How To Exercise While Breastfeeding

The postpartum journey is a unique season of life. Your body went through so much with in the last year, you’re most likely not sleeping, and eating whatever anyone throws at you. There are days where it feels like you’re in pure survival mode. So deciding when you’re ready to return to fitness post-pregnancy as a new mom is challenging! And if you happen to be breastfeeding your little one, things get even more complicated. Your body’s number one priority is to keep that sweet human alive. With that in mind, you may feel ready to workout again but you also want to keep your milk supply high. Can you lose the baby weight, tone up and keep a strong milk supply all at the same time? Here are some of my tops tips for How to Exercise While Breastfeeding.

You can workout and keep your supply.

Gosh, before I became pregnant I heard myths all the time about how working out postpartum could cause your milk supply to dry up. Contrary to these opinions, exercising  as a breastfeeding mama does not affect milk supply. Now it may change the taste of your milk due to the increase in lactic acid levels after a vigorous workout. But chances are you won’t be jumping into a vigorous fitness plan any time soon after becoming a new mom. You’ll be busy, you know, getting used to the new way of things.

Don’t skimp on calories.

Behold, the good news! If you’ve ever experienced breastfeeding you may have even chuckled to yourself reading this headline, “Skimp on calories! When I breastfeed I have an appetite bigger than my entire family combined.” I hear you, mama! So did I, and I listened to it! My intuition of eating when I was hungry and just making sure it was HEALTHY did me all the favors. I exclusively pumped for 8 months and my son is STILL making his way through his freezer stash at 18 months old with a whopping 420 ounces left!

Breastfeeding is often thought to be the answer to a new mommy’s desire to lose the baby weight after birth. Well there’s actually a lot of truth to that (if you’re eating well and self-care is somewhat of a priority in you life). Your body has to work to make breastmilk which burns calories and then it burns an extra 400-500 calories a day on top of that while the baby is actually feeding (or you’re pumping). So moms working out should keep that in mind! If you’re under eating, and working out, and breastfeeding – your milk supply will drop because calorie for calorie you’re in a severe deficit.

The number varies for each woman, of course, but serves as a good reason to make up those extra calories burned with healthy snacks in general. Without those extra calories, it’s harder to produce breast milk. Avoid eating empty calories that are high in unhealthy fats and sugar  and stick to a clean diet. Oh, and please don’t consider eating low-carb. You can adventure down that road if you desire to do so once your breastfeeding journey has come to an end.

Drink up!

In addition to a clean diet and light to moderate exercise, you’ll need to be guzzling lots of water! At least 100 ounces if you’re breastfeeding and an additional 25 ounces for every 30 mins of exercise on top of that. Sweat equals water lost. Breast milk equals water lost. You have to be replenishing your body to keep all systems working efficiently.  This will ensure you keep your metabolism in a prime state, keep your own energy levels up (as much as possible) and keep your milk supply healthy.

One of my favorite tips for getting your water in for the day is making sure you have a large water bottle with you at all times! Fro, when you sit down to nurse or pump, to when you leave the house for groceries. Always have water on hand to sip on.

Workout Around Your Baby’s Feeding Schedule.

Planning your workout as a breastfeeding mom can be tricky to say the least. If you’re anything like me, when you’re “full” a workout is barely happening. The weight on your chest is unbearable to carry let alone workout with! You may want to time your workout right after a feeding or pumping so that you’re emptier and more comfortable. I know breastfeeding is literally a part-time job, and making time for both can be complicated at times but it isn’t impossible.

Have a plan and know what you’ll be doing every day when you workout.  Knowing the type of workout and how long it’ll take you are two factors most likely to affect your ability to fit it all in. Take a trip to the gym to go to a fitness class where you have to pump before, account for the drive time, do the 1 hour class, pick up baby from the daycare, drive home and most likely pump soon after. Compared to a quick strength training session at home while the baby is napping.

The key is to think ahead and do what works for your schedule and your family. Also, don’t stress about it too much! There will be days when the timing is off, or the workout doesn’t happen, and that’s okay. You’re doing your best. Give yourself grace.

Take your time.

It’s recommended to rest for at least 6 weeks post-baby before returning to any level of physical activity. I myself returned back to my “regular” routine (beginner level strength training and light walking) at 7 weeks postpartum and I still eased into even that only hitting the gym a couple of days a week. Just keep in mind you’re safest to let your body rest those first 6 weeks, then get your MD or midwifes clearance to start on a light to moderate workout plan.

You’ll also be glad to know that exclusively breastfed babies of moms who regularly exercise grow at about the same rate and are just as healthy as moms who don’t workout – which means breast milk is nutritional whether you work out or not. If you’re a new mom you may want to start with  something low-impact, such as yoga, pilates, or light circuit training. Again, this does of course differ from woman-to-woman. Some women can jump right back into running and lifting decently heavy weights. Just listen to your body and do what feels okay.

Remember – your body has just been through an incredible transformation and your hormones can be all over the place. Because of that, certain things like paying attention to joint pain or overly stretched or tight muscles is a big deal and should be assessed prior to starting to avoid injury.

Use it as your “me” time

A brand new human to take care of definitely flips your entire world upside down. Your schedule changes, your love grows, and your time commitments and priorities shift. I see if over and over again –  moms prioritize above everything else over themselves and they honestly no longer value self-care. It’s not that they intentionally ignore themselves.

But, everyone else takes precedence. No bueno! 

Exercise can be that release of stress. It can be that “me” time that helps you to get away and do something for you. It’ll help you feel and be your best, both mentally and physically. Great for moms since it helps improve the quality of sleep you are getting (which may be very little), it increases endorphins and feel good hormones and it aids in digestion and increased energy levels.

If you’re a new{ish} mom needing a plan, strong support and a community of women on a similar journey then I’d love to chat with you about how you can get started on your OWN journey to feeling amazing and get you plugged into our awesome online tribe. It’s a place where we’re all just doing life with one another – a healthy life that is. Working out together, sharing recipes and meal plans, and most importantly it’s a safe place for you to begin a journey of self-care and love as you become your best self.

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All my love,