When I first found out I was pregnant, one of the things that was really important to me was staying active.
Of course I’ve never been pregnant before. I had no idea how pregnancy would play out for my body. I followed a few running mums and saw from their experiences that there was very little you had control over and sometimes (or often-times) your body just said “no, I’m too busy growing a baby here”. So I didn’t set my expectations too high. I would continue to exercise (run and strength train) for as long as my body allowed me but I would always prioritise the baby’s health above everything (as any mother-to-be would I’m sure).
I’m therefore so lucky, grateful and happy that I have been very active throughout my pregnancy without any real discomfort or issue. The only problem I had was a running niggle that cropped up in my calf around week 32 which took me out of running for over two weeks. But I can’t be certain pregnancy had anything to do with this. Afterall, I am a notoriously injury-prone runner so maybe this was just par for the course after so long of not having any niggles or injuries.
I didn’t suffer from any great hip, pelvic or back pain and running wasn’t uncomfortable. That said, it wasn’t “peak” comfort like when I’m not pregnant. I weigh more, my centre of gravity has changed and if the little man is in an awkward position or low it can add pressure which doesn’t feel amazing. And of course the feeling of needing a wee throughout the run can be distracting. But in general there was no pain and no aches that made me not enjoy the run (except for the dreaded run where I had Braxton Hicks which was awful, but thankfully that hasn’t happened again).
Of course I was slower. Straight away almost a minute slower per mile – sometimes less, sometimes a lot more. I had to adapt a few things; no more evening or lunchtime runs because I wouldn’t have the energy (morning was my most energy-filled time) and to be super careful about hydration and over-heating. I also had to be conscious of my running form to ensure I didn’t slouch over or pull too far back to overcompensate for my bump.
One of my main issues was what to wear. This wasn’t a huge issue for quite a big chunk of the pregnancy because my bump didn’t pop until later into my second trimester. I could still fit into clothes but later as I would start running I had the dreaded Rachel Green effect of my belly peeping out under my t-shirts. This meant I had to constantly drag down my top during the run.
Amazingly a wonderful company called Latched offered me some maternity workout gear to try out which came at perfect timing. I’d been following Latched on Instagram and loved their gear so I was super excited. I was sent a pair of leggings, a long sleeved top, a sports bra and a pair of shorts.
The leggings are a gorgeous blue colour and fit so well over my bump! I was getting to the awkward stage with my current non-maternity leggings that I was stretching them over my bump or they were awkwardly sitting just below my bump, which wasn’t entirely comfortable.
But the leggings were fantastic. The high-waisted section covered my bump nicely and kept me well supported. The fit was lovely and flattering, they didn’t go see-through when I squatted and the material was lovely.
The sports bra, firstly looks gorgeous. Love the design. Secondly it fitted so well – my boobs have gotten so much bigger and it’s definitely been something I’ve now had to be careful about. Pre-pregnancy my boobs were quite small but now I definitely have to make sure they’re better supported! This sports bra definitely does that. And they have the ability to be cross-back or just regular straps, which I like. As well as having a nursing feature too so later on you can breast feed easily in this. Perfect!
The long-sleeved top was perfect for running as it was long enough to cover my growing bump and it was lovely and warm during those super cold weeks a couple of months ago.
The material didn’t make me feel claustrophobic or sweaty and kept me at a nice temperature. And no need to continually pull it down!
And my favourite… the shorts. They are INCREDIBLE for running (and strength training, and walking!). The high-waisted section covers my bump completely and keeps it feeling fairly secure without restrictive (anything that presses on my bladder during a run is a horrible feeling!) So even if I wore a top that wasn’t maternity so sat slightly above the bottom of my bump I was well covered by the shorts. This hugely helped options of clothing for running!
The shorts didn’t ride up and the bump bit didn’t slip down, so this was perfect. They’re super flattering and even have pockets!
So all in all, I’m a big fan of Latched. Their clothing is such good quality, flattering and comfortable. I’ll definitely still wear these items post-partum and beyond too. I fully recommend getting some items if you’re pregnant and wanting to continue to be active.
I really hope to continue being active right until the end, but we’ll see. I’m running less (a couple of 5ks and maybe a longer run at the weekend) but walking evey day and strength training 2-3 times a week. I’m really enjoying it and find it hugely helps my comfort level and my mental well-being. So fingers crossed it continues!
If you’ve been pregnant, were you active during your pregnancy?
**Full disclaimer: I was sent the items from Latched for free in exchange for some Instagram content**