Welcome to an exciting new guest blog from Isabeau, the co-founder behind Fitzwanger Online . In her latest blog, she dives into the world of 'Breastfeeding & Exercise'. Isabeau combines her passion for health and fitness with practical tips for active mothers. Read on to find out how you can combine both important aspects of motherhood!
It’s great when breastfeeding goes smoothly and everything goes well. However, this is not always the case: sometimes you have to pump a lot or make an extra effort. In any case, breastfeeding takes energy. Is it possible to breastfeed and exercise at the same time?
Is it safe to breastfeed while exercising?
Yes! It is definitely safe to exercise and breastfeed. Although breastfeeding and exercising together is possible, there are some important considerations. It is essential not to just start exercising and to build it up in a proper way. After all, your body is recovering from childbirth and that can take up to 9 months! Simply continuing where you left off is therefore not wise. We therefore recommend that you always get started with the help of a postpartum trainer/pelvic physiotherapist or an online program such as Fitzwanger Online . This way you can be sure that you are building up your exercise in a safe way.
Back to the question about breastfeeding and exercise, because you are probably asking yourself this question mainly because you want to feel strong and fit again after pregnancy.
You don’t have to worry about breastfeeding reducing your milk supply or about lactic acid getting into your baby’s milk when you exercise. On the contrary, exercise and feeling good can actually benefit breastfeeding. Remember that after giving birth (vaginal or c-section), your body always has to recover from a major “injury”. Recovery takes a lot of energy and a newborn can also take a lot of energy. Breastfeeding can take a lot of energy, especially after sleepless nights. In such a case, it may be better to skip exercise or adjust your training to prevent injury. Fatigue can also have a negative effect on your milk supply, so listen to your body and adjust your workouts according to your energy level.
Does exercise change the composition of breast milk?
Exercise generally does not change the composition of the milk. Only very intense endurance training can slightly change the acidity of the milk, but this has no negative consequences for you or your baby. However, it is not advisable to exercise very intensively in the first 3 months after giving birth. You really have to build up your exercise after giving birth, because as mentioned above, your body is, as it were, recovering from a serious injury.
Tips for exercising while breastfeeding:
- A good sports bra is essential when breastfeeding. Make sure you wear a supportive sports bra when exercising, especially as you progress through your recovery and do more challenging exercises such as jumping. Make sure it is not so tight that it pinches, as this can lead to inflammation.
- Before exercising, it is useful to feed or express milk. Exercising with empty breasts is much more comfortable. In addition, you run the risk of leaking breasts if they are still full during exercise. It can also be useful to wear a nursing pad in your sports bra in the beginning to prevent wet spots.
- Make sure you drink enough water. Breastfeeding and exercising are no problem, but it is important to stay hydrated. Drink a glass of water while feeding and also replenish it during and after exercising, because you lose a lot of fluid through burning.
- During breastfeeding, the hormone prolactin is produced more, which stimulates milk production. It can also affect other hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. Less estrogen can lead to a delayed build-up of muscle strength, for example in the pelvic floor. Sometimes it can therefore take a little longer before you are ready for specific high-impact exercises again. It is something to keep in mind, but this is certainly not a reason to stop breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding can be very energy-consuming, especially after a sleepless night. In such a case, it may be better to skip a feeding or adjust your training to prevent injuries. Listen to your body and adjust your training to your energy level.
- In general, most women can start building up their (sports) exercises again after 6 weeks, regardless of whether they are breastfeeding or not. It is important to start gradually and not to rush. Only after 12 weeks should you think about "normal" exercise. Start by restoring your core and breathing techniques before you intensify your training. If you want to start exercising again in a responsible way, consider the postpartum program from Fitzwanger Online (link to our site).
Can you train your chest muscles while breastfeeding?
Yes, it is generally safe to exercise your chest muscles while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding does not require any specific restrictions on chest exercises unless you have specific medical reasons why you should not do so. Only if you are experiencing engorgement or are on the verge of mastitis
(or just had) we advise you not to train your chest muscles or upper arm muscles. We cannot provide you with real scientific evidence for this because that would not really be an ethical study.
In short
Yes, breastfeeding and exercise definitely go hand in hand. In fact, exercising produces hormones such as endorphins that make you feel good about yourself. This can have a positive effect on your milk production. Exercising itself does not affect your milk production. However, breastfeeding and sleepless nights can cost you a lot of energy. Sometimes it can be better to skip a workout or exercise less intensively. Fatigue can affect your production. Make sure you have "empty" breasts and are sufficiently hydrated during exercise and make sure you build up your exercise in a responsible way. Only skip the chest and arm muscles if you suffer from engorgement or are on the verge of mastitis. We wish you much success in building up your exercise alongside your breastfeeding adventure.
My experience with sports and breastfeeding.
I was able to breastfeed twice, both with Moos and Pien. Feeding went very easily for me and I had a good production. Fortunately, I didn't have any worries about breastfeeding. What has always been very important to me is that there is an option for me to skip a feeding so that I can exercise or have a nice glass of wine. For that reason, I started pumping in addition to feeding from 4 weeks postpartum. Pumping and feeding works differently for everyone, of course, but for me it was perfect to pump completely every morning after the morning feeding and also before going to bed. This allowed me to build up a nice supply in the freezer. Now pumping is definitely not my hobby, but I have to tell you that it was a lot nicer with Pien than with Moos, because I used the hands-free pump Youha have used. What a difference it makes that you simply have your hands free and can really pump anywhere (even at a restaurant table). It also really benefited my production and state of mind. Where I really suffered from a dysphoric milk ejection reflex (D-TSR, in English D-MER, Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex) with Moos when pumping, that was a lot less with Pien. I think because hands-free pumping means you don't have to worry about it as much. Because pumping and feeding went so well, I was also able to build up my exercise without leaking breasts. If you are still looking for a nice hands-free pump, I can recommend the hands-free breast pump (the Gen2) from Youha really recommend!
Are you curious about the further possibilities of breastfeeding & sports? Or do you want to know more about sports during or after pregnancy? Then take a quick look at the website of Fitzwanger Online .
