Exercise and Breastfeeding. Tips for athlete moms who breastfeed
August was national breastfeeding month, so I thought I’d share my experience with breastfeeding - from a ‘learning to nurse’ standpoint, from a ‘pumping while at work’ standpoint, from a ‘mom athlete wanting to compete again and still successfully breastfeed’ standpoint.
I remember taking a breastfeeding class while I was pregnant with my first kid. My husband came to the class with me, and it was packed full of information. I also remember thinking, I’m not so sure I want to do this……it was overwhelming, sounded difficult, and honestly, it sounded painful. There was a lot of fear for me during that first pregnancy (and that’s probably a blog series in and of itself), and things didn’t go quite as planned with that labor and delivery (I did do a blog series on that!), but I was able to establish a successful breastfeeding routine with him. I am proud of that because I worked hard for that outcome. I used the tools that I learned in the breastfeeding class, and it helped so much. Even after an emergency c-section, and not seeing my child for the first 24 hours of his life, I was able to nurse him.
And my little guy and I got in a good rhythm. I started to establish a pumping routine early on because I was headed back to work after 4 weeks recovery (again, probably another blog post in and of itself). I quickly established my pumping routine at work, and I am so thankful that everyone I worked with was supportive. I then began the journey of pumping at conferences, and weddings, and bathrooms, and my car. And so we had this nursing/pumping routine figured out. I would pump in the morning, and he would get those bottles after I had left for work. I would pack frozen milk for him, and I would pump 3-4 times a day while I was at work. I’d get home, and I would nurse him, and then nurse him again before bed. The weekends were a bit more relaxed, and I was able to nurse him more than pumping. This was my normal. This took work. This took planning. This took energy and effort, but I loved it. For all the fear that I had built up over the pain of breastfeeding and the worry about how many ounces he was getting, I deep down, absolutely cherished the special bond that we had.
And I set my sights on a “come-back” race. Now I use this term lightly because back in 2010 when I had my oldest, I wasn’t looking to do a come-back race to achieve a come-back bikini body, or to come right back to the person I was pre-baby. I was coming back to looking into the mirror, and seeing this woman who birthed a child, who was strong, and resilient, and was not willing to give up. Who wanted so much out of this life, who cherished motherhood and what this new definition meant for her lifestyle.
The race I had set my sights on was the PT Solution’s Acworth Women’s Triathlon. This was my first triathlon, and I was 7 months postpartum on race day. Yes, I love running, and biking I’m ok at, but swimming is not my jam. That made this race difficult, something different, outside my comfort zone, and fun to do while navigating the new schedules of daycare, work, and pumping. I’m happy to say that I survived the race! I honestly can’t remember my time, and I believe I was in the top 10. What I really remember though was that I pumped in the car before the race, I actually finished the swim, I didn’t get a flat tire on the bike, I ran like the wind at the end, and I was so proud of myself!
I didn’t have a specific time frame in mind for how long I wanted to nurse, but I had a work trip coming up when my son was 21 months old, and it ended up being the perfect time for us to transition to our next phase. Flash forward a couple of years, and I was pregnant with my second child. I again had the same desire and determination to have a successful breastfeeding journey with this new little one, but I also knew that just as every pregnancy, labor, delivery, and baby are different, so can be the outcome of trying to nurse.
Now if you’ve read my previous blog series on why I’m a chiropractor, then you know that I went from an emergency c-section with my first to a VBAC with my second (hooray chiropractic care!), and I am so thankful that I was again able to establish a normal nursing routine with my newest little one. This time, I was headed back to work in 12 weeks (because I learned my lesson – your body needs to recover!), and by the time I went back, we were nursing champs.
So of course, I set my sights on my next “come-back” race. Why not try for a 3:15 marathon – a personal best!?!? I created my training plan, figured out when I could get my long runs in, made sure I had worked things around my pumping schedule, and began training for the 7 Bridges Marathon in Chattanooga, TN. This was a bit of a goal for me. My previous marathon personal best was 3:29 at the Atlanta marathon, and I figured, if I can run the Atlanta hills, then I could probably manage the Tennessee hills. Just to add to the fun, I thought it would be neat if the whole family came and stayed at the Dixie Queen Riverboat the night before the race………So all 4 of us (my husband, my 3 ½ year old, my 10 month old, and me) stayed in a room the size of a closet. I was supposed to get a get night’s rest in a small twin bed with the rest of the room taken up by a pack-n-play! Nevertheless, I was able to get up, pump without waking anyone, and get to the start on time. I got to wave to my family on the deck of the boat as I started the race!
I came in at 3:19:50 which earned me 2nd place female overall. I didn’t quite reach my goal, but do you know, that’s still my marathon PR. (And this blog picture post is of my youngest enjoying my post race finishers medal!) That earned me a Boston Marathon qualifying time (which I ran in 2015). I haven’t come close to this marathon time since then either! I continued to nurse the second time around for 24 months. It had eventually gotten to the point where he would just nurse at night, then every other night, and then it seemed that our time was done. I didn’t expect to be so emotional about my nursing journey or to love it as much as I did.
Here are some things that made my nursing and exercising journey successful:
Get adjusted! Let’s talk about the nursing posture – it’s horrible: slouched forward, hunched shoulders, and no it’s not always like that, but it is very difficult to maintain good posture while nursing. I was not adjusted during my first pregnancy or postpartum time, and I was with my second. So yes, I give chiropractic care credit for not only helping me with my VBAC, but also helping me alleviate some of the stress of nursing. The poor nursing posture can compromise the mid back, and the nerves the come from that area go to the heart and lungs and digestive organs, and also supply the sympathetic nervous system – the fight or flight response. Chiropractic care to help restore proper nervous system function and alleviate the extra stress on the nervous system!
Establish the nursing routine and rest and recover your body. Yes, you can set your sights on that come back race, but there is absolutely no rush. I’m 9 and 6 years postpartrum, and I still like to think of some of races I do as “come back” races. Use those early days, weeks, and months at home to do nothing, but bond and sleep and rest.
Being supported by family, friends, spouse, etc. I don’t know that I would have been able to continue nursing had my husband, my friends, my mom, and my in-laws not been so supportive of it.
The amount of exercise you do does not necessarily dictate your milk supply. If you are stressed at work, and then stressed driving home, and then stressed making dinner, and then stressed running 10 miles, then your milk supply might suffer. But running and exercise alone, don’t have to dictate how much milk your body produces. The biggest lesson I learned between pregnancies was to RELAX!
Learning when to ask for help from - lactation consultants, pediatricians, chiropractors, postpartum doulas, fellow moms, anyone who would listen! I had clogged ducts, questions about cluster feeding, questions about the clicking sounds my baby was making while nursing (definitely want to check and make sure your baby has a proper latch!), questions about how much milk my baby would drink at daycare, how to properly freeze and thaw breastmilk, etc. Ask those questions!
Nourish your body! You must drink enough water, and you must be getting proper nutrients. There’s also herbs, teas, and supplements you can take to help increase your milk supply. Mother’s milk tea with fenugreekl is just one of those herbs/teas.
Not stressing over how much milk I was producing – I learned this second time around. First time was filled with stress and going back to work too soon, and worrying that my supply would dry up or that I wouldn’t produce enough to feed my baby. Transitioning a baby from breast to bottle can be tricky. Not only with bottle selection (always do slow flow nipples if you still want to maintain a nursing routine), but how much to feed, and when to know they are nursing for hunger vs nursing to pacify. When I would come home from work, I’d tell my husband, “I was so productive today”, and I would hold up the cooler from my pump with the milk from the day 😊 You are enough, and you are providing enough for you baby. Find the people who can support you and tell you objectively how you are doing without making you feel inadequate or shamed.
Finding the pump that worked for me and having a car charger! You don’t have to be a full-time working mom to get a breast pump. It was so super helpful with allowing me to get up early and run and go to work or to fit in some extra sessions and help create a freezer stash. I’ve definitely pumped in a parking lot. And y’all, they’ve made huge advancements in breast pumps now (just check out the Willow pump). I used a Medela Pump in Style with all the tubes and flanges and crazy sounds. Insurance will even cover breast pumps now, so do some research.
Take a breastfeeding class – the information I used there helped tremendously. I learned the different ways to hold my baby while nursing, and I felt comfortable and confident that I could succeed at it. Side-lying was perfect for my second child, but football hold and lots of boppy pillows worked best for my first. Knowing I had options and using the tools I had learned in those classes was instrumental in my successful breastfeeding journey. Make your spouse go to the class with you too!
Not stressing over making it to a certain milestones – my first I nursed for 21 months, and my second 24 months and by golly, I’m proud of that. Some moms might think that’s not long enough and others might be amazed, but it was what worked for me, my kids, my husband, my family, and my life.
Take care of yourself – in the ways that fill your cup. There is a big self-care craze nowadays. And I guess, I was taking part in that craze many years ago when I set these running and nursing goals. Running is part of my self-care. Exercise and being outside in nature fill my cup. By setting these goals, and putting in the work, I was taking care of myself which really helped in my successful breastfeeding journey.
What tips would you share to new moms to help support them?
*Disclaimer: I am simply sharing my journey and experience, and this blog is in no way shape or form meant to discredit or shame moms who cannot or choose to not breastfeed. This list of tips is in no way exhaustive either. My hope is that you read something that makes you want to research more or open up the lines of communication between you and your family and your healthcare providers. The information here is not intended to diagnose or be taken as medical advice. Always talk with you healthcare providers and lactation specialists about your breastfeeding issues.