Breastfeeding and exercise: What you need to know
We’re often asked about breastfeeding and exercise so thought let’s put all our pointers in one place for those of you who are navigating your breastfeeding and exercise journey. Please note we are not lactation consultants, we are speaking from our experience of breastfeeding our two girls and qualifications - certificate in Nutrition for Lactation.
Wait six weeks
Firstly, yes it is okay to exercise when you are breastfeeding. Exercising is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health.
It’s a good idea to wait 6 weeks before getting into exercise to allow your milk supply to establish. When you do return to exercise be sure to do so under a qualified trainer and set the foundations. See our blog – ‘Getting back into exercise after having a baby is a big deal’ for more info on how to return correctly.
Will it affect my supply?
Lots of women are worried about exercising whilst feeding because they are not too sure how it might affect their milk supply. Research suggests that moderate exercise shouldn’t affect milk supply, BUT, it’s really important to point out that everyone is different and it is something that every feeding mum needs to be mindful of.
Some women may find their supply is affected while others may have no problem at all. For example Ren found her supply was quite low and it was further reduced with high intensity exercise - she needed to keep exercise very moderate whereas me Jen, I found exercising didn't interfere with my supply and was in time able to return to my normal exercise regime. Moral of the story – everyone's supply is different!
Make your nutrition a TOP priority
More so than ever your nutrition needs to be top of the priority list. Think about it like this. Your body burns 500 cal per day just by making breast milk so if you are then exercising then you are burning more calories on top of that. So therefore you need to replace those calories!
Your nutrition needs to be front and centre. If you don't focus on your nutrition then of course your milk supply could suffer. You need to replace those calories that you burn. Our 3 principles for eating healthy are; Wholesomeness, variety and unprocessed! Get in as much goodness as you can. Now is most certainly not the time to restricting calories!
Same goes for hydration. Did you know that 88% of breast milk is made up of water? Everyone across the board should be drinking a minimum of 2 litres per day. Add in breastfeeding and you need to increase it again. Add in exercise and you need to increase it even further. Because when you exercise you sweat and you need to replace that fluid.
Listen to your body
When you do get back into things be sure to listen to your body and get in tune with your milk supply. If you go too hard too soon, don't focus on your nutrition and put your body under too much physical stress it could affect your supply.
In our opinion it’s slow and steady that wins the race, take your time easing back into exercise. One walk at a time, one workout at a time. Your body and your mind will thank you for getting out and moving.
It doesn't need to be intense in those early days, a little bit of movement goes a long way and it’s an incredible tool to help you manage in those early and challenging months as a new mum.
We always say – Move your body and you’ll move your mindset!
Jen x