As a follow up to the blog regarding Amber Miller, I thought that I would post about running while pregnant. Many people wonder if it is actually safe to run while carrying a child, so I started looking for the answer. Throughout this, I found many different answers that vary from person to person, and in the end, I found no definite answer.
When I was reading an article on Amber Miller, I found a comment from Doctor Shari Brasner. From her standpoint, she was not for running. She says that most of the time, a fetus can tolerate exercise, but that’s moderate exercise. Also, she says that when running, oxygen and blood flow may not flow to the baby, which would restrict its growth. Her main concern however is the temperature. "Body temperature is going to rise," Brasner said. "A baby can't sweat to cool down."In that same article, there was a comment from Doctor Angela Chaudhari, who is on the other side of the issue. Chaudhari feels as though it is okay to run and train while pregnant as long as there are no complications with the pregnancy. Her philosophy is to listen to your body while you run. If you feel tired, stop. If you are thirsty, stop and immediately replenish your fluid. She says that if you are elite before you conceive, you can be elite while pregnant.
After hearing those two sides of the story, you may still be thinking, well, is it safe or not? So I continued to look around and get opinions. I found a site with Julie Turner who is a registered nurse and founder of the Maternal Fitness in New York. Turner is saying that running is okay; however, while you are pregnant, you should not start running. She also has some recommendations about running. During the whole pregnancy, she stresses the importance of hydration. If you start to become dehydrated, you may have premature contractions, or even reduce your baby’s blood and oxygen flow. In the first trimester, you need to get good, supportive shoes and a sports bra. Then, as your belly begins to grow, stay on flat surfaces to avoid falling. Lastly, as your due date gets closer, run places where if an emergency would happen, you will not be stranded. So, from her article, I concluded that she thinks running is okay as long as everything with your pregnancy is okay and you are used to running.
I got one last opinion from a nurse of my local community named Mike. Mike is a nurse in the operating room, emergency room, and also runs his own gym, which has many different specialties. I was talking to him the other day about Amber Miller, and he was shocked. So, as our conversation progressed, he started talking about running and pregnancy. He said that he believes running is not safe when pregnant. He feels that it is too much stress for the body and that it can be very harmful for the developing fetus. He said that when a woman knows she is pregnant, she should stop running and walk.
Once I heard all of these different viewpoints, I still couldn’t come up with one definite answer to give to expecting women runners. However, I did find out a few tips that would help a women decide if she were capable of running. First and most importantly, check with your doctor. If your doctor tells you that you are good to run, then you can. Also, you need “feel” it. If you are tired or just feel different, then do not run. During pregnancy is not the time to push yourself because this can cause negative effects on the fetus. In other words, your ability to run may change from day to day depending on how you feel.
Now that I gave you all of the facts, I wanted to voice my opinion. I think that a person needs to ask their doctor before they run. However, I feel as though this would be risky because it could harm the fetus. Below, is a link for a video regarding running while pregnant.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/running-pregnancy-safe-safety-baby-fetis-infant-health-excercise-workout-fitness-11825606 Video link
Information:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_running-during-pregnancy_7877.bc
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-11/news/ct-talk-marathon-baby-20111011_1_body-temperature-america-chicago-marathon-elite-status
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