Running While Pregnant

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

20 Oct 2008 02:03 PM

In a previous blog I marveled at a spirited mom who was featured in a recent issue of Runner's World magazine. She ran a marathon while she was eight months pregnant and is now preparing to run another with the son she carried in utero.

Having struggled to complete the various marathons I've run (while not pregnant) I can't imagine the mindset this mom possesses. It's simply amazing to me. While sharing my thoughts about the fearless mom with a fellow running friend of mine I was reminded that super runner Paula Radcliffe also trained for the New York City Marathon while pregnant with her daughter. According to Radcliffe, she trained until the day before she went into labor and started up again less than two weeks after giving birth.

It's an amazing feat, no question, but Radcliffe is a professional runner who has competed (and won) dozens of marathons around the world. The woman who is featured in this month's Runner's World magazine has none of Radcliffe's credentials. She (like many of us) is a mom who simply enjoys running in her spare time.

According to the research I did following my friend's comment about Radcliffe's postpartum accomplishment, I discovered that in the days following the pro's finish at the New York City Marathon, obstetricians were inundated by inquiries from pregnant patients looking to "just do it" like Radcliffe.

In most cases doctors say women who don't have any pregnancy complications and already run can keep training. The caveat is that the doctor must be kept abreast of any physical activity that exceeds what was done pre-pregnancy.

In some cases women have testified that running while pregnant helped them during labor and delivery. Some studies have found that women who run consistently during their pregnancy experience shorter labor and have less tearing. However, there's no evidence to support that running alone is what caused the shorter labor times.

Did you run while you were pregnant?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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