Staying Fit, Fabulous and Full of Milk

3. Water, water and more water. I can’t stress this enough. Drinking water before, during and after your workouts is imperative. Experts and doctors agree that dehydration can zap water from your milk supply. So, get your drink on! One of my favorite ways of fitting in water is with Hint. It gives your water just a “hint” of flavor, without any preservatives, sugar or calories.

4. Eat fat! Not only is adequate hydration key for keeping your milk supply alive but also for sufficient calories and fat intake! The recommendation for exclusively breastfeeding moms is generally anywhere from 300 to 500 calories per day (above what you took in before you were pregnant). Assuming you took in extra calories during your last two trimesters of pregnancy, you may already be close to that amount. As Dr. Emily Sikking, OBGYN, co-author of The Pregnancy Test, and co-founder of Oh Yes! foods, reminds us, nursing moms often forget about continuing to eat enough fat, which is especially important if they are rigorously exercising. Sikking says, “You need fat and protein for milk production. Many women think that cutting fat out is the solution to weight-loss, but, in fact, you need it to continue to make enough breast milk. When you exercise in certain ways you burn fat more than others, so depending on your workout regimen, you may actually need to consume more fat to continue to make breast milk.”

5. Your story is your story. It’s just like when you were pregnant — people want to tell you what you should be doing and how to do it. Everyone likes to tell you what works — what they really mean is what worked best for them. Just remember that each pregnancy is different and each baby is different. Ultimately, you have to listen to your body (and your baby) and find out what works for you. It’s the only true way to stay fit, fabulous and full of milk!

How have workouts and breastfeeding been for you? —Sara Haley