When to Return to Running Postpartum: 5 Important Things to Consider

Knowing when to return to running postpartum can be tricky. It is most certainly going to be different for everyone but at the very least, your body needs the minimum 6-8 weeks rest after giving birth.  Most likely, you will need more time than that, and that is okay!  Even with my two separate pregnancies, my return to running looked much different.  After my first, I ran 3 miles the day I was cleared at my 6-week check up and felt fine.  Had it caused pain or discomfort, I would have stopped and dialed it back.  With my second, it has been a slower, more gradual return.  I’m 12 weeks postpartum currently and I just ran 3.5 continuous miles outside.  It’s important to always listen to your body and take it slow rather than rushing back and risking getting injured.  Below are another 5 important things to consider regarding when to return to running postpartum.  Check them out below!

When to Return to Running Postpartum: 5 Important Things to consider

1. You’ve been cleared by your doctor and you’re no longer having any bleeding.  If you’re still bleeding, that is a sign your body is still healing so going out to pound the pavement won’t be conducive to that.  I know being patient is tough, but it’s important in the long run!
2. You’ve been doing core & pelvic floor rehabilitation. If you need guidance on core & pelvic floor rehab exercises, check out my Postpartum Fitness Guide.
3. You aren’t having any pain or leakage during your current daily activities.  Pain and/or leakage indicates your body still needs time to continue to heal.  It has just been through a lot with pregnancy, labor, & delivery!  And the postpartum stage is arguably the most difficult of them all, throwing in lack of sleep on top of everything.  Give yourself patient & grace.
4. You are able to walk for 30-45 minutes without any pain, leakage, pressure through pelvic floor, or other issues.  If not, first work to build your walking endurance back up first.  Jumping into more intense exercise too quickly can lead to injury.
5. You’ve been strength training.  Building that strength up is so important so that your muscles can offset any imbalances that were created during pregnancy and support your body when you finally do get back out to run.  Then, when you do get back out there, you will feel stronger and more prepared.  Focus on the posterior chain and single leg exercises to build up strength & balance in glutes, quads, hamstrings, & calves.

Again, I want to reiterate it is so important not to rush back into it.  Start your postpartum fitness journey with the core & pelvic floor rehab work, then (once cleared by a doctor) you can incorporate walking, strength training, and eventually running.  Be patient and just know it’s a marathon, not a sprint (running analogy, sorry but I *had* to!)

xo,

Bess