Realistically, when could I start running again?

RunnerGirl17

Hi Everyone, 

I was a runner pre-pregnancy (10k's, half marathons, etc.) and really miss it and would like to return to training and having fun with it as soon as I can following delivery.  I want to set some realistic goals for myself in terms of when I can physically do it (e.g., won't be so sleep deprived that one foot in front of the other is a difficult task, I'm healed from C-section/vaginal delivery, etc.)  I know that expecting myself to be running 2 weeks post pregnancy (i.e., no Hollywood stories here) is ridiculous, but am wondering, when could I feasibly go back to it?  Also, I'll have a lot of family support nearby and an amazing husband so time won't necessarily be an issue.

 Thanks! 

p.s. to everyone who posted on the, "What did you find out that people didn't tell you?" post, THANK YOU, the info was incredibly helpful. 

pea-kay

i think for most deliveries you're not cleared to exercise until 6 weeks have passed. i don't know if that's true for vaginal AND c-sections, but give yourself time to heal and rest.

i walked a 10k with the boys when they were 3 months old, i don't think i could have done much before that.

jalaiaa

Wondering the same thing. I'm not a runner, but I rock climb and do a lot of hiking. I can't wait to be active again. 

Danse

I'm hoping to get cleared for exercise at my appt. next week and would love to start running then. I'll start off with an elliptical though most likely. I'll try to remember to keep you posted. PS - I'm kind of terrified to how it will feel to jog with all this extra belly. Yick.

lajolla09.30.06

ditto the 6 week thing... I was not allowed to do any exercise of ANY kind at all for the first 6 weeks.

 kudos to you if you find the energy to run soon after that... even with help around to watch my kids while I got out I don't think I would have had enough stamina to do it... the lack of sleep really knocked me out.  I think I went back to regularly exercising around 3 months.

Mrs. Destructo

You'll probably be cleared at 6 weeks, but you probably won't feel up to it until closer to 3 months. But that will entirely depend on how well your kiddos are sleeping at that point

Temp6313048411121614

I was cleared to exercise after DS around 6w.  Don't push yourself too hard too fast.  About a week or two after he was born DH and I went on a walk wit IL's (1 mile, very leisurely, not pushing at all), before the walk my bleeding had really let up, after wards I had a lot of bright red blood the next day.  It was nothing to be concerned about, but my body was definitely telling me that I went too far too fast.  GL.

Twin.Peaks

I was the same way as Aussies_Mom.......even after my 6 week clear every time i would try to so much as take a long walk in the park I would have heavy bleeding for a couple days not to mention having incision pain. Im going to say it took until 2 1/2 months before I could walk over a mile without pain. But then i was much better. At 3 months we went to disney and I walked all day for 6 days straight with no issue.