Training Postpartum

Hi everyone. Mark asked me to write this blog about returning to running after pregnancy and delivering a baby. I’m here to share my personal experience with the hope that it helps others. I am NOT a doctor or any sort of specialist. I have zero medical training. Please seek advice from the pros and don’t take my word as gospel. This has simply been my experience, and I’m humbled by Mark’s request to share.Running and Katie: “in a relationship.” There have been times in the last 20 years when the status would’ve been “it’s complicated.” I suffered from an eating disorder in high school and college, and running played a somewhat unhealthy role in that. This piece isn’t about that (although body image and running are a huge topic worthy of discussion for women and girls of all ages, and pregnancy does enter into that conversation.) I only mention this for context, so that you’ll get a sense of where I’m coming from with my perspective on running and life. For now, I’ll just say that by the time I got pregnant with my first baby (he is now nearly 4 years old) I’d developed a much healthier relationship with running and fitness in general. That took years of work and takes constant maintenance even today, but running and me- we are in in for the long haul. It fuels me, keeps my body, mind and soul happy, it is a source of healthy validation and feeling of freedom. It’s a social outlet and is also a place for me to be competitive in a constructive way. If you’re reading this, I’m sure (I hope) you can relate. If you don’t feel this way about running, then the rest of this might not make any sense. Because, for me, it was never an option to just not run while pregnant or to stop once I had kids. I did run, through both pregnancies and am still running today. None of it was what I originally envisioned, and I learned a lot along the way. I have two very different pregnancies, deliveries and “return to running” experiences under my belt now; I’m 9 months postpartum after my second, and ran a great half marathon at 7 months postpartum. Here are a few things I’ve learned as I’ve run through pregnancy and then returned to running after delivery:It’s not an injury. Don’t try to return to running after delivery like it is one.Pregnancy is so different, so much more comprehensive and impactful on your body, than injury. Maybe you’ve had a stress fracture or even a previous surgery requiring longer recovery- so you’re thinking “I got back to running then, I will do what I did then, now.” It. Is. Not. The. Same. Your elevated hormones are coursing through your body, your blood volume is increased, your bones and ligaments have been greatly affected, your organs have shifted, your pelvic floor takes a beating while it supports the weight of a baby and during delivery....I could go on and on. C-Sections present even more challenges (I had two of them) and you will need to heal properly from that. Consider that your return to running after delivery needs to be one that takes all of this into account. You can’t expect your body to perform if you don’t take care of it, strengthen it from the inside out, nourish it with good food and lots of water, and take time to heal. Some specific advice that helped me: A) Visit a physical therapist who specializes in pre and postnatal care, who will support your running goals (And, you can do this during pregnancy, not just afterward.) Here, you will learn excellent exercises that can be done safely throughout pregnancy and after delivery that will contribute to your abilities as an athlete later on. And, it’ll prevent lots of other potential issues like incontinence and prolapse, plus support healing any abdominal separation you might have - things you need to do for every day function and for running. I wish every mom on the planet could do this, because we all need it. B) Drink water. More water than you think you need, every day, all day. Bring home the bottle they give you at the hospital and keep track of your intake. This will not only help with nursing (if you choose to do so) and recovery, but it will build good habits for the future. C) Try to avoid the scale outside the doctors office. Some of my personal avoidance of weight-as-a-number stems from my previous challenges with body image, but I think it’s a good rule of thumb to just avoid it at home. Barring any other medical conditions, if you eat well, drink lots of water, and return to exercise safely, you will find your body to be what it should be. You’ll feel good, you’ll have energy, and you’ll get back to running. Concentrating on the scale can distract from all of those great things happening to your body and mind as you get to know yourself as a mom and a runner. Every day is different. Use the time as an opportunity to build good habits for the future, rather than meeting whatever expectation you might have had for the day. While you’re pregnant, there will be days you’ll feel fine and other days you feel awful. The same goes for when the baby is here and in the months after delivering. Just remember that the good days will outweigh the bad, and continue to build good habits. For example, if you’re feeling terrible, take the opportunity to do some yoga and drink more water versus going for a run. Not running for a day, or even a week, will not make you less of a runner. And yoga is a good habit to develop for any runner! Do SOMETHING that contributes to building a healthy you, even if that something is just a walk around the block and a few more ounces of water. It’s not a comeback. It’s a new beginning.I’ve tried hard to avoid the word “comeback” because nothing is the same as it was before. Not for your body and not for your life (you are a mom now, remember?) That doesn’t mean your entire identify changes, or that your clothes won’t ever fit again (they will!) but you have more demands on your time. Consider this approach: The clock starts fresh once you deliver. Set goals accordingly. What can you do now, postpartum? In some ways you’re actually stronger than you were before. You’re going to be more efficient with your time, making workouts more effective. You will likely will be driven to achieve in new and exciting ways. What are your goals today, with this new body you have? I have found that using this mindset has allowed me to stop comparing myself to the way things were, and instead enjoy the present experience much more. It’s not about fighting your way back. Instead, take steps forward to something new and better every day. Using this approach, I am actually a better runner now than I was before I had babies. I’m faster, I’m more durable, I bounce back from illness quickly. (With little kids, you WILL get sick more often.) And, my lifetime marathon PR happened 15 months after my son was born. I ran a 3:34 in San Diego 2016. Today, I’m working toward a sub 3:30 in 2019 - with a 9 month old, an almost 4 year old, a full time job, a marriage and friendships to nurture. Never in my wildest dreams did I think any of this was possible before I had kids. I couldn’t even imagine it. So why would I want to “get back” to where I was before? Now is so much better. What I’m saying is this: running after having a baby (or babies) is a brand new opportunity to build something special, from scratch. New goals, healthy habits, plus all the things you love so much about how running makes you feel. My biggest hope for all moms who still want to run after having babies is that we will take care of our bodies, stop comparing to prior versions of ourselves (or one another, for that matter) and tackle new and exciting goals. Our babies need us to have healthy minds and bodies. And they need to see happy, mindful examples of women who work hard, persevere, but are kind to one another and ourselves. Let’s be that example, and reject the notion that we must somehow return our to our former bodies and our running to former glory.  Do the little things, build good habits and a healthy foundation, and the goals will come - bigger and better than before.I’m always happy to share more about specific experiences and resources I’ve run across.... and I’d love to hear your experiences too. Feel free to email Spewak Training for my contact info. I look forward to seeing all you current and future moms out on the roads and trails!