BFing and Sports bras

[KirstyDaisyBBandFifi]

Hi - I have been advised to start running and exercise again from my GP and she has also suggested I need a good sports bra to wear - I have always worn shock absorber for running but i am not sure if this is ok for BFing.... e.g does it squash you too much and affect supply etc.... DD3 is 7 weeks old.

Wear TWO sports bra's / crop tops.

I got on the treadmill when DD was 3mo and I was still bf. Had lost most of the weight, felt slim-ish......... until I ran and my boobs starting bouncing about. They were so much larger than before. I had to stop after a couple of minutes.

Two sports bra's was fine IME, but I only ran for 5 mins and did little 30 min bursts at the gym. I just wasn't prepared for how much bigger they were.

After 3 kids and still breastfeeding (relaxin still in your system) I would be wary about running as a form of exercise at the moment. Running puts a lot of stress on your pelvic floor, I would avoid any exercise that does that at this stage, up to 50% of women that have had children have symptoms of prolapse at some point in their lives. Swimming would be a much better exercise at this stage.

But about bras, I got fitted at John Lewis when my DS was 10 days old (just a normal bra). They really didn't have any bras I liked so bought a stretchy one that was a bit like a sports bra. After wearing it all day I was in agony because of how it was compressing me (waste of £30 haven't worn it since). If you do wear a sports bra I would probably only wear it for the duration you are exercising. But having said that any exercise you are doing that would require a sports bra I would probably avoid anyway.

Hi - I am a cautionary tale I'm afraid - I tried to start running again while BF-ing (DS was a bit older than your DC I think) - and got mastitis initially because my sports bra(s) were too tight, under the arms, and ducts got squashed...

Then I tried wearing a looser arrangement so as not to squash boobs too much - but guess what, I got too much movement when running and ended up with slightly bruised breast tissue, and mastitis again.

I think some of it depends on how big your breasts are, tbh. I was a DD before pregnancy, and used to use 2 bras anyway - when i was BF-ing I was an E/F cup, and I just think that was too big to run with.

I was quite upset at not being able to run, but got by with some fast walking uphill on a treadmill/brisk outdoor walking. Not as much bouncing!

HI there My dd2 is 5 weeks; i have been on the treadmill twice so far 20 mins each, double sports bra- no problems.
I agree that there could be some duct compression probs; but not after 20 minutes... just undo it afterwards.
I have been religious about pelvic floor exercises in pregnancy and afterwards. I ran until 30 weeks and swam 2 days before birth, so my body is used to it. I think that you need to be applauded that you are keen to get back to it. So many mums moan on; you are getting on it! good for you