How to keep running (also biking/cross country skiing?)

Question

Hello! 
At 6 weeks, running really hurts my breasts. Besides for buying bigger sports bras so my newly giant breasts are supported, is there anything else I can do? Anything like a gait or carriage change?
Also, I normally commute by bike every day, but the medical advice in my country is to stop after the first trimester lest I fall. Have any if you kept biking? I'm thinking of swapping my bull bars for mustache bars so the riding position is less aggressive.
Finally, I have a downhill ski trip planned at 5 months. Again, the advice seems to be to avoid situations where I could fall - anyone have any experience with cross country skiing or snowshoeing while pregnant? They're both new for me (so I'd have to learn to be stable), but seem usefully lower speed.
Thanks for sharing your tips/experience!

Answer

I️ agree with the advice to not do any of the activities you list while pregnant. In the scheme of life, 9 months isn’t very long to give up a few things.

Answer

I’m a runner and at 10w am still going no problem although I dialed back my mileage before I got pregnant (wondered if distance training was preventing pregnancy).  I can’t say I’m having the same issue but maybe look for a more supportive bra?  It’s so important to stay healthy and it sounds like there are compelling reasons to dial back your other activities.

Answer

Obviously skiing is not recommended for pregnant women.. that being said, I live in ski country and I will say that quite a few women here do it anyways, even late into their pregnancy. Usually these are women who are very confident in their skills and know they are unlikely to fall. They often take precautions such as having someone ski behind them to ensure that no out of control skiers will run into them. Some of them also suggest mogul runs (if personal skill allows) because they generally slow other skiers and snowboarders down. Some OBs in the region will say it’s ok for skilled women to ski before 20 weeks. If all of that is out of your comfort zone I will say either cross country skiing or snowshoeing are great alternatives. I highly recommend cross country skiing. To be safe, just stay on relatively flat terrain. It’s a wonderful workout. Snowshoeing is great too. It’s very safe as it is essentially just walking through the snow (not to knock it - it’s usually through beautiful scenery and is a also a great workout).

Answer

I'm a snowboarder who has tried cross-country skiing a few times with unpleasant results (a few falls each time) as well as snowshoeing which I really enjoy, is suggest snowshoeing might be a good option for your ski trip.  It's low impact and doesn't require any skills other than the ability to walk so unless you're having issues with your balance or sore hips, I'd guess it would be fine.   I'm due in April and given how big my belly is already, I've decided to forego winter activities this year.

Answer

I kept up with biking and cross country skiing with previous pregnancies.  I did have to switch out the road bike for a mountain bike so I didn’t feel like I was crushing the baby.  I biked until 38 weeks with my second and 32 weeks with my third (I somehow managed to pull/damage a core muscle.  It just “snapped” when I was 1-2 miles away from home.  I wasn’t sure I would make it home...it was very scary.)
I had summer/fall babies so I only cross country skied in the first/early second tri.
My doctor says no downhill.  I suck at downhill, so I’m like, fantastic...an excuse not to go!

Answer

If it was me, I would be sad about it being able to do these things but at peace about doing what's best for my baby. You might be a skilled cyclist but accidents happen because of other people too. I wouldn't put myself at risk of something entirely preventable.

How to keep running (also biking/cross country skiing?)

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