I’m pregnant!
We are excited and surprised, but mostly excited!
I am about ten weeks along. This is my third pregnancy, in as many years. I have a two year old, and a 11 month old. I feel like I should be a professional gestator by now, but I have surprised myself at how hard it is to get back into the swing of things, and to get myself out of bed in general.
This is where I beseech your help, readers. I am in great physical shape. I can run faster and longer than I have been able to ever before in my life. I lift weights, I do speed work weekly, and I generally feel fantastic. I feel like it would be reasonable to continue that as much as possible, for as long as I feel comfortable, throughout this pregnancy.
Even though, I have tons of experience being pregnant, I lack experience being pregnant and staying fit. When I got pregnant with my oldest, I was in decent shape and walked and jogged occasionally during the beginning of my pregnancy, but I certainly wasn‘t able to walk out the door and run eleven miles, like I can now. With my second, I continued my fit
ness regimen successfully (running and weights) until sixteen weeks, when an unrelated problem caused me to stay on bed rest, until near the end of my pregnancy.
Aside from the fact that exercise makes me feel good, this baby will be my first born via caesarean section, and my but I have a lot of anxiety about that. I am worried about the procedure itself, things like scarring and how quickly I can hold my baby, and the recovery, and how much longer it will take before I can do things again. One thing I know I have in my favor, is that I am in great shape, and my doctor has assured me that she feels like this will make a huge difference in how quickly I heal. She has cleared me to continue running long distances, and lifting weights.
Last Saturday, I met up with my running group and ran seven miles. Nothing felt any different, except for a few waves of nausea. I carried my water belt with me, which I don’t normally do for a seven mile run, and I ate a small breakfast about an hour before I left. My plan, at this point, is to keep doing what I have been doing. I am planning on continuing the long weekend runs, the shorter mid week runs, and the weight lifting twice weekly until I just don’t feel comfortable anymore.
Has anyone continued with their fitness regime while pregnant? Has anyone continued running long distances while pregnant? How did you do it? Oh, and what did you wear, since I anticipate needing new running shorts soon ?