Question: "I love running and I usually run three to five miles a day. Can I continue to run throughout my pregnancy? Do I need to stop at some point?"
It is wonderful that you want to continue exercising during your pregnancy - you go!
If you have been running consistently prior to becoming pregnant, you can certainly continue running your three to five miles a day as long as it feels comfortable. Exercising at least thirty minutes, most days of the week helps build muscle tone, strength and endurance. Additionally, regular physical activity helps with sleep, digestion, and, so importantly, mood. Keeping your weight gain reasonable (twenty five to thirty five pounds overall if you start off at average weight) is much easier with consistent exercise and you decrease your chance of ending up with gestational diabetes. Plus, maintaining your strength throughout your pregnancy will make the delivery and recovery that much more of a breeze!
Pregnancy, however, is not the time to train for a marathon or start a vigorous exercise campaign if you’ve been a couch potato up until now. Start slowly with walking, swimming, and low impact aerobics for cardio. Prenatal yoga is a fabulous way to build your strength and flexibility. After the first three months, avoid lying flat on your back - it decreases blood flow and oxygenation to the uterus. Stop exercising if you feel tired, faint, or short of breath. Make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and wear appropriate layers so you do not overheat. Of course, any bleeding or regular contractions is a sign to quit and check in with your obstetrician. And contact sports, skiing, and scuba diving are off limits for now.
Over the course of the next nine months, you may notice changes in your posture and balance. You may experience lower back discomfort, sciatic nerve pain down the back of your leg and pelvic pressure as the pregnancy advances. In addition, your pregnant body makes more hormone called relaxin which loosens joints. While this is fabulously important in helping prepare the pelvis for labor, it can increase risk of injury by relaxing other joints in the body. Exercises that were once easy may become uncomfortable as you grow. As always, listen to your body and don’t overdo it. Modify your routine as your body changes and have fun with it. Start a pregnant women walking club at your local mall or park or meet other mommies-to-be at a prenatal yoga class. Many women are able to exercise all the way through their pregnancies... Brava!