Concerns in the
3rd Trimester
What’s up with this lack of energy?
You may
have felt an increase in energy during your second trimester, unfortunately
that may come to an end now as you and your baby are getting bigger. This is a good time to adjust your expectations
and how you approach your running.
Cutting back on your mileage and pace will probably naturally
happen. Let it! Don’t try to maintain old paces and
mileage.
Sleep, or lack there of:
Is also a
contributing factor to your lack of energy.
Between trying to find a comfortable position and getting up to pee
constantly, trying to string a couple hours of shut eye together is
difficult. If you can, squeeze in a nap
during the day.
Can I keep running?
Yes! It probably won’t feel as enjoyable, but as
long as your pregnancy is progressing along normally you can continue. (Keep
your doctor updated on your activities.)
Plus, the benefits are still available to you and your baby. However, if you are completely dreading it,
it’s okay to stop running altogether and do something else or just plain
rest. The fact that you have kept on
running up to this point is wonderful!
You may need to walk:
Okay, I
hope you have been letting yourself walk if you have needed to before now, but
certainly allow it now. Some days may be
more of a walk then a run and that’s okay.
It’s about getting out there and doing something to maintain your
fitness.
Leg Cramps
I would
get some serious leg cramps during my third trimester. I experienced the more typical ones at night,
but I also had some weird cramping happening in my calves when I set out to
run. Unfortunately there is no real good research
on what causes these boogers. There are
a lot of theories from carrying the extra weight and it putting pressure on
blood vessels, to lack of potassium.
I am going to be honest and say I tried a lot of things to alleviate the pain,
but not much worked. But, maybe they
will for you. You can try warming up the
muscles that cramp prior to running. Try
a heating bad, or massaging and stretching the area well. Stretch the area whenever you get a chance
during the day and twirl your foot around when you are sitting. Drink extra water and get in some extra
calcium and potassium. Milk and bananas
are good sources. You’ll have to use
your instincts as to whether this is something you can run through. As always, let your doctor know.
More labored breathing:
With the
baby taking up so much room, your lung’s space may be compromised. I noticed this more with the first child,
whom I carried higher, then my second.
If you ever find yourself struggling for air, stop what you are
doing. Remember that if you can’t get
oxygen in, neither can your baby.
Overheating:
It’s
really important throughout your pregnancy to avoid becoming overheated. Always run with water and at cooler times of
the day. Or run in the a/c on a
treadmill. It seems like I was
constantly sweating my third trimester.
You don’t want to elevate your core temperature too much as it puts your
baby at risk for complications.
Shorten of your stride and changed form:
These things happen naturally but may pose some new concerns for
you. As you shuffle along on your run,
watch your terrain, so you don’t trip or fall.
Your gait will probably also change.
You may want to consider a new pair of running shoes as this time to
accommodate your new stride, form and weight.
Maybe you need some extra cushioning, or more support, like I did.
Oh My Gosh! I am going to have to give birth soon!
Yes, you are. Sometimes it takes
7 or 8 months for that to really hit home.
I often used my running time as a time to think about the impeding
birth. I dreamed about how I would like it all to go and how I would handle
things if they didn’t. It was my time to
“talk” to the baby and envision myself holding him or her. I truly do believe that the time spent
running (if I could still call it that) helped alleviate some of the anxiety I
was feeling.
