August is National Breastfeeding Month where we celebrate, protect, promote, and encourage mothers along their breastfeeding journeys. Specifically, August 25-31 is Black Breastfeeding Week which is dedicated to addressing the breastfeeding disparities faced by Black mothers and promoting the health benefits of breastfeeding Black infants.
I am passionate about breastfeeding and raising awareness of its importance for both mom and baby. With that, I know a lot of women while on their breastfeeding journeys are simultaneously on their postpartum weight loss/fitness journeys, and it should be ok to be on both without fear of being judged.
You can successfully breastfeed/pump milk for your child while also prioritizing working out and eating correctly. With my first child, I breastfed her for two years and during that time I was a professional athlete and competed at my third Olympic Games.
Even though my fitness goals may look vastly different from when I was running against the best athletes in the world, I still am being very methodical in my approach to my postpartum weight loss. I gained 60lbs during my pregnancy, I’m down 42 lbs, and while I’m proud of the progress I’ve made thus far, I still have more weight that I’m looking to shed eventually.
Losing weight while breastfeeding requires a balanced approach to ensure both the health of mom and the well-being of baby.
Here are a few ways that have been effective in helping me to achieve my fitness goals while breastfeeding:
1. Eating Nutrient-Rich Foods
I do my best to focus on consuming whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to provide necessary nutrients for both me and and my son. I’ve found that making small swaps here and there add up while allowing me to still feel fulfilled in meals. For example, I’ll swap the normal ranch dressing for it’s lite version and use miracle whip over full fat mayonnaise for my vegetable sandwiches. You get the benefit of the taste without the high caloric load.
I also try to avoid crash diets because they can affect milk production and energy levels. As I’m striving to get back to my pre pregnancy weight, I understand it’s more realistic to aim for gradual weight loss, and I fully understand it’s a long game.
In an effort to not feel deprived, instead of being overly consumed with the types of food I’m eating, I place a larger emphasis on portion control. I am mindful of portion sizes and I eat until I’m satisfied, not overly full.
2. Prioritizing proper hydration
It’s imperative to drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain milk supply and support metabolism. On average I consume 3.5 liters a day and back when I was breastfeeding my daughter I was drinking between 4 and 5 liters. This has been incredibly helpful because I’ve found that many times we mistake thirst for hunger and us not being diligent about how much water we consume can have a direct impact on us overeating.
In addition to adequate hydration improving milk supply and encouraging weight loss, there are numerous other health benefits to adequate water intake. Regardless of what journey you’re on, prioritize drinking more water.
3. Breastfeeding Regularly
Even though this may seem like a simple task, creating life sustaining food for a baby is actually pretty remarkable.
Breastfeeding alone burns about 500-700 calories extra per day to fuel milk making, so the energy expenditure just to nurse a child is high in and of itself. From my personal experience, and that of several other moms, the hunger you experience while breastfeeding is pretty intense, so this is where making good meal and snack choices is key. I try to keep a stash of nuts, hummus, guacamole, popcorn, fruit, and carrots on hand to help with those cravings. Making those few swaps of healthy choices can add up substantially to impact weight loss.
4. Having a consistent workout routine
It is ok to engage in gentle postpartum exercises like walking, jogging, or yoga, once your doctor or other health care provider approves. Gradually increase intensity as your body adjusts.
For me, I began walking slowly at 5 days postpartum mainly because I was getting stir crazy and needed to get out of the house. I gradually increased those 15 minute walks to 60 minutes and they not only serve as exercise, but being outside also gives an instant energy and mood boost.
Beginning around 6 weeks postpartum, I designated Saturday mornings as my hill workout days, and have been very consistent ever since. Beginning at 6 smaller hills I worked my way up to 12 big ones, and now I’ve started using the clock to track progress and keep me on track.
I began lifting in our at home gym at around 2.5 months postpartum, but due to pregnancy induced carpal tunnel that I acquired, I’ve been limited in which lifts I can do at the moment. And now at 3.5 months I’ve added this fun at home HITT (hight intensity interval training) workout into the rotation to keep things interesting. I now currently have a mix of long walks, lifts, and at home workouts as the sweet spot of my workout regimen.
Finding new workouts that we enjoy helps with adherence, consistency, and longevity. It is, however, important to listen to our bodies and remember that the process takes time and patience.
5) Finding a cheering squad
My daughter watched me compete in my first postpartum track meet when she was 5.5 months old and compete at my third Olympic Games when she was two. Now that I’ve retired it feels full circle for her, at 4 years old, to see me getting back fit at 3 months postpartum and as a big sister.
Knowing that she is cheering for me on my postpartum fitness journey serves as a huge motivator. It’s my goal to show her how much I value fitness, even though I am retired from organized sport. Our kids are always watching, and they want to see us win too.
Regardless of where you are on your fitness journey, accountability is important and your cheering squad doesn’t need to be huge for it to be impactful!
Even though a nursing mother’s primary focus while breastfeeding should be to provide nourishment for her baby, it’s ok to also prioritize working towards her fitness goals. With a balanced diet, adequate hydration, fun workouts, and getting a cheering squad, it will be easier achieve postpartum fitness goals while still successfully breastfeeding your child.
Here’s to getting it done!
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Dr. Tiffany Ofili Porter 