Staying Motivated To Run While Pregnant

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting things that will ever happen in a woman’s life.  Today, most women do some form of exercise and there is no reason why this shouldn’t continue during pregnancy.  Your daily exercise routine will change but, as long as your doctor gives you the thumbs up, you can carry on running, jogging or walking throughout your pregnancy.  So, put on your best running shoes, your expandable reflective running vest or reflective belt and off you go.

The first trimester is tough and full of nausea and tiredness. Your hormones are all over the place but you will generally feel much better when you have exercised, even if it is a gentle walk.  Do what you can and don’t expect to run as far or as fast as you did before falling pregnant. Find other pregnant ‘moms-to-be’ and start a running/jogging/walking group or persuade your partner that you need extra encouragement and companionship on your runs.

The nausea and exhaustion will recede during the second trimester, which means you will go out on your run far more willingly.  As your girth expands, so you will slow down, and that is fine.  Doctors advise that you must be able to carry on a conversation while exercising during pregnancy.  So if you can’t gossip without becoming breathless, you are pushing yourself too hard.

A lot of pregnant moms find exercise in the third trimester very difficult.  You have that wonderful bump in front of you which rather upsets your balance on occasions.  Run if you feel you can or just go for a good daily walk.  Whichever you choose, emotionally you will feel good and your body will thank you.

Always listen to your body and take heed of the information it is passing on to you.  If you start running and feel unusually tired, then rest for a while or slow it down to a jog or even a walk.  If you want to miss a day’s exercise due to tiredness, that is fine.  You mustn’t be hard on yourself, you are busy growing another being.

It is a fact that people who exercise during pregnancy are in better shape, generally gain less weight and get back into their jeans more quickly. However, remember that during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, a good walk is all that is needed.  Some women insist that regular exercise also makes labour easier and shorter, but the jury is still out on that one.