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Mamas and pregnant runners...talk me down
I really need someone to talk me down. I'm pretty sure my mama anxiety and paranoia are just starting to take over again.
I've been active this entire pregnancy and kept up with my running with my OBs blessing. This has been a great stress reliever and I'm happy I've made it this far with running and I'm still feeling pretty great.
I haven't been following the old school '140 heart rate' rule, just making sure I feel comfortable and could speak to someone (if I felt like talking to anyone while exercising). My intensity has gone WAY down due to this which makes sense. Suddenly, I've been gripped with this paranoia and anxiety that I've been pushing myself too hard and because of this my baby has been deprived at times and will have problems (like CP or brain damage or something equally devestating). I try to remind myself that many times people who smoke and do drugs and many other horrible things have perfectly healthy babies and that my baby is fine but I guess I'm just looking for reassurance.
Did/does anyone else worry or have this concern or I am flat out NUTS right now? Please talk me down and tell me all your little ones are perfectly healthy.
P.S - if majority vote 'nuts', I might just have to DD. 
Re: Mamas and pregnant runners...talk me down
I have recently been feeling the same way. I have done a ton of research and its confirmed that I am being paranoid. My doctor knows I run, all blood work & ultra sounds have come back great, my baby moves all the time, I make sure to keep my pace down when I am running, I am constantly hydrating, etc...
I think it's normal for us to feel this way, especially as we get closer to our due dates!
2012: Running & Race Accomplishments:
2-12-12: Riverview Winter Fest 4 mile, 34:59 8:45 pace - 23 weeks pregnant
2-29-12: Leap Year 4 mile, 36:45 9:11 pace - 25.5 weeks pregnant
3-11-12: Corktown 5K, 28:33 9:13 pace - 27 weeks pregnant
3-25-12: Rock CF Island Half Marathon, 2:11:03 10:00 pace - 29 weeks pregnant
4-16-12 Boston Marathon, deferring to 2013
8-11-12: Run thru Hell 10 mile or 4.8 mile
9-30-12: Brooksie Way Half Marathon
10-21-12: Grand Rapids Marathon
11-22-12: Detroit Turkey Trot 10K
At times I felt the same way, but my doctor actually encouraged me to keep running. As my belly got bigger and I was running everyday, it seemed strange that all that bouncing wouldn't cause damage. He reassured me that everything was fine.
Like you I didn't really focus on my heart rate....I just slowed my pace and if I ever felt at all "off" I would walk.
I ran 4-5 miles a day up until a week before I delivered and had a healthy baby. And, my doctor attributed my very quick and easy delivery on being in good shape.
I haven't had a baby, but I have words of wisdom from my mother in law. She kept riding (just not competing) until she was 7+ months along and it just got uncomfortable for her to get on or off the horse. I know, blah blah flames whatever.
But when she expressed concerns about the bouncing to her doctor he told her, "You're equipped to protect the baby. You're more likely to hurt yourself."
Your body is made for this. Don't push yourself unreasonably, but stay active. It will be better for both of you in the long run.
Whenever I get nervous about this, I just think of something my MW told me with my first pregnancy: it's a million times healthier and safer for you and the baby to exercise than it is for you not to.
two years!
after two losses, now happily expecting baby #1 09.16.12
Brie Fit Blog | BFP Chart
My Clean Eating Blog
Green Living Reading List
I ran until 39 weeks and was at the gym 3 hours before my water broke. My daughter is perfectly healthy and I had a very fast delivery with only 14 minutes of pushing and everyone commented on how I didn't even break a sweat
I believe most of that correlates to how good of shape I was in.
Just listen to your body and you will be fine!
I know a couple runners who ran the day of their water breaking. Babies are just fine.
I felt the same when I found out it was twins back at 11 weeks. I immediately starting worrying about putting them at risk just because there were two instead of one. I still ran because I felt great and I tried to tell myself it will be better for me and them to keep running. I had to stop around 21 weeks, but I am glad I was able to do that much.
Even now, I worry about even the walking on the treadmill I am doing. I always ask my Doctors (I have many!) if it's still okay to be walking. So many women with twins are on bedrest at 30 weeks or sooner, I feel like I am tempting fate. But besides getting a little sore from it, I feel great and am happy to be keeping up some kind of fitness.
Boy/girl twins born at 37w1d and 37w2d
Keep it up. I was on restriction from the get-go and it made my pregnancy so much harder since I wasn't allowed to exercise. If I had been able to, I'd like to think I wouldn't have ended up with PIH/GD/Pre-E (but that's my dark theory).
Next time, I will run to the bitter end. Mad props to you.
I wish I would have kept in better shape during pregnancy. I gave up running after the first trimester and stuck to yoga for the most part. I walked at the end, but mostly sat on my a$$.
I was exhausted when I was pushing for 3 1/2 hours in the middle of the night! I was out of shape. DS eventually came out, but the pushing part was long and hard. I'm determined next pregnancy whenever that happens to keep running and working out so I can be in better shape.
Keep it up! You're doing awesome!
Off to the beach
DS 7/18/2010
Handy 2.0 Due Early August
2011/2012 Races
12/17/2011 Christmas Caper 10K
2/11/2012 Have a Heart 5K
3/17/2012 DC RNR Half Marathon
4/22/2012 10M Parkway Classic
10/28/2012 Marine Corps Marathon
pregnancy hormones are insane, you are not.
Your baby is going to be perfect
j+k+m+e | running with needles
Awww...kat, you just made me LOL! Thanks
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has thought this and I KNOW other moms who have worked out have had perfectly healthy babies but i just needed a reminder. Grrr to pregnancy hormones that make us think weird thoughts!
This.
I taught group fitness classes until I was 41 weeks and had a beautiful 9 lb. 12 oz. baby in 3 pushes, 3 days later. Your fitness will be an asset!!
Your baby will be just fine! I only ran to 24 weeks, but I did fairly high intensity workouts (mostly TKB) until a week before I delivered. If anything, it made labor/delivery much easier. My kiddo is a handful which we sometimes joke is due to all of the exercise he was subjected to in utero, but he is perfectly healthy.
As long as you feel good and listen to your body you will be fine. And nice work, mama!!
You arent nuts! It is totally natural to have those feelings, but as PP said staying active is good for both you and your baby (and I echo that the 140 heartrate thing is old school).
I remained very active during my entire pregnancy (working out 4-5 days a week) and even did a spinning class a few days before I delivered and my little boy is very happy and healthy. My MW encouraged me to stay active and just listen to my body which is exactly what I did. Like you, exercise is my sanity.
During labor I had to push for 3 hrs (apparently my tight stomach muscles and pelvis made it harder for my 8.5lb baby to make his way out!), which was not fun, but my MW later told me she never would have let another patient go that long pushing, but since she knew I was in good shape she new I could push the baby out and wouldnt need a C-section.
Keep it up, youll be glad you did in the end!
zachary happens!