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You can work out when you’ve been cleared by your doctor… working out has never impacted my ability to produce breast milk but definitely need to make sure to drink a ton of water before, during and after. I have a peloton bike and that’s been a great low impact exercise, plus walking with the stroller and occasional bootcamp more intense classes. It takes time! Always sucks to not feel like oneself but I’d say that even though I lost the weight fairly quickly (6 months), I didn’t really feel like myself until I stopped breastfeeding at 16 months… there’s something about having your own body to yourself without a clinging baby / toddler pulling at your clothes and demanding the nipple haha
I am 11 weeks pp, and I gained only 20 lbs but have only lost 5 since birth - not sure how since the baby weighted 7 lbs!!!!?!. I started to actually lose weight once I started doing intermittent fasting (16:8) after I quit breastfeeding. I am also doing a lot of random peloton strength classes since they have bunch of 15-20 min classes.
Pro
I didn’t lose a pound until I stopped breastfeeding. And once I stopped the weight just fell off (with my first).
With my second, I’m battling off every once ☹️. 6 months pp and still 15 lbs to go (I gained 50). I basically have to eat 1,200 calories or less to get the weight to fall off without any cheat days.
Just know the weight will fall off, it may just take longer than expected.
Rising Star
9 months up. 9 months down. No matter what anyone says, everyone is gonna feel how they feel. The same comment can be a source of hope to one and an annoyance to another. Let's just agree to disagree.
One thing I think all moms can agree on though is that this baby making process is one f*cked up AF process. Like why can we be rewarded by keeping the pretty hair, clear skin, gorgeous glow and big boobs instead? Why does it have to ruin us?
Water, walking (pushing the stroller for extra calorie burn), and lots of protein. I lost 60lbs in 6 months pp while breastfeeding. Lots of water!!
Rising Star
I plan on doing yoga and some body weight exercises at home. HIIT workouts and anything strenuous can increase your lactic acid production and effect breastfeeding, including making your milk sour tasting I've heard.
Check out Mrs. Patel's lactation cookies, or mothers milk herbal tea on Amazon (these are the two I use) to help with milk production. Also drink lots of whole milk (2-3 mugs a day min), get rest and de-stress to help production.
Also, 9 months up - 9 months down. Don't stress and focus on appreciating your body for all its been through. Once you stop breastfeeding and go back to your regular calorie diet, you'll hopefully bounce back.
Try down dog yoga, they have options that let you lower intensity, speed and choose which areas you want to focus on. That being said, go slow when you start.
Rising Star
Focus on what feels good for you as far as diet and exercise. I was eager to go back to my normal eating schedule of regular meals and no snacks, but when I was pumping I was just so hungry! I ate what felt like too much but still lost a little bit of weight while pumping because my body knew I needed it.
If you don’t feel like eating as much as your MIL insists, don’t. Your body will make what your baby needs as long as you’re eating a reasonable diet. Your calorie intake does not determine your supply. I found there was actually a stronger connection to drinking more water than eating more food. When I made a real effort to drink water, I seemed to produce a couple extra ounces the next day. (Totally anecdotal but it can’t hurt!)
For exercise, take walks as often as feels good. Around the block, the grocery store, the mall. Make yourself change baby’s diaper upstairs if you have multiple floors. Otherwise it was too hard for me to incorporate time to workout with baby care.
Best of luck. It’s a really tough transition, and it’s completely okay to prioritize a few things that make you feel better over baby. Happy mama, happy baby!
Pro
Same D1! Kudos to those who lose weight while breastfeeding (I am super envious!) but I’m not part of that club and neither are my friends!
For whatever it's worth, I did not have the major calorie burn that most do. I think someone else had mentioned it being difficult to incorporate working out while pumping/ feeding, and unfortunately I went back to talking after 8 weeks PP with both of my kids, which meant eating out, etc.
I believe what ther others have said too. Honor your body/yourself for what you've done/are doing.
Oh, hormones. I don’t think breastfeeding guarantees, or even helps, weight loss. I am 9 months PP and at 3 months I had only lost 10 lbs from the day I delivered. My advice is to stay hydrated (beyond drinking water, eat water dense foods too) and go on walks. There is no magic bullet, this just takes time.
3 months is nothing, be kind to yourself and do what you can now. After breastfeeding you can step up the intensity. 2 years pp and my latest tally is 35lbs, still have some to go. (Took me extra long to get started because covid)
Lol fair, but to expect to be bouncing back by then is... really short
Chief
I’m 3 months postpartum too. I was taking spin classes starting at 8 weeks and I’ve started HIIT classes this past week. Exercise hasn’t impacted anything for me… but I’ve never had supply issues, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I’ll also say… I don’t think nursing has helped with weight loss at all with either of my kids. I’m watching what I’m eating and tracking and if I had the same metabolism and was burning 600 calories a day nursing the weight would be falling off. Nursing has slowed my metabolism and even being diligent I’m losing less than a pound a week. It’s steady but SO slow. It’s super frustrating because I just want my body back! All that to say, you aren’t alone! Sending you love! 💕
So many people say that breastfeeding helps with losing the extra weight. For me, that was not the case. I lost a good bit of weight in the first 3 weeks pp and then stalled. By 6-8 weeks, I started working out and even did weight watchers (they have a breastfeeding friendly plan) and could not get the scale the budge by more than 5 lbs. It was not until I weaned, that the weight came off. It slowly started melting the following 4-5 months but then I got pregnant with #2 so going through that vicious cycle again!
Pro
Exercise has never impacted milk supply for me, and I workout hard. Water does matter a lot for milk supply, as well as hitting a certain minimum threshold for calories and carbs specifically. But I’ve found that the complex carbs work just as well as the unhealthy ones, so I’ve been able to clean up my diet.
Just had my 4th babe and feeling the same way! I never felt completely myself with the others until I stopped nursing at around a year … I’ve started following thepostpartumcare.com for snack ideas etc
And I like beach body on demand for workouts
Conversation Starter
3 months pp here. My weight didn’t fall off until I stopped breastfeeding. I also did intermittent fasting and recently started working out harder again (if I can even find time) I also take 2 walks with baby every Day for a total
Of one hour of walking I gained about 50 lbs and during pregnancy and have about 10-15 left but i think it’s going to be hard to lose as I’m stalling out. Totally normal to feel this way!
When you are supplementing are you also pumping or nursing? Just asking because if you’re not stimulating more demand, your body is taking in the extra calories while simultaneously not actually producing more milk. If you’re supplementing and not increasing production, I’d scale back the extra calorie intake or work on nursing more to establish supply (if that’s a goal for you.)
Conversation Starter
I m nursing, pumping and supplementing with formula. 😮💨
Whether your nursing or not you can start working out from 6 weeks.
Adding calories to your diet will not increase BM supply. That’s a myth. When you nurse, your body automatically asks you to consume the additional calories, but that is only in the case where you are exclusively nursing.
I have an almost 3 yo and 1 month old.. both of whom I breastfed. But I know for a fact that feeding them formula keeps them just as healthy and in the long run, BM v. Formula will not matter at all.
What is most important right now is your physical and mental well-being. You do you mama - so forget about that BM supply (which I promise does not get affected by working out), and start focusing on your health. Eat healthy diet, start working out and get into a routine and do what makes your “feel good”.
Join milky fitness on Facebook. Great resource