Exercise after pregnancy can help you feel your best. Consider the benefits of exercise after pregnancy, plus ways to stay motivated.
Exercise after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Follow these tips to safely get started. Better yet, including physical activity in your daily routine helps you set a positive example for your child now and in the years to come.
Moderate exercise isn't thought to affect breast milk quantity or quality, or your baby's growth. If you're breastfeeding, it's important to stay hydrated.
Keep a water bottle handy during your workout, and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Some research suggests that high-intensity exercise might cause lactic acid to accumulate in breast milk and produce a sour taste a baby might not like, but this is likely rare. If vigorous exercise is a priority during the first few months of breastfeeding, consider feeding your baby before your workout or pumping before your workout and feeding your baby the pumped breast milk afterward.
Alternatively, exercise first and then take a shower, express a few milliliters of breast milk and, after a half-hour or an hour, offer the breast. If you had an uncomplicated pregnancy and vaginal delivery, it's generally safe to begin exercising a few days after giving birth or as soon as you feel ready. If you had a C-section, extensive vaginal repair or a complicated birth, talk to your health care provider about when to start an exercise program. For most healthy women, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity — preferably spread throughout the week — after pregnancy.
