My name is Georgie, and I’m a mother to two boys. Over the next nine months, I’m going to be charting my postpartum journey back to running – hopefully culminating in a race. The beauty of this ninth-month challenge is that I’m being supported by two experts in women’s running. Edwina Sutton (edwinasutton.com) will be my running coach, and physiotherapist Emma Brockwell (physiomum.co.uk), who provides Running MOTs for mums looking to return to running, will ensure it’s safe for me to begin training again.
Hopefully, through this blog – and through their expert advice – you can learn, alongside me, about what is involved in a return to running postpartum, and how to do so safely, including how to address the changes that have occurred in the body during pregnancy and childbirth – and the support that might be required in doing so.
A little bit about me
Pre-children, I was a fun runner. I could be found at parkrun every day and also ran a few marathons. I began running 10km distances after having my first child. My pelvic floor started to hurt three months into my second. Because of a toddler and a move, as well as a full-time job, exercise became a chore during my pregnancy. So, I feel that I still have much to rebuild. My second child was born in a relatively smooth vaginal delivery. I have only two diastasisrecti. However, I leak when I sneeze, and my stomach muscles don’t exist. So, swings and roundabouts…
My first few weeks postpartum was a blur of getting to know my baby as well as getting used to being a mom to two. The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t begin an exercise programme until after your six-to-eight week check up with your GP, so you join me at Week 10 when I began to feel ready to start some gentle exercise.
Week 10
A friend recommended that I join the MUTU program. This program focuses on reengaging the deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor for better exercise and general living. Even though it’s gentle, I love exercising again. The programme has me doing core exercises for 10 minutes each day and then a postpartum safe ‘intensive’ workout three times a week, full of squats and lunges. After my first intensive, my muscles ache for days – a stark reminder that they haven’t been used in that way for quite some time, but my body seems to have settled into it and it’s great to be moving regularly.
Week 14
Since everything has been going well, it is time to try running. It doesn’t feel great. It causes me to feel a groin pain and makes my abdominal muscles weak and tight. I feel a bit deflated as I walk home. I will wait a while before I attempt again. Oh, and when I get home, I sneezed…still leaking.
Week 16
In week 16, I have my first talk with Edwina.
Here’s what Edwina says:
‘Georgie and I started our journey with a coaching consult call. We spent about an hour getting to know each other (and I got to meet Baby Two post-nap – delicious!). These calls set the stage for our relationship building, which is so important. I love hearing about Georgie’s journey into running and how this has changed as babies have arrived and what running now means and gives to her.
‘One of the major points we discussed throughout the call was the importance of not rushing the running comeback and building a really strong foundation first, before we even think about pushing the PB button. Although we may feel good post-natally, it is not uncommon to feel great. However, after giving birth, caring for a newborn, and continuing with pregnancy, our foundations will be fragile. We need to take the time and be patient in rebuilding them.
‘With this in mind, Georgie has already started on a really good online core rebuild and is about to visit the amazing Emma Brockwell for a women’s health check-up. We decided to hold off on her return to running until Emma has given her the all clear. I encouraged her to take some iron tests.
‘Georgie is already really listening to her body, listening to me and thinking of the long game and how running can be part of her long-term future. This is key to post-natal recovery and something we too often rush, as we see others ‘bounce back’ post-birth. It’s not realistic and almost guaranteed that rushing back to a running deadline will result in injury.
‘Being a “runner mum” takes organisation, commitment and huge amounts of energy, but it also gives us bundles of confidence, self-belief and grit, which we need – especially in the early years! Looking forward to seeing Georgie lace up her trainers very soon and taking her first steps back to fitness.’
Week 17
Leaving my sons with my mum at Godstone Farm, I head off to see Emma Brockwell, aka Physio Mum, for a ‘Running MOT’. Emma asks lots of questions about my boys’ lives, how they are feeling and what their birth dates were. After I do some squats, she gives me an internal examination. Turns out, my body is healing and responding to the gentle workouts that I’ve been doing but it’s still not quite ready for running, and too speedy a start might jeopardise my running in the future.
Here’s what Emma says:
‘Georgie visited me to have a post-natal check-up before she returned to running. Birth and pregnancy are life-altering events that can have a profound impact on your mental and physical health. Women’s bodies undergo rapid changes during pregnancy. Many muscles change in length and weakness, especially those around the pelvis (ie glutes), and inside the pelvis.
‘Childbirth also places considerable stress and strain on these muscles. Women often experience symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction during pregnancy and after childbirth, such as urinary leakage, urgency or faecal urgency, pelvic pain or heaviness/bulging of the vagina. Although these symptoms are common, they are not normal. These symptoms can often worsen if women return to running too quickly.
‘The aim of a postnatal physiotherapy check is to ensure that women are recovering well after childbirth and that they are addressing the changes that have occurred to their bodies. If they become symptomatic, the tools will be available to help them improve their symptoms and get ready for running (if they are a runner).
‘Running is a demanding sport and rehabilitation after any huge physical event or injury is really important. The same rehab should be done for childbirth and pregnancy.
A pelvic health physiotherapist will examine a woman’s entire body, from head to foot. She will also assess her internal strength by performing a vaginal evaluation. I offered Georgie advice about her pelvic floor and general strength, and suggested that she return to running gradually with a walk-to run program.
I would recommend all women see a pelvic health physiotherapist after childbirth (even if they don’t wish to run). A pelvic health physiotherapist can be seen on the NHS via your GP or privately.’
Now that I’ve seen Emma, and relayed what she told me back to Edwina, I’m in a position to begin my training programme. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned so far, it’s that the return to running post-pregnancy isn’t something that mums should rush. Getting some expert advice before lacing up your shoes, and being patient with your body, will help to make sure you’re not doing too much, too early – something I’ve been guilty of in the past. I’m excited about getting stronger and making a sustainable, long-term return to running – I’ll let you know how I get on next month.
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