The Pregnant Mother Runner Podcast

Week 37 and things are getting HEAVY. My belly is huge, I’m uncomfortable, the lightning crotch and Braxton Hicks are happening constantly, and sleep definitely wasn’t great this week. But weirdly? I’ve also been feeling pretty good. This week I hit my highest running mileage in a long time: 15 miles! Hitting double-digit mileage again felt so exciting, especially after a pregnancy where movement looked very different than I expected it to. I’m sharing an update on my latest labs, including my improved hemoglobin, why my blood pressure has been reassuring at my recent appointments, and where things stand with my concerns around preeclampsia. I also talk about some less glamorous pregnancy symptoms, including bleeding gums, my suddenly very carb-heavy cravings, and the general reality of being 37 weeks pregnant and VERY ready to meet this baby. Plus, I’m reflecting on this pregnancy, the movement I was able to do, the expectations I had going into it, and how much I’ve had to redefine what a “fit pregnancy” actually looks like. Business is prepped for postpartum. Baby can come anytime. I am officially READY.   Tired of your clothes not fitting during pregnancy? Try renting clothes from Nuuly, click here to get $30 off! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian

Week 36 and we are officially getting VERY close. Physically, I’m actually feeling pretty good. The lightning crotch and Braxton Hicks are very real, but I’m so grateful to not be dealing with the constant nausea and exhaustion that followed me through so much of this pregnancy. Running has also been feeling surprisingly good. My mileage is low, but I have completely let go of needing to hit a certain number each week. I’m running when my body wants to run, resting when it wants to rest, and even went climbing this week. Right now, the goal is less about maintaining fitness and more about going into birth feeling as rested, strong, and restored as possible. Emotionally, though, this week hit me. I had this realization that very soon my son won’t be my only child anymore. I’m obviously incredibly excited to meet this baby, but there is also some grief around the end of this chapter where it has just been the three of us. I talk about those feelings, along with some of my anxiety about postpartum and returning to running when I know I’m entering this postpartum period less fit than I was the first time. I also met with my doulas to finalize my birth preferences, shared my birth plan with my midwives, and I’m sharing some of the things I included in it. And BIG NEWS: baby is no longer breech! I also talk more about monitoring my blood pressure and preeclampsia, why I’m prioritizing stress reduction and recovery as birth gets closer, and, on a completely different note, why renting clothes through Nuuly has been one of my favorite pregnancy hacks. The final stretch is officially here.   If you are pregnant and trying to figure out how you can keep strength training safely while protecting your core and pelvic floor, check out the ANDA App. You can get a 7 day free trial and 20% off with my code SERENA Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian

At 35 weeks pregnant, I’m finally feeling more like myself again. I’m definitely getting more uncomfortable, my belly is getting BIG, and bending down has become an athletic event of its own, but compared to the nausea and sickness I was dealing with earlier in pregnancy, I’m feeling so much better. Running has also been feeling surprisingly good. I ran 7.5 miles this week and have been feeling stronger, while also noticing more cramping and Braxton Hicks as my body gets closer to birth. This week, I’m shifting more of my focus toward labor prep and trying to enter birth as rested and restored as possible. I’m wrapping up maternity leave prep for my business, making extra dinner so I can stock the freezer for postpartum, and being much more intentional about slowing down. I also dive into nervous system regulation, what it actually means, why it was something I practiced regularly before becoming a mom, and how motherhood slowly pushed it to the side. As I get closer to birth, I’m bringing some of those practices back and reminding myself of something athletes often struggle to believe: Rest is training too.   Click here to try Legion Protein Powder for yourself use my code RUNNERGIRL for buy one get one 50% off and free shipping on your first order! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian

At 34 weeks pregnant, I am officially getting VERY close to meeting this baby, and this week I’m reflecting on how much this pregnancy has changed over the past few months. Physically, I’m actually feeling better. I’m still dealing with occasional nausea and vomiting, but I’ve noticed that eating frequently makes a huge difference, so I’m being really intentional about snacks and bigger meals. My sleep has improved, my energy is coming back a little, and even though I am extremely pregnant and uncomfortable, I feel better than I have in a while. I also got my latest iron labs back. My CRP has improved and my ferritin is still a little lower than I’d ideally like, but it’s moving in a better direction. Movement has been feeling better too. I got in a 4.5-mile run this week that actually felt GOOD, and I’m sharing when and how I’ve been fitting workouts into life lately as my energy has shifted. Then there’s the mental side of getting this close to birth. I’m talking about my worries around postpartum, losing fitness, nursing, returning to running, and figuring out life with two kids. And because pregnancy apparently needed one more plot twist, I found out baby is breech. I’m sharing what I’m currently doing to encourage baby to turn, along with why my doctor is keeping a closer eye on my blood pressure. Plus, my baby sprinkle was this weekend, and it was such a sweet reminder to slow down, celebrate this pregnancy, and spend time with the people I love before everything changes again.   Tired of your clothes not fitting during pregnancy? Try renting clothes from Nuuly, click here to get $30 off! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian

Pregnancy week 33 and suddenly it feels like we are in CRUNCH TIME. Baby could be here in about a month, and this week has been a mix of surrendering, nesting, and getting everything ready. I’m sharing what I’ve learned from PT and why I’m finally accepting that my body needs me to take things a little easier right now. I’m still squeezing in runs two or three times a week when I can, usually around my son’s naps, but I’m also coming to terms with the fact that this pregnancy and postpartum experience may look very different from my first. I’ve been feeling incredibly tired, short of breath, and dealing with some weird food aversions, which means I have to be extra intentional about eating enough even when I’m not hungry. I talk about how I’m managing meals and blood sugar when my appetite is low, plus the ongoing mystery of my iron, ferritin, and CRP levels after getting another round of labs. And then there’s all the baby prep. I’m sharing what I’m doing and eating to prepare for labor, packing my hospital bag, getting everything organized for my son while we’re at the hospital, and preparing our home for newborn life. My baby sprinkle is this weekend, I went climbing this week, and apparently climbing can help get labor going… so catch me at the climbing gym at 37 weeks trying to politely encourage this baby to make an entrance 😂 It’s officially go time.   If you are pregnant and trying to figure out how you can keep strength training safely while protecting your core and pelvic floor, check out the ANDA App. You can get a 7 day free trial and 20% off with my code SERENA Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian