There is no doubt that giving birth is one of the most beautiful experiences, but also one of the most physically and mentally demanding for a woman. For this reason, many doubts may arise about when is the best time to start running after childbirth, when to do it, how to avoid possible injuries or pain... If you are wondering how to get back into running after childbirth, take a look at these 3 tips.
Every woman is different
Itmay seem obvious, but nothing could be further from the truth. Before getting back into running, or returning to a sport, each individual case must be analyzed. For example, it is not the same for a woman who has completely stopped any physical activity during pregnancy as for one who has continued training, whether it was the first birth or not, whether it occurred without any problem or whether it resulted in a caesarean section, for example... there are many factors to analyze, so before doing anything, consult a specialist to get the right advice.
To be more specific, if you have had a cesarean section, the advisable time to mobilize the body again in a mother who has done physical activity before the birth can reach 6-8 weeks, while if the birth was natural, the body will take between 4 and 6 weeks to recover from the changes experienced during pregnancy and childbirth. But we repeat, a specialist will be the best guide at all times.
First things first: recovering
As in the previous case, it might seem logical, but we are talking about not running too early to avoid injury or problems such as urinary incontinence, umbilical hernia or deprogramming. So do not worry if you have to wait several months before putting on your running shoes again, because the important thing is that when you do, it is with all the guarantees. For the moment, you should be aware that during the first months after having a child your joints and ligaments will be somewhat loose.
Duringpregnancy there is a weakening of the pelvic floor and abdominal musclesin women, so before returning to running it is necessary to strengthen the abdominal muscles to ensure an upright posture and avoid back pain during exercise. So do not stress and worry first of all about getting back in shape and regaining muscle tone through basic and simple strength exercises, and again under expert supervision.
It will be good to work the areas most affected by pregnancy such as the belly, hips, thighs, lumbar region and buttocks. Therefore, to start exercising after childbirth are good activities such as walking, swimming, stretching, yoga or Pilates.
To give an example, the first two weeks after giving birth could be advisable to do pelvic tilts, as well as a simple cardiovascular exercise through short walks of 15-20 minutes three times a week, nothing to exhaust us, or perform Kegels exercises.
Subsequently, it would be a matter of gradually increasing these activities to add strength exercises between 4 and 6 weeks after delivery in order to recover the muscle tone of the lower back, abdominals, quadriceps and hamstrings through activities such as lunging.
Breastfeeding before running
In the early 1990s, a study was published in the journal "Pediatrics" by researchers who asked nursing mothers to exercise at their maximum heart rate before breastfeeding their children. The research team noted, after analyzing the results, that the babies were more likely to reject their mothers' milk after a period of intense exercise, and noted as a possible cause that the composition of the milk changed when running.
While it is true that aerobic training causes lactic acid to enter the bloodstream and because the blood vessels in the mammary glands are the source of breast milk, it is also true that running at a lower intensity does not increase lactic acid levels in blood or breast milk. Therefore, there is no evidence that lactic acid in the milk supply negatively affects the baby's health.
In any case, it is better to breastfeed before running to feel less weight and to avoid that the friction of our clothes can stimulate the nipples and stain us. Do not forget to hydrate yourself properly either, since water is the main source used by the bloodstream in the production of milk, and prevent mastitis from occurring at any time.
It is also necessary to have an adequate caloric intake to cope with both the exercise itself and breastfeeding, and if it is not correct, we should proceed to administer vitamin B6 and calcium supplements.
You should also bet on a good bra to support the breasts, avoiding at all times sports bras for their excessive compression of the breasts. And one more thing related to breastfeeding, it is not advisable to lose more than 15 kilos per week while breastfeeding a baby, so control your weight too.
But first of all, take it easy and get advice from a specialist, and don't worry, your running shoes will wait for you for as long as it takes!
RUNNEA ACADEMY's training plans to start running from scratch are aimed at all those people who want to start running and in a fully guided way. The goal is to create an aerobic base in a safe and controlled way. You will finish your plan being able to face distances up to 5 km. The plan will include sessions with different levels of demand that also include running technique and strength exercises that you can do at home to start your journey in the world of running. And all this accompanied by nutrition guidelines adapted to you.
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