General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy Rss Feed  
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2008-12-01 3:04 PM

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Subject: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Ok, I haven't posted in eons... mostly because I pretty much bailed on all forms of training since about month 4 of my pregnancy. Nevertheless, the bundle of Joy is due in one month from today (January 2, 2009).

This is my first child... and I know that I know NOTHING about having children, but as motivation, I have signed up for a sprint in July.

So for the parents out there... assuming my husband remains the warm and supportive man I know he is and he accepts training time as bonding time for him and the baby... how much time post partum before I can start doing activity again? Let's be hopeful that I take the natural route... no C section.

How bad is riding a bike going to be? Seriously? Ladies? Will I be doing a lot of standing?

I had to stop running because I was getting terrible pain in my psoas muscle... I can barely walk right now for more than 20 minutes... the ache takes my breath away. Hopefully that disappears the minute I unload the extra 13 pounds I am currently packing.

Having successfully started my triathlon career with the Beginner to Olympic a couple years ago... should I move back down to the coach potato status to train for this? I really fell off the boat, and I definitely feel like a coach potato. I get winded putting my socks on right now (although I think that is because I have something jammed in my ribcage - like some little feet),

Anyway, I would be interested in the experiences of others...

Thanks,


2008-12-01 3:41 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

My daughter was born October 14th and my wife hasn't been back on the bike yet.  Be really careful with running after the baby arrives -- my wife picked up a minor injury from coming back a little too quick.

 As for where to start... I wouldn't expect to be doing any "training" for the three months after the baby arrives.  We're seven weeks in tomorrow and Monica has been focusing on a-little-something-every-day.  It's more about keeping moving.  She is going to yoga a couple times per week to help get back in touch with balance, muscle tone... she said that she feels a bit disconnected following childbirth.

Hope this helps -- for other pregnant readers, I wrote a fit pregnancy blog on October 24th -- it also shared a father's perspective on child birth.  

g

2008-12-01 3:46 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
I would imagine you would be able to get back to swimming faster than anything else.  Perhaps you can start there and slowly work back into biking and finally running.  Since you will prob shed some weight in the beginning best to keep it low impact, once the weight is off or at least a majority of it...then you can get back to running.
2008-12-01 4:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Well congrats on the pregnancy! 

After my 2nd child 7/06, I took it pretty easy when returning to training.  I really struggled with that b/c it's very hard to get your fitness level back after losing so much of it (and it's mentally frustrating!).  I was told to be easy with the running until about 6 weeks post-partum, but I started running after 5 weeks pp.  That said, I ran VERY slow.  it's the perfect time to build your training the right way!  I did only Z1 running for months. 

biking....I rode a stationary bike to start about a month after delivering and got on my tri bike after about 6 weeks pp....didn't hurt, not really a big deal.  Might be a good idea to get on the trainer once to test out the parts before taking off on an outdoor ride though! 

See what your provider has to say about all this....it will all depend upon your delivery circumstances!  Good luck!

2008-12-01 4:24 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Hey Gord, I read your blog, it was really great... I sent it to my DH as well... I wished I was a little more pain tolerant and could have gotten through some runs until later in my pregnancy... but it didn't pan out. I did elliptical and some stationary biking too... just kept my HR relatively low (for me) no more than 135. No one told me to do that... I just had some concerns about overheating and didn't want to overdo it. I did do yoga up until a couple weeks ago... but I didn't really enjoy it, so I have not signed up for any more classes.

Your wife had a lot of the same concerns I did... in fact our conception efforts were based around my racing season last year (although it took longer than we expected). Happily I put on very little weight in the grand scheme of things... as I mentioned, I am sitting at 13 pounds at 36 weeks (and an ultrasound has indicated the baby is about 6.5 pounds already -although that is not an exact science). I am really fascinated by the labour timeline too... WAY longer than an IM!!

Good to know a ladies perspective too... about trying the bike on a trainer first... Not to worry, I live in Canada... Outdoor rides don't start until May at the best of times thanks to ice, snow and gravel on the roads. Especially since I bought my tri bike... I have major concerns about wiping out thanks to the immense amount of gravel. I have visions of unpleasant stitching "down there" which makes me somewhat dread the sitting on my seat.



2008-12-01 5:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

I didn't start tri'ing until my youngest was 5, so I can't really add anything other than congrats and good luck!. My biggest advice is listen to your body. Don't push things to much in an effort to get back in shape. July is a long way off and good 6 months post childbirth. Allow your body to recover and enjoy those special times with your new child.

I would ask your doctor and listen to him/her. Folks who try to push recovery before they should often take one step forward and 4 backwards and would have been better off waiting that little extra time.

I went on a Thanksgiving group ride and there was a women riding 5 weeks post C Section..now I think she was a bit stupid...she is completely healed and why push it?

 

 



2008-12-01 8:44 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Hi, and congrats on your baby-to-be.  I started doing tris when my oldest son was 1, but my youngest was born in July '06, so that season was out either way.  I had an emergency C-section (pray you can go natural, much easier recovery), and I think I was back on the treadmill by September, and teaching spinning classes by mid-October with no pain.  My first race was a 10-mile run in May, when my son was 9 months old.  Obviously, the time line is different since you are due in January, but I would say that if your delivery goes well, you will be back in shape in no time, and definitely ready for a great season of tris.

Last year I had a friend that did a relay tri about 4 months after her son was born.  She swam, her dad biked while she nursed the baby, and then she ran!  Talk about a triathlon!!  Mommies are capable of anything!!

2008-12-01 9:16 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Well WELCOME BACK!!! 

Nothing to add for post-pregnancy return to workouts.  I spent about 10 years after our youngest were born not doing much of anything, and my wife did all the hard work

2008-12-01 9:33 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Congrats on the pending bundle of joy!

I didn't start trying until my youngest was 3, so I don't have any first-hand experience with getting back into training.  But, I can tell you that I had some extensive stitching done with my middle child, and IF I had been training, I certainly wouldn't have been able to do anything for at least 3 months other than swimming.  Really, you'll need to wait and see.  So many things can factor into your healing process that I think it's too hard to plan for.

 

2008-12-02 1:06 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

congratulations, it is going to be awesome, I promise you.  Every birth and every baby is so different that it's hard to say when you'll be able to get back in the saddle.  Had an emergency c-section (slash and grab as my ob called it) so that took about three months before I could even think about exercising.  Wasn't tri-ing then but climbing was my thing and my first day back at the wall, a girl was climbing five weeks after a c-section and doing really well!!

Be gentle on yourself, you'll be on a steep learning curve and take it easy, day by day, don't go making really ambitious plans that you feel you must fufill, don't put yourself under that kind of pressure.  You'll know what to do - my advice is trust your instincts.  For me the major obstacle to getting back into things was the sleep depravation, now I know why they use is as torture.  

 

2008-12-02 7:11 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Congratulations!!! Everyone has differnent experiences during child birth and afterwards but I was walking 1/2 mile as soon as I left the hospital. Mostly to show off my little girl to the neighborhood
I walked and walked and walked with the stroller everyday. Just 1/2 miles at a time nice and slowly. It felt good and fresh air never hurt anyone. I switched to a SLOW 1/2 mile jog a few times a week maybe 6 weeks after delivery, was on the bike for a quick ride after that. The one thing I remember is slow and steady. Not that I had any choice - I could only go slow. Getting outside also helped clear the fog from lack of sleep. Good luck!!

Got a jog stroller around 3 mos. and have put on oodles of miles so far!


2008-12-02 10:55 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Awesome post.  I am also expecting in late March.  I know it is going to be a long road back, I haven't really been doing much of anything since I've been pregnant.  Before I got pregnant I was told by my doctor to stop training so I could get pregnant.  So it's will be basically a year of not working out for me, although I did do a 5K Turkey Trot.  I walked it, and the half marathon I did earlier this year felt easier than the 5K. 

My goal is to start back slowly just by walking and moving around anything is better than sitting around.  There is a winter reverse tri that is held every year in December that I am going to set my sites on for next year, luckily it doesn't sell out so I will know way in advacne if I am going to be ready for or not.  But most likely 2010 will be the year where I will get back into the swing of things.

I find that the time off for training is giving me even more motivation to get back into training after the pregnancy.

Good luck for next season, keep us up to date.

2008-12-03 5:43 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

kristinc0916 - 2008-12-02 10:11 PM Congratulations!!! Everyone has differnent experiences during child birth and afterwards but I was walking 1/2 mile as soon as I left the hospital. Mostly to show off my little girl to the neighborhood I walked and walked and walked with the stroller everyday. Just 1/2 miles at a time nice and slowly. It felt good and fresh air never hurt anyone. I switched to a SLOW 1/2 mile jog a few times a week maybe 6 weeks after delivery, was on the bike for a quick ride after that. The one thing I remember is slow and steady. Not that I had any choice - I could only go slow. Getting outside also helped clear the fog from lack of sleep. Good luck!! Got a jog stroller around 3 mos. and have put on oodles of miles so far!

X2 on the walking, and everybody chats to you when you have a new baby which is good if you feel a bit isolated at home.  In a few years time, you'll have the best tri experience ever when you hear this little voice shouting "go, mummy, go"

2008-12-03 9:47 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Thanks to everyone for their great responses. I know that recovery is totally up in the air... but I am really trying to stay hopeful that the whole delivery goes without a hitch! Although, our baby class last night was all about labour and drugs... and there were actually some women crying in class with terror. I was surprised.

Anyway, I will keep everyone posted on how things are going! I am very excited about meeting the new baby (GIRL)... but I am equally excited about getting moving again. Even walking the dog for more than 15 minutes, I usually kick off Braxton Hicks contractions. They leave me breathless on the side of the road with a confused Irondog wondering what the delay is and why we aren't running!!

Well, you are all giving me hope that even if I have a 3 month delay in getting started in training... I should still have about 3 months of training time to get into the July race and finish without breaking myself.

Good luck to you iwantotri with your new arrival in March!!

Cheers All,
2008-12-03 11:12 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy

Late to chine in but hope another story is helpful -

I was not a tri-r when I had my babies, but a hiker and rockclimber.  I started walking postdelivery (natural childbirth) the day I got home from the hospital - but I only walked about 3-4 houses up the street and back and was absolutely beat.  But I walked a bit more each day.  By 3 months out I was out hiking 3-4 miles up and down hillsides with baby in a carrier, I also returned to climbing.

As others have said, you listen to your body and see how it goes.  Good luck on a smooth delivery, healthy baby, and quick recovery!

2008-12-03 1:38 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Congratulations! Hope everything goes well for you. Sorry about the pain you've had so far. Everyone is different. The biggest thing is to do what feels comfortable to you. You will hear from those who did nothing for months and those jumped right back in. You need to take time and find out what works for you. I was lucky and was able to run right up to delivery with all of my 3 children. I was able to run within 1-2 weeks afterward. But, it took probably 6 weeks until I really felt totally comfortable running. I didn't start swimming until youngest was about a year old, but would think that would be the easiest to start back. Good luck!


2008-12-03 3:54 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
OOoooh, I'm so thankful for this post!  I'm due at the end of June and will definitely be watching you ladies who are up before me to see how it goes.  I'm hoping to run & swim the whole time if possible.  The other hope is that that gets me back on the road quickly too, barring all surgical procedures.  Here's to happy Iron babies & mommies!  (I'm going to add you ladies to my friend list so I can check up on you).  
2009-01-01 5:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Congrats ladies! I am preggo, too, due in late February.

I did one tri this June while pregnant (didn't know yet) and planned to do another. That plan went out the window when the morning sickness (aka all-day sickness) hit. Now, without a race on the calender I'm having a hard time keeping up the workouts. But I'm still swimming and "running." Hoping for a natural birth and a quick return to training, but we'll see... baby care and lack of sleep may take their toll.

I would welcome any other new moms' or dads' inspires in the postpartum era!
2009-01-01 6:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
Hi-
I had my 1st kiddo in '02 (c-section) and 2nd in '06 (regular way).
After c-section I waited 6 weeks to run but was walking as soon as I felt like it. Wasn't biking much at the time so no recollection - probably waited a few months just because of the weather and location.

Kid 2 was born in May, same day as my friend's baby - we're both runners and beginning tri'ers. We both gain a BUNCH of weight w/babies - so to get the right picture in your head make sure you are NOT imagining a toothpick with a watermelon stuck on front Maybe more like those fertility fetishes you've maybe seen - sort of rubinesque - that goes away rather more quickly than you'd expect, too, if you have a similar body type.

Anyway, our goal was to run a 1/2 marathon on Labor Day of the same year and we did it.

Babies born 5/15 (she had a c-section)
5 K 6 weeks later (oh, that was slow, but we did it )
4 miler July 4
a 10 K in August
Labor Day: the 1/2 marathon

Truly it felt like my innards were just going to fall out for the first few weeks. I could barely run, all my muscles felt so weak, but we kept going and helped each other by always sticking to our distance we'd planned even if we couldn't run. I found that rolling hills were good training to get muscles going. I always felt like I was going to pee my pants (sorry, but that's the truth) - so wear very tight black spandex your first few runs! You'll feel supported and disguised. We just started by walking w/a bit of jogging thrown in and built from there. I was surprised how awful I felt but I got back in gear pretty quick.

After the c-section (baby 1), in some ways getting back to running was easier because the pain and strain were different, and I had healed quickly w/no complications, although I had really bad PF in both feet from not wearing enough arch support through pregnancy and it took a while to get that straightened out. My friend and I compared notes and there was no clear 'winner' with respect to which was easier to recover from for sports.

Carrying baby in a pack and getting a good jogging stroller were key - the Bob Ironman has an infant seat adapter that you can put on it so that you can put your little one in the car seat safely on the stroller and actually jog. Since we had all the hardware from baby 1, except we'd had a not-so-great jogger that I gave to a friend - my parents gave us the Ironman as a gift (nice gift! But, hey, they got another grandkid so I think they came out on the upside )


As far as biking - I was biking at 6 weeks - I had stitches and I was very reluctant to sit on a bike. So I went to a spin class w/cushier seats than I have on my own bike at home, and stood up a lot (I told the instructor what was up...). After a while, I realized the fear was worse than the reality and it worked out - but I would PLAN on at least 6 weeks and then if you are better sooner, great, if not then you aren't surprised.

Hope that helps a bit, and best wishes!!!!!!!
2009-01-01 7:16 PM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
All great replies. I was a runner before babies and ran thru first pregnancy, but doc didn't want me to run until 6 weeks after. 2nd pregnancy doc didn't let me run (no good reason, she was just conservative), so I was chopming at the bit after #2 came and didn't care what my doctor said after the baby was out. I was walking the day she came home, and within 2-3 weeks I was doing run/walks (like 1:3 or something). Just listened to my bod and built back up slowly. I did get up to a 1/2 mary within 6 mos. and ran 3 marathons right after her 1st bday... running was truly my sanity so throwing both kids in the jogger and running daily was a NECESSITY (not a luxury, something I really needed). Dad got to bond with the kids Saturday mornings when I did my LSDs ALONE (which was HEAVEN!! I could run for HOURS as far as I was concerned!). I did do Galloway's program that entire time, so always was running/walking, which let me do long runs and still have energy for the family. Didn't pick up tris until kids were older, so no biking or swimming comments to add.

If you are bf'ing, always nurse before you train. There were few things as painful as experiencing letdown or fullness out in the middle of a run!!

Good luck and congratulations!!
2009-01-05 8:27 AM
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Subject: RE: Come BackTraining Post Pregnancy
I'm so glad I found this post!  I am due in May, and know that I will be itching to get back at it with the summer weather.  I had a c-section the first time (soon to be 7 yrs ago!) and am really hoping for a VBAC...we'll see.  I also will be checking in on the progress of other pg posters...like others, I feel this looong time off will be great motivation to get back at it!
Good Luck irondog...should be any day now?


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