Breastfeeding and Exercise

Begin your weight loss program slowly when you are breastfeeding. Increase your activity level and eat less fat and sugar and more fruits and vegetables. Try to take in at least 1,800 calories each day, and definitely no less than 1,500 calories. Even moderate dieting during lactation can help you lose 4-5 pounds each month, but don't expect to lose body fat until about 2 weeks postpartum. The weight you lose immediately after birth is usually fluid loss. Mothers who breastfeed more frequently lose weight faster than mothers who nurse less often, and mothers who nurse for shorter periods of time tend to lose weight more slowly than mothers who nurse longer. You may get lucky and find that you can eat more than you ever could before and still lose weight while nursing. That was the case with me, but I did find that eating a whole container of Ben and Jerry's before bedtime every night kept me from losing weight as quickly as I would have liked.

Despite one highly publicized but very questionable study about exercising during lactation, there is NO evidence that moderate exercise is anything but beneficial for nursing mothers (or anyone else, for that matter.) Plan to exercise after nursing so your breasts won't be full and uncomfortable. Wear a supportive sports bra. Drink a glass of water before and immediately after exercising. Drink more in hot weather. If you regularly lift weights or do other exercises involving repetitive arm movement, start slowly. If you develop plugged ducts, cut back and start again more slowly. Rinse off your breasts before nursing - some babies don't like the taste of the salt. Take walks with your baby. If you carry him in a backpack, his extra weight will use up even more calories. Weather permitting, go for lots of walks - this counts as exercise and gets you out of the house as well. It the weather keeps you inside, try carrying your little one in a sling while you do housework - and try dancing with him. You may feel silly, but he'll love it and so will you. Nobody will see you, and postpartum mothers are supposed to act a little bit goofy - the technical term is "baby brain".