Running Postpartum: Our Mistakes, Lessons, & Expertise

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Running after having a baby is HARD--& is so different for each pregnancy. In this episode, we unpack our experiences with running postpartum, including the mistakes we made because we had a lack of knowledge related to pelvic floor health. We discuss how we felt, when we felt "normal", and things we would have done differently. We also discuss the role sleep deprivation and hormones can play!

Tricia, a doctor of physical therapy with an emphasis on postnatal care, answers our listeners' questions related to running postpartum including how to return to run, how to stop leaking, whether you can run with diastasis recti, and more. Tricia also busts myths related to running after having a baby.

Whitney shares her advice as a running coach who coaches postpartum runners, including how she would train a postpartum runner for a marathon. 

Our main message to all mother runners coming back after having a baby is that each postpartum journey is different. Do not compare yours to another! Also, see a pelvic floor physical therapist!! You can find one here: 
https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/ptlocator

We also give a Shout-Out to our Mother Runner of the Week, Francesca @5ammommyrunner on Instagram!

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Miles with Moms Podcast
01:00 Introduction to Postpartum Running
03:01 Mother Runner Shout Out: Francesca's Journey
06:00 Diverse Experiences of Postpartum Running
09:00 The Importance of Recovery and Rehabilitation
11:59 Navigating Postpartum Challenges
15:02 Lessons Learned from Personal Experiences
16:03 Postpartum Running Experiences
19:59 Pelvic Floor Awareness and Health
21:55 Misconceptions About Diastasis Recti
25:49 Returning to Running Postpartum
31:14 The Importance of Sleep in Recovery
42:06 Postpartum Running: Getting Back on Track
43:47 Understanding Individual Recovery Times
44:44 Navigating the Postpartum Journey
49:39 Individualized Training Plans for Postpartum Runners
54:18 The Long View: Longevity in Running
56:34 Embracing the Postpartum Experience
01:00:42 Community and Support in Motherhood

Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs.

• www.themotherrunners.com
• Instagram: @themotherrunners
• YouTube: The Mother Runners
• [email protected]