Our top 6 tips to help breastfeedling mums who exercise

If you are a breastfeeding mum and wanting to get stuck into exercise, here are the Pram Fitness top 6 exercise tips to help get you started with confidence that your milk supply will be a-ok!

Having a baby is a pretty incredible feat! Let’s think about that for a second, you have grown a human being…

Amazing!!

So now that your baby is here it’s important for you to know there are so many amazing benefits to keeping active post birth.

The thing is that so many mums worry about the effects of exercise while breastfeeding but the good news is that with a little bit of knowledge under your belt you can continue (or even start) to work out and safely feed your baby with no issues. Yay!

#1 Moderate exercise does not cause any harm to your breast milk or supply

There are so many benefits to exercising after having a baby, including:

• Improved health and fitness
• Improved mental health and energy levels
• Reduction of stress levels
• Improved bone strength
• Can help with weight control and
• Can help with mums that are experiencing post-natal depression

So for your own peace of mind…

According to the Australian Breastfeeding Association, moderate exercise will not affect breast milk supply or the levels of immune factors and major minerals and nutrients in breast milk.

Some research has shown lactic acid levels increased after maximal exercise, I don’t believe this is a problem for many exercising mums.

The first reason is most women only want to perform moderate exercise rather than high-intensity sessions (working at 100% for the whole session).

The second and main reason is that there is no evidence that these short increases of lactic acid has any effect on the milk nutrition.

So even if you are one of the mothers who want to go all out, you don’t need to worry that exercise will have an impact your breastfeeding journey.

#2 Start slowly and gradually build up your intensity

The way most mums describe breastfeeing and exercising is that they are moving around with 2 rockmelons where their boobs used to be.

If you are just getting back to exercise keep the intensity low to minimise bouncing and ease yourself into more impact when it feels right.

HOT TIP: If it doesn’t feel good when you’re exercising, stop or reduce the impact. Listen to your body and be kind to yourself as you transition back to exercise with some new life challenges.

#3 Breastfeed before you start exercising

It’s true that large, full and heavy breasts will be super uncomfortable (especially as you start to add in movement).

Giving your baby a feed before you exercise can have a double benefit…

A: Empting your breasts might give you a bit of comfort while you exercise and

B: It might help your baby to stay settled for a bit longer while you work out and before they need another feed – win win!

#4 Invest in a good breastfeeding maternity sports bra

It seems these days that a good breastfeeding sports bra is not that easy to find in a shop but if you are happy to take a chance and buy one online, you won’t be disappointed.

Some of the things to look out for when buying a breastfeeding sports bra are:

• Look for an option that has no wire as this can help with reducing the chance of blocked ducts which can lead to mastitis – eeeeek painful!
• Feeding clips at the front that are easily accessible. This way if you need to take a quick break from your workout to feed your baby you can do so with minimising any stress you might have about feeding your baby in public and it makes sure that your baby doesn’t get too upset waiting for a feed.

It’s true that some of our mums that come to Pram Fitness even feed and exercise at the same time. I know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I’m all about encouraging mums to do exactly what they want, when they want. In my eyes these mums are pretty much breastfeeding superheros.

TIP: Pram Fitness mum Sophia Thompson recommends Cadenshape Nursing Bras. Cadenshape is a New Zealand brand of activewear that has been developed specifically for breastfeeding mums. You can check them out here: https://www.cadenshae.co.nz/

 

#5 Drink lots and lots of water

Always, always, always keep a drink bottle handy and make sure you drink throughout your workout.

Also keep in mind if it’s particularly hot or if you sweat a lot it’s important to replace lost fluids so you might need even more water than you think you need.

My favourite water tip is to purchase a 1 Litre bottle, drink till you are finished and then fill it up and go again. You want to be getting through at least 3 litres (or more) of water every day and this is a great way to know where you are up to.

#6 Wipe your breasts before you feed your baby

When you sweat your body leaves behind a salty flavour and some babies just don’t like the taste.

If this is the case keep some wet wipes on hand to give yourself a bit of a once over before you feed.

So there you have it, 6 tips to help you feel safe and confident that it’s ok to be a breastfeeding mum who works out.

Enjoy
Karen xxx