid the possibility to taking a tumble. Even if you're a regular trail runner, it's a good idea to keep to a pavement during your pregnancy since you will be less able to cope with uneven terrain.
