Post-pregnancy running

[Minkypinker]

I just tried my first run after having my second baby 7 weeks ago.

I have been feeling good, discharged from medical care, up and about, natural delivery etc and I started on week1 day1 BUT had to stop after three intervals because my ribs were killing me. I expected to be out of breath but I didn’t expect the pain of a massive and persistent stitch across the whole front lower rib area. It feels like my intercostal muscles aren’t as “back to normal” as I thought they were and I dropped down to 30second walk/ run intervals which helped... but now the whole of my mid/upper thoracic back area is aching and my ribs still hurt when I cough.

Has anyone had experience of this and does anyone have any advice about how best to strengthen those muscles so I can start getting my fitness back?

I obviously don’t want to injure myself, but keen to do something... thought I’d try my antenatal Yoga dvd this morning to try and unlock some of the stiffnesszzz

[wez70 Graduate]

Well done and congratulations on both birthing and getting back out there! The hormone changes are still ongoing with progesterone wearing off and the softening effects on muscles and ligaments still a bit in evidence so it may be a little while longer before you're fully back to pre pregnancy state. Take it really slow and steady, have a look for post pregnancy run plans such as:

runnersworld.com/workouts/h...

which may help but above all listen to your body ... it's done a mammoth amount of work over the last few months so although it will thank you for helping it to regain itself, it also needs to look after you for the long term

[Minkypinker in reply to wez70]

Good advice thank you

[Minkypinker]

Also a running coach friend just sent me this: nourishingmoms.wordpress.co...