Resources for Running Moms

Throughout my journey to motherhood, I had tons of questions about how my running might change once I became a mother. I wondered, what are the recommendations for running while pregnant, and what are the guidelines and timelines associated with healthy postpartum running? When can I run with my baby in a jogging stroller? How do I go about breastfeeding and pumping at races? These questions - and so many more! - have swirled around my head for the past few years. I spent many hours going down the Google rabbit hole while trying to conceive, while pregnant, and in my return to run postpartum.

Here I plan to share some of the resources that I found helpful as a mother runner, in the hopes that this helps you too, wherever you are on your journey to motherhood.

To begin, I am excited to share a database of the lactation accommodations for runners at major US marathons. In April 2023, at 14 months postpartum, I ran my first marathon after having my son. Before the race, I pumped at the start line before I began the long 26.2 mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston. I was so grateful for the Boston Athletic Association’s efforts to make race day pumping an option for me and many other runners like me. In the months leading up to the marathon, I drew upon my background in public health and experience in strategy consulting to support the BAA and two other advisors in reimagining the BAA’s lactation accommodations at races.

As a coach of many runners who are newly postpartum and still breastfeeding/pumping, I am often asked about how to navigate race day pumping. Here you will find information about lactation accommodations at 12 major US marathons, including the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and NYC Marathon. I’ll be updating this database as new information becomes available (and hopefully as more races add lactation accommodations and caregiver supports at their events!). If you have changes/additions to this database, please reach out at kaitlin [@] runningjoyfully.com.

Running in Pregnancy

With a changing body, running in pregnancy frequently requires new and different equipment. The running gear you used pre-pregnancy may no longer comfortably fit your changing and growing body. To help you run comfortably during pregnancy, I suggest using a belly support band. You can start wearing this for comfortable whenever you feel ready; I started wearing one partway through my second trimester as my belly grew.

These are my two favorites:

Maternity FITsplint from ReCore Fitness - this band was designed by a pelvic floor physical therapist and is great if you are experiencing belly, back, bladder, hip or pelvic pain. It’s adjustable, so you can position it as you need as your belly grows.

ProBump Pregnancy Support Band from Baobei Fitness - this belly band feels like a sports bra for your belly; I liked that it was full coverage.