Breastfeeding and sport?

[missknows]

Am I ever likely to play football while still breastfeeding? Any experience with playing sports while breastfeeding welcome.

At the moment I just can't imagine ever being able to even exercise let alone play an actual sport. Reasons include- actually leaving baby without her needing milk, giant boobs bouncing around and leaking everywhere. I just can't see it being practical.

Any tips or should I just give up on the idea until I stop breastfeeding?

Was hoping to be back at training in the summer and baby is only 8 weeks old at the moment but am trying to prepare if possible.

And expressing is not possible as I am rubbish at it and after a horrible experience in hospital it gives me nightmares.

[weebairn]

I did lots exercise (running, swimming, yoga, pilates, zumba, etc) when my baby was really quite young (the majority between 2 and 6 months) and I was ebf. I bought a sports bra in the correct size - that was the main essential. Breastfeeding immediately before exercise was helpful for comfort in the early days, and also reassured me that she would be fine while I was out for a run or whatever. When she was really little my boyfriend would come with me to the swimming pool, I'd feed and then go for my swim, while he had a little walk or cuddle with her. Then I wasn't leaving her for as long.

If you're playing football I assume it's in the evening? This is a bit trickier as lots of babies cluster feed in the evenings. However as time goes on you may notice more of a pattern - for example my baby almost always slept between 7ish and midnight at a few months old, so I could have gone out then. (I am no good at exercising in the evening though!)

The leaking won't go on forever.

It's still really early days - by summer you'll be starting weaning and as she takes to food other people can offer a yogurt or something instead of a breastfeed.

I don't know how long you're planning to bf for, or whether you're just going to wait and see, but in my experience bf at 9 months is absolutely incomparable to breastfeeding at 8 weeks. I still bf my baby at 18 months, and it doesn't alter my life in any way at all. I wear my normal bras, do whatever sport I want, eat and drink whatever I want, go away for the night if I want, work night shifts, etc.

It's such early days! Congrats on your lovely baby and think about sport when you feel up for it - I certainly found breastfeeding no barrier at all.

ps. I found expressing a huge waste of time and am not going to bother for 2nd baby. As they get older babies can be surprisingly adaptable as to timing of feeds.

[fish88]

I am bf my 4mo and training in martial arts. My LO sleeps from half 7 to 10 most nights so can train in the evening without having to leave milk. I feed him just before I leave and keep breastpads in but don't seem to leak whilst exercising. I made sure I got a supportive bra but I have always been small breasted and only C/D cup now I'm bf so can't comment on the big boobs. Hope you get back to playing sports you enjoy.

[HazleNutt]

I went back to the gym when DS was 5 weeks and EBF. He's also a bottle refuser, so at first I had to feed him just before and immediately after. But now, at 8 months, I don't have to plan my activities around his meal times any more and boobs are not leaking either, so no problems combining sports and bf.

I agree though that you need a good sports bra - Freya Active or Panache are great.

[PurplePidjin]

By the time your baby is 5 months (July by my estimate?) You'll be feeding less and for shorter times - as babies grow they get more efficient at feeding. 4 months is a bit of a milestone for this, so you're in the hell of the early days at the moment - once you're nearing 6 months, things will be easier.

Definitely get a really really supportive, well-fitted sports bra!

At 8 weeks you're probably still healing from the birth, don't give up hope of getting your life back just have a little patience (easier said than done I know)