The Struggles of Breastfeeding & Exercise

8/3/2015

11 Comments

Nurse/Pump before workout and after
Drink plenty of water before, during, and after workout
Eat something with protein/protein shake before workout and after
Start out gradually and slowly increase intensity and duration
Stay positive. Milk supply can be extremely mental!

Strategies for Maintaining Milk Supply during Exercise

My Struggles as an Exclusively Pumping Mom

To all the breastfeeding moms out there- I have so much respect for you. Reward yourself every month!! Keep pushing on. Make short term and long term goals. Don't beat yourself up over your supply. You are doing a great job! Every drop counts!

Before I had a baby I always vowed I would breastfeed for a year. How hard could it be? I thought it would be a wonderful, easy experience. I spent hours googling and watching videos about breastfeeding and as far as I knew I was an expert! However within hours of having Tucker the struggles began. Long story short I found out at our first doctor's appointment that he was tongue tied and wasn't transferring my milk. I immediately got my pump out and starting pumping every 2 hours around the clock. Each pump produced 10 drops of milk. I was mortified. It was painful, exhausting, and one of the most stressful times of my life. I shed countless tears over my milk supply. I barely got by without supplementing with formula.

Once his tongue tie was fixed I was still unable to get him to latch and that is when I began my journey as an exclusively pumping mom. Honestly it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. My pump went EVERYWHERE with me. Every two hours. Every place you can imagine. The trials I have had as an exclusively pumping mom have been endless. Bump after bump I persevered on. It never got easier. Each day was a constant struggle. Watching my milk supply go up and down was always stressful.

I exclusively pumped until 10 months. Then I started supplementing with grass-fed cow's milk. Despite the fact that I was still pumping every 2 hours my milk supply was dramatically decreasing. Last week I was diagnosed with severe hypothyroidism. This was the culprit for my drop in milk supply and my extreme fatigue I have been battling for weeks! I have been going on 5-6 months of feeling run-down, lethargic and gloomy. No one's life is as perfect as they're instagram appears :)

11 Comments

Michelle

8/3/2015 01:28:37 am

I've been following you on Instagram for a month or so! My third daughter was born one week ago! I have 3 littles < age 5. You have inspired me so much! I had a very healthy pregnancy but am ready to have my body back to myself :) this is the first time I stopped by your blog! It's great! I'm trying to also exclusively breastfeed for the first year! Thanks for the motivation!!

Kristy link

8/21/2015 01:49:34 am

Congrats on your little one Michelle! You are a super mom with your 3 littles!! I think its so amazing you are going to try to make it to a year breastfeeding thats great!

Fiona

8/3/2015 02:26:33 am

Love this post ! I thought I'd have breastfeeding nailed down by the time we left the hosptial but my son now two weeks also had tongue tie which made it hard for him to learn to latch . We now pump and breastfeed thanks to a nipple shield but I'm in constant conflict over what's best for me/ baby and what everyone else has to say . I can't wait to start getting some exercise back in to my routine to help my sanity even a walk ( on restrictions thanks to a C section) plus would be nice to get some natural Vit D! Thanks for such a great blog !

May

8/3/2015 03:19:37 am

Fiona, my son did not have tongue tie but I also had a c section and he was in nicu for a week, as a result we never got skin to skin and he was fed formula. This was the reason he did not know how to latch on. I pumped and bottle fed him breast milk and kept trying with the nipple shield. We did this for 4 months and on the day he turned 4 months something just clicked and he was able to latch on without the nipple shield. He's almost 11 months now and we're still breastfeeding. Hang in there, I thought it was never going to happen but it did and so I just wanted to share with you my story. Also I know after a c section it's hard to do everything, so definitely hang in there.

8/21/2015 01:51:22 am

Hi Fiona, do whats best for you and baby! Every ounce of breastmilk is a huge accomplishment. I tried a nipple shield too and was able to get him to latch a little better. But pumping is what got me through it. Keep perservering on it will be over before you know it :) I hope your recovery is going well!

Kylie link

8/16/2015 02:01:54 pm

Hi Kristy, me on the other was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. My antibodies was passed on to my baby. But luckily she has since recovered. Thanks for your inspiring blogspots and exercises! Its a challenge but we will press on!

8/21/2015 01:52:24 am

Thank you Kylie! I hope you are feeling better. Thryoid stuff sucks!! I am glad they caught it and baby is recovering :)

Juliana Momo

9/1/2015 11:15:34 pm

Congratulation!!
You are great

babybottles link

3/17/2016 08:42:23 pm

The baby looks so happy ,

Rachel

6/25/2016 06:31:29 am

I just found you on Instagram and have been perusing your blog. This post is so moving. I am breastfeeding my 9 month old, and it is a big commitment that definitely poses challenges.... But when I hear about moms who pump exclusively, I am SO impressed. Pumping is tough, and I only have to do it once a day. Huge, huge props to you for pumping so long!!

Tamara link

7/4/2016 12:20:46 pm

You are amazing!!!! I can't believe I ran into your blog and instagram only with my third baby!!! My little one is 10 wweks old and I breast feed for a year every child. It's not easy but I can't think of giving them formula!! Your story is unbelievable!!! Pumping for 10 months!!!! I pump every day but in order to go workout or working. Love the workouts!!! I mist try them with Nina but I'll wait she holds her head steady.
I'm from Israel BTW...