If you’re passionate about running and the sport brings a lot of joy to your life, it’s natural to wonder whether you can – or should – keep running during pregnancy.
There is no set answer to that question, says Baz Moffat – former elite athlete and CEO of The Well HQ – and what feels right will depend on the individual, but here are some points you might find helpful to consider.
1. There’s no medal for running throughout pregnancy
“Everybody’s lived experience is different,” says Baz. “It doesn’t matter what Paula Radcliffe, or any other famous Olympian did, it doesn’t matter what your sister or best friend did. There is no badge of honour or medal for running throughout your pregnancy.”
Athletic women often struggle with that idea, says Baz, because up until this life stage they’ve nailed every aspect of their physical self, but now is the time to get rid of that competitive mindset and focus on your own individual needs and how you’re feeling.
2. Forget mind over matter
As a runner, you’ll be used to using willpower to overcome any tough times you’re having physically. “You’ll enter a marathon, or ultra-race, and just get it done. And if you don’t feel like training one day, you’ll crack on anyway as that’s the programme,” says Baz, but she adds that it doesn't work during pregnancy, as your body will be going through an enormous physiological adjustment.
Your pelvic floor changes under the weight of your baby, as does your posture and running gait, says Baz. Your joints and ligaments become laxer, your lung capacity reduces, your breasts may become sore and towards the latter stages of pregnancy you’ll feel heavy and uncomfortable.
“Listening to your body is so easy to say but really hard to do,” she says. “But if you don’t feel like running one day – you shouldn’t do it.”
3. If running is giving you joy – keep going
But if running is making you happy – it’s not hurting you anywhere and you’re not leaking – then you can carry on for as long as you feel comfortable, says Baz.
“There is likely to become a point where it doesn’t feel great,” she says, “And at that point, there is zero benefit in continuing. Nobody will be celebrating the fact you ran until you were eight months pregnant.”
4. If you do stop running – don’t do nothing
“Use that time to swim, to do strength and conditioning – you could absolutely work on your glute or hamstring strength – and, of course, your pelvic floor,” says Baz.
There may be a time, she says, when you don't want to worry about running anymore – that might come on day one of finding out you're pregnant or month five – and that’s completely fine too.
5. Consider your journey to pregnancy
“If you've suffered a miscarriage prior to getting pregnant, or spent thousands on fertility, or had health problems during your pregnancy, you might be very nervous about running during pregnancy,” says Baz.
Physical activity doesn’t increase your chances of having a miscarriage, she says, but it’s understandable that some women might have concerns about it and running during pregnancy is not something you should ever force yourself to do – it will still be there once you’ve had your baby, and for all the years after that.
Written by Sam Haddad. Sam is a freelance journalist based in Brighton, she's been writing about sport and the outdoors for over 20 years.