It was a big day for me over the weekend in my postpartum journey. I went for my first run since having baby number two.
I have been seeing pelvic floor physiotherapist on and off since about 8 months after having my first daughter. It has been almost two years now.
After my first baby I jumped right back into running after the “6 week” all clear and ran decent half marathon by around 4 months. My body was not ready to be running at the volume and intensity. I was having a lot of floor issues; cramping and leaking with running. It sucked. I thought it would improve but it never really did. I started floor physio at 8 months post at which point things slowly started to improve until I got pregnant with my second daughter at 17 months.
This time around I wanted to do better. Running is huge part of my life and identity outside motherhood. I continued to go to physio although out pregnancy. It focus mostly on maintaining the level I was at. I resumed seeing my physiotherapist at the 6 week all clear time frame.
I went into this appointment super excited that I was going to get the all clear to resume running and physical activities. I had even put in the calendar so my husband knew u was going running that evening no matter what. Well this was not the case. My pelvic floor physiotherapist recommended that I take extra 4 weeks or more before trying to run. This was a huge disappointment. I wanted to run so bad. I spent many of the last weeks of pregnancy and early weeks of postpartum daydreaming about running and good it was going feel to go again. It is my favourite way to decrease stress and improve my physical fitness. It makes me better person in every level.
I was given some basic exercises such as clamshells and bridges to improve my glute strength and pelvic floor. As my it was not in great shape post having two children.
Now as you imagine trying to fit in physio exercises with two little nuggets is a challenge in time and motivation. I have always found physio to be a bit had to do even before kids. I really wanted to run so I tried making it as much of priority as I could. I tried doing one or two sets at a time throughout the day; whenever u could squeeze a set in. No where near perfect but it was what I could I do and it was helpful especially for mental health to feel that I was doing something to control and improve the situation.
The last time I saw my physiotherapist she still said that I wasn’t quite ready to start running again but if I was itchy to go and needed to for my mental heath I could go a light run.
I decided on the weekend I needed to get out. The weather was good my husband was home, the kids were doing good. I need to see where my body was at in terms of running fitness. I knew the run was not going to be easy and it would have to be a lot slower than my normal pace. I spent most of the run reminding myself that I had not run for a year and I need to start where I am at not where I think I should be.
Run was only 5km just over 30 minutes. I did 10 and 1 – not my normal way of running but I thought of as way to keep in easy on the body. I also tried to avoid as many hills as I could because the downhills are a lot harder on o pelvic floor than flat surface. My adductors where sore from the beginning of my runs; this was not a huge surpriseas they have been sore throughout my postpartum period this time especially when lifting and being more active with my toddler. I notice a bit of minor cramping in lower abdomen near the end of the run, otherwise everything else felt as to be expected. That being my quadraceps and glute muscles were minor lot sore as well my lungs burned slightly from not doing that type of cardio in long time. These will come back quickly with time. It was a good place to start. Focus still remains on improving my pelvic floor.
The road back may be slow but I am determined to come back and come back strong. Running is a life long adventure.
