"Is Running Safe After Having a Baby? 3 Questions to Consider Before You Lace Up"

Congratulations! It's great that you're feeling ready to start getting back into it, (especially if you are just getting started!) after having a baby!

Now, there’s a lot that goes into this topic. Running is a high-impact exercise, so we will want to check some boxes before lacing up. Regardless of your birth outcomes, you had a bowling ball on your pelvic floor and you deserve to address any issues for your future success as a runner.

First of all - Get cleared- beyond your 6 week appointment.

(Yes, this applies to all of us “postpartum running” at 2 years, 4 years, 10 years postpartum!)

Before you start running, you should check in with yourself with the following questions: 

1- Am I leaking urine or stool with urgency, jumping, sneezing, coughing, or shortly after any of those?  Do I feel any heaviness or pressure “down there”,

or having any pain during foreplay/ intercourse? 

3- Am I having back pain or feeling like my core isn’t connecting properly? 

4- Can I squat without any knee, hip, or ankle pain? 

Here’s the why behind these questions and what to do if your answer is a Yes.

1- Am I leaking urine or stool with urgency, jumping, sneezing, coughing, or shortly after any of those? 

These are signs of pelvic organ dysfunction. (Yes, you can have these after a Cesarean birth, during pregnancy, and for years postpartum.) If you are leaking urine or stool - please schedule a PT appointment immediately so they can assess you. These appointments can book out, so I recommend my clients make a call to find a provider as soon as they start experiencing symptoms.

You can experience pelvic floor dysfunction with a too-tight pelvic floor, so kegels are not necessarily the answer here. Your PT should check you in a variety of positions and feel how your pelvic floor muscles function while you cough. (In the meantime- read this post on your pelvic floor where I go over your postpartum PF in more detail. There's 2 workouts in there that are so gentle you can do them in the hospital.) 

Feeling any pain or pressure during physical or sexual activity?

These are again, signs of pelvic floor dysfunction. Without a functional pelvic floor (think of it as a hammock for your uterus, bladder, and rectum), these organs might have slid out of alignment and be causing pain during sex and the feeling of pressure when standing or walking. There are many reasons why you are experiencing heaviness or pain, and a proper exam is the only way to diagnose and treat these symptoms. As you can imagine  - adding impact to a pelvic floor that is already experiencing pain or discomfort is not a great idea. However, you can absolutely start building your strength back. Try this simple core workout to build your strength and help support your pelvic organs. 

4- Am I having back pain or feeling like my core isn’t connecting properly? 

This is a sign of a diastasis- recti or a weak core that might need some additional attention. As I’ve written in this previous post, Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA) occurs when the tissue between your 6-pack muscles widens, and can cause back pain, pelvic organ dysfunction, discomfort, and the “pooch” of your deepest core muscles and organs not engaging properly. Running involves a lot of core work, notably your ability to maintain proper alignment and posture, and rotating as you propel yourself forward. 

That being said - You can absolutely run with DRA. Many athletes of the non-pregnant/ non-postpartum run with a DRA and don’t have any back or pelvic issues. I do recommend, however, that you include LOTS of core training and DRA- specific work in order to continue to run without pain or dysfunction. You can include this 15 minute postpartum workout_— as a cool down, and progress these exercises to help build your deep core muscles, get rid of any back pain, and ideally, reduce the depth or width of any possible DRA. 

5- Can I squat without any knee, hip, or ankle pain? 

The mechanics of a squat are essentially the same as running, so if a simple body weight squat is causing any issues, we’ll want to address these before you hit the trails or tread! 

When I train my runners, I assess their pelvis, hip/ knee/ ankle stability and alignment, and we address any of these or other areas of weakness with a comprehensive strength/ core/ and stretching program. 

The biggest takeaway is that running is a lot of impact, which is not always great for a recovering pelvis, significant DRA, or out-of-aligment organs. 

However, I understand how running is a big part of many of our mental health programs, self-identity, and overall health and well being. I will never discourage you from running!

These are just benchmarks that I recommend you include as you get back into it. Many Physical therapists that I have worked with over my years as a trainer have recommended a run/ walk program that you can progress while you build your strength back. It is completely humbling to return to running after having a baby, regardless of how you were able to train during pregnancy. I promise you that the work is worth it.

Say it with me, pregnancy is temporary- postpartum is forever. Any sign of joint instability/ weakness/ pelvic floor  or core dysfunction means you need to get yourself in for a check up asap! You 10000% deserve it. 

Check out more postpartum tips here and contact me for support!