Exercise causes supply dip?

marshmallowfarts · March 2017

Kinda off topic and not sure where to post this - but I walked briskly for an hour the other day and the following day had a major dip in supply. I drank plenty to help with any dehydration but I don't know if this is normal or not? My supply went back up the next day without exercise (we exclusively pump). This makes me think I won't be able to exercise like I was prepregnancy which makes me a little sad. I'd rather have my baby well fed though than anything else.

With my first I had supply issues from the start so this is the first time I'm experiencing this.

KellyT22 · March 2017

I think this early in breastfeeding it's normal to have supply dips every now and then. Your body is still regulating your supply. That being said, dehydration could definitely affect it in the future, but sounds like you're already on top of that.

Personally, exercise never hurt my supply, but dieting did. If I cut calories, my supply tanked fast. That was frustrating because I didn't lose any weight during breastfeeding with DS1.

kaylaef · March 2017

agreeing with pp. Any dip in my. caloric intake when I was breastfeeding ds caused a change in my supply. I worked out like crazy but was sure to get almost 2000 calories daily. the weight did not exactly fall off.

marshmallowfarts · March 2017

Thank you both! I don't intentionally diet - more of a "I exercise to eat" thing - but maybe I didn't eat enough that day to compensate for the extra calories burned? I will definitely have to try this experiment again!

If you don't mind me asking when did you both fit back into regular clothes last time? I'm in some old jeans now that I used years ago (size 10) but I was a size 4 prior to getting pregnant. Last time I was back to normal by my six month post partum period but that was with exercise and calorie control. If I need to keep calories up I guess this time may take longer? I'd like to avoid having to buy new work scrubs/clothes if possible!

Cbeanz · March 2017

Never had issues with exercise affecting supply but I definitely saw changes due to diet! Any restriction to intake immediately caused a supply dip. It can be frustrating!

RunBooRun · March 2017

Exercise changes the amount of calories your body has available to use, so it makes sense to me.

Weight loss is usually approached several ways:
- reduce calories you eat
- increase calories you burn
- combo of the two

All three contribute to your overall calories available to your body to use.

Exercise is great for you, just make sure you're eating enough to support that exercise plus the breastfeeding.

kaylaef · March 2017

@marshmallowfarts I didn't get back into my prepregnancy clothes again...I was pregnant again just after my son turned 8 months. I was close though about the 10 lbs! I also didn't really diet though. Ate what I wanted and worked out.

wintersong · March 2017

@marshmallowfarts I never fit back into my orepregnancy pants. I was 185ish pounds when I fell pregnant with my son, and 165ish pounds 6 months pp. BUT I was a size 12 before my son was born and a size 14 after because my hips seriously spread out and never went back.

marshmallowfarts · March 2017

My hips widened after my first - do they go wider for baby #2? I never considered they could go wider!!

My scrubs is what I wear most of the time and those are elastic but they fit so good before. Scrubs are also expensive so I'd like to not spend a ton on a new scrub wardrobe either. My thighs and rear definitely grew in this pregnancy - hoping I can shrink it before maternity leave is up.

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