Cebu City -- The first few days postpartum might be difficult for some mothers to handle as their bodies are learning to adapt again to their changes postnatal. Their bodies will be sore, there might be possibilities that their breasts will get infected, excessive bleeding after childbirth, and many more depending on how the delivery procedure went, either through normal delivery or C-section. This puts mothers at a minimal level of physical activities from a few days to even a few weeks to help their bodies recover properly and well.

Exercising a few weeks after giving birth, however, will not affect the mom’s body. Instead, it gives them the extra boost of energy that may have been lost during breastfeeding and allows their bodies to keep moving while nursing their baby, giving them the best of both worlds.

The National Nutrition Council Region 7 is strongly recommending that mothers should have a serious talk with their doctors first about the kind of exercises they can do a few weeks after giving birth.

Below are some benefits of exercising during the lactation period and some possible physical activities that are safe for mothers to do with moderation and extra precaution.

• Mothers start their day bright and early to help around the house and prepare their hungry babies for breastfeeding. So having dedicated time to exercise every day can increase their body’s energy levels throughout the day. 

• Besides that, exercise also keeps moms in shape postpartum as they have to take in more nutritious foods for their baby’s growth development, increasing their fat intake. It is a natural way for their bodies to lose the extra fat that had built up during pregnancy. 

Possible exercises while breastfeeding

According to experts at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), it is recommended that moms should try to limit to 150 minutes of moderate physical exercises per week.

Here are some exercises moms can do while breastfeeding their baby:

• Brisk walking
• Swimming 
• Biking 
• Lightweight training
• Workout from home (includes, planks, sit-ups, and push-ups, among others)

These low-impact exercises can be done moderately in the first few weeks postnatal and moms can increase the intensity when they start to feel their bodies get used to these activities again. 

A gentle reminder to mothers: Never overdo exercises postnatal and while breastfeeding to avoid lactic acid build-up in the muscles and breast infections that can decrease breast milk supply, resulting in the alteration of the breast milk taste. Too much physical activity can cause stress and body fatigue and puts them at risk of breast issues. 

Having an engorged breast before the start of a workout is a no-no as it can be uncomfortable for mothers to move around without feeling like something is weighing them down.

It is recommended by ACOG that lactating mothers should breastfeed or pump milk for their babies before the start of their workout to ease the discomfort of the engorged breast, allowing them to carry out their physical activities with a satisfied baby. //Jewelle Chua, The Memoriter Writing Service intern