Whenever I was pregnant, I got tons of advice from all kinds of people on breastfeeding. From others great experiences to terrible experiences, I heard it all.
I knew that I absolutely wanted to nurse, but I was prepared to take whatever route worked best for Rosy. It turns out, she loved nursing, and it has been a great experience for both me and her!
Something that so many people told me, was that if I wanted to nurse I wouldn’t be able to work out or I would lose my supply. I knew that I couldn’t go more than a year without going to the gym, so I started doing my research on what I could do to keep up my workouts.
I can happily say that these six steps helped me keep a great supply of milk for over a year, all while continuing to exercise on a daily basis.
Oatmeal for breakfast every single day.
I love oatmeal, and this wasn’t something that was hard for me at all. My body seemed to crave it even more post-pregnancy than it did before. Oats are shown to help increase milk supply in nursing mama’s, so incorporating them into your diet is a great thing to do.
I usually eat a 3/4 cup bowl every single morning. If you can’t stomach oatmeal though, there are tons of other ways to incorporate this healthy carb into your diet. I often mix a quarter cup into a smoothie or make gluten-free muffins with them. It’s easy to use oats in granola or cookies.
The key is, find a way you like to eat it, and do it every single day.
Eating enough.
This one is what I think women who struggle with losing their milk supply while working out are really seeing happen. So often, we go all in with working out and reducing our caloric intake.
While this may work when you’re not nursing, it can be a detriment to your breastfeeding plan when you are. Getting enough good calories is key to producing good milk.
Think about it, if your body feels a decrease in calories, it will stop doing what it feels isn’t absolutely vital to your wellbeing. Producing breast milk will be one of the first things to go.
They key here, is to eat good quality foods. Fruits, vegetables, good carbs like rice and oats, and lean meats. The way to make good milk is to eat good food, and enough of it!!
Drink tons of water.
When you’re nursing, it’s important to drink water. Then drink some more. I was super thirsty all of the time when I first started breastfeeding, so this was totally doable for me.
I kept a cup with me all of the time. If I found it empty while I was in one of those really long nursing sessions in the beginning, I would get someone to fill it up for me. Water is crucial, not only while nursing, but also while working out.
Think about how much water you need (usually around an ounce per pound of your bodyweight) and then drink more than that.
Don’t overdo it.
It is so tempting when you get the go ahead to start exercising again to go overboard. When I got the all clear from my doctor 6 weeks after Rosy was born, Clay (who knows me all too well) put me on a slow growth training plan.
I wanted to jump right back into running, but he made a plan that involved running and walking that worked up to my pre-birth running routine in about 6 weeks.
This worked out really well for me. It kept me active, but I didn’t hurt my body or have any drop in milk supply since I eased in.
Avoid antihistamines.
Antihistamines greatly impact milk supply! I have taken some medicines with antihistamines and every single time I notice a drop in supply.
When I can’t avoid taking something with an antihistamine in it, I always compensate by offering an extra nursing session afterwards to help.
So, this is exactly how I have kept a super high milk supply for over a year while working out. I hope it helps you!