Hellobee Boards

I'm in the same boat. I'd like to start exercising sooner. Last time, I had to make sure I kept my caloric intake up and drink TONS of water. I'm hoping to count macros this time and eat healthier in addition to running.

with my first, I started running the day the doctor cleared me at 5 weeks and was able to nurse her until she was 20 months, and that included training for and running several races including a marathon. I was lucky to never have supply issues, BUT I did make sure I drank a TON of water, Nuun when I needed it (electrolytes), and lots and lots of healthy fats.

I start going on walks pretty soon. Just slow sight seeing walks. With my 2 others I started incorporating slow jogs around 2 weeks pp. I'd only jog for a min and then walk for like 3 min. I've been a runner for awhile so even though everything is super slow (my jog is really no faster than walking speed) just psychologically it helps me to get out of the house and feel like I'm progressing, even if it's only for 10-20 min. I build up very slowly, adding an extra lil something each week. With both it took me about 8 months to really feel like I was back to pre pregnancy working out. But it took going week by week and honestly not each week was positive. Sometimes I'd hit a set back and say ok let's reel in the goals and take it easy for a week or two.

The biggest challenge for me was limiting my time in a sports bra. Sometimes I'd get in a bad habit of doing other things when I got home and stay in it for too long, which would make clogs. Def drink lots of water and eat lots. I never drank whole milk before but whole milk, whole milk yogurt. Lots of avocados and bananas and coconut. Oatmeal works like a charm boosting my supply and I eat lots of oatmeal.

@Mrs. Sunshine: Haha 2,500 is on the low end for me. I'm usually closer to 3,000 Which seems ridiculous...

I worked out while pregnant with LO1 doing CrossFit Mom workouts. I went back to the gym at 2 weeks just to stretch and then jumped back in to group workouts at 6 weeks. I got mastitis after my first real work out. It wasn't until later that I learned mastitis can be brought on by stress/exhaustion (at least according to my LC and experiences). So my tip would be to ramp up and not go all out.

As long as you are getting enough food and water, it shouldn't really affect your supply. I just make sure to do things like add peanut butter to my oatmeal, snack on other higher calorie/healthy foods (cheese, nuts), etc. I'd also make sure you're specifically drinking during your workouts and getting something to eat & drink soon after to replenish.

That being said, I've always worked out more for sanity and fitness than actual weight loss. I think if you are looking at it as a way to lose baby weight, you'll just have to be careful and recognize that only a small calorie deficit/slow weight loss may be obtainable for you while nursing.

You may not have supply issues with working out. With my first I started training for a half marathon when she was 6weeks old. I never had a drop in supply. I increased water on run days and would have oatmeal for breakfast most days. I would nurse immediately before and after a run (it took her a few times to get used to sweaty boob!)
This time, I'm 7weeks pp now, I began walking a mile everyday at 3w pp and am back to barre and yoga 3-4x a week. I've noticed no change in supply. I had a bought if mastitis at 4weeks, so I'm avoiding high impact like running for now, but I've added lecithin in as a supplement to help avoid clogged ducts.

@mfa_lady: I think it's different when you pump (at work or as an EPer) and you see the oz you pump out, as opposed to feeding a baby and not knowing what they were getting. I EPd for my first and nursed but pumped at work for my second and both times, every time I worked out hard, I had an immediate small drop in supply. When I worked out for 3 weeks straight with my second, I had a drop in supply that never really recovered. (From about 30 oz a day to 22-24). If I were nursing, I probably never would have noticed and the baby would have just eaten more solids. Which might be the reason my girls were so late to solids--they both drank a looot of BM through bottles until a year old. Up to 30 oz a day sometimes.

I was doing everything--drinking tons of water, drinking BM teas, eating 3k calories a day...and still, working out caused a drop. Could be just me, but every mama friend I have in real life that works out while nursing has had babies that take to solids very early and heartily. I've always secretly theorized that their babies are hungrier than mine, haha---which, hey, who cares. By 6 months, babies are mixing food and bm so the ratio doesn't matter so much. I'm just interested. I wish we could have a study with consistent weighted feeds after hard exercise, it would be cool to see the results.