Exercise and Breastfeeding- How to Nourish your Body while Nourishing your Baby
Breastfeeding and exercise. I have lots of things to say regarding this topic and lots of questions to ask to a mama who wants to exercise during this time. Not that I’m against it, as you know I’m 1,000% behind exercise. But so many times I find moms starting to exercise in the postpartum period for reasons like:
To lose the baby weight
Because they feel lazy
Because their bellies don’t look like they used to
They feel uncomfortable and self-conscious about their bodies
And I also find that there are a lot of questions surrounding exercise and breastfeeding. Not to mention a lot of these conversations start because people have been told they will lose weight breastfeeding and end up not- which is a whole different topic to discuss.
First of all, it is natural and normal for your body to hold onto weight while breastfeeding. It is also natural and normal for your body to be larger, squishier, and have more fat on it after having a baby regardless of how you are feeding that baby.
Second, while you’re feeding your baby from your body it is important that you are also nourishing yourself properly- meaning you’re eating well and exercising in a way that supports you mentally and physically.
So let’s chat more about this topic. How should you exercise when you’re breastfeeding?
Exercise and Breastfeeding: Less Intensity, More Building Foundations
Breastfeeding is a big deal for your body. Not only do you have extra hormones surging through your body (our good ol’ friend relaxin), but you’re also probably waking up more often to feed so your sleep isn’t great either, which can throw hormones out of whack as well.
With a rise in cortisol (your stress hormone) that can come with interrupted sleep and increased demand on your body, it is very unlikely that intense exercise will serve you well at this time. High intensity exercise can also come with a rise in cortisol and adding stress hormone on top of stress hormone probably isn’t the best idea. This, however, can depend on how long you’ve been breastfeeding, how old your baby is, what your sleep looks like, etc. so it isn’t like you have to avoid intense exercise until you’re done breastfeeding- you just have to be aware of signs that it isn’t serving you well, such as:
Increased fatigue
Drop in milk supply
Incontinence, pain, or symptoms like heaviness or bulging in the vagina
When you’re first starting out with exercise, which is totally possible while breastfeeding, start with building the foundations and save adding in intensity like impact or heavier lifting, for later. This is a good idea no matter how you are feeding your baby, as your body just went through a lot of changes and re-learning movement patterns/working up to more activity is helpful for overall core and pelvic floor health.
Exercise and Breastfeeding: Match Increased Demand with Increased Nourishment
Basically, don’t try to diet. Seriously. This may be a turn off point for you, but I want to start by saying that it is NORMAL for your body to hold onto more fat while breastfeeding. It is normal for your body to be bigger after having a baby.
It is normal to look like you had a baby after you had a baby.
When it comes to exercising while breastfeeding, it is important to match that increased demand with increased nourishment- meaning eat more. Don’t try to cut calories or food groups while breastfeeding and adding in exercise. You need the energy all types of foods provide and you certainly need to nourish a body that is nourishing another human.
This is especially true in the early postpartum period (up to 1 year) and continues to be true with longer-term feeding. If your goal is fat loss, you can do this without drastically cutting your calories or entire food groups.
Exercise and Breastfeeding: Take into Account Sleep, Mood Shifts, and Changes in Baby’s Eating Patterns
Life with a baby comes with not really knowing how you’re going to feel day to day, how much sleep you’re going to get, and what your mood and energy will be like day to day.
One day you could feel fantastic, you’ve gotten tons of sleep (“tons” likely meaning a 4-5 hour stretch), and baby is eating well. The next day you could be dealing with sleeplessness, cluster feeding, and feeling like you just have too much on your plate.
Take this all into account when exercising. If you have an exercise plan, don’t feel guilty if it needs to change. Maybe do one set of the exercises instead of 3, stretch instead of work out, get outside to walk for 5 minutes rather than pushing yourself to do an entire workout.
Be flexible with and kind to yourself.
In my newest 8-week program, Fourth Trimester Recover and Rebuild, we discuss how to change your exercise based on your physical and mental needs day to day as well as work on building foundations, healing your pelvic floor, and strengthening your core post-baby. Check it out here.
Exercise and Breastfeeding: Core and Pelvic Floor Recovery First
No matter how you’re feeding your baby, this is an important step to returning to the exercise you love. Start gente and mindful, with core and pelvic floor recovery first. This can often start weeks after birth, as it is gentle enough to be done early and important for your body to start reconnecting again, and continue as long as you need it to.
Meaning, there is no “one-size-fits-all” timeline for core and pelvic floor recovery. Someone who had an uncomplicated vaginal birth would differ from someone else who had a significant tear or a C-section birth. It all depends on the individual as to what and how much of this recovery they need.
That being said, this doesn’t mean that core and pelvic floor recovery needs to be your SOLE focus and you have to cut all other exercise out completely until it’s done. Not at all. Generally my clients are beginning core and pelvic floor recovery exercises and very gentle strength training when they feel up to it after birth. Then as we continue, we evaluate how their body is feeling and responding to these demands and move along a timeline to return to fitness that is unique to them. This is a big focus in Fourth Trimester Recover and Rebuild, matching core and pelvic floor recovery with rebuilding strength in the first 6 months postpartum. If you want a program that focuses on core and pelvic floor recovery and nourishing your body through breastfeeding-friendly exercise, sign up to test the program and grab a launch discount here.
And there you have it, friends, all about exercise while breastfeeding. Exercise is fantastic and can help tremendously with postpartum mood disorders and simply giving yourself some love in the postpartum period, however you do have to keep in mind that your body is already under increased demand and your exercise should match this phase in your life by not over-taxing you.
Any questions on specific types of exercise while breastfeeding? Let me know in the comments below!