On being a runner and breastfeeding mom...

A couple weeks back I wrote a post dedicated to the breakup with my breast pump.  It was partially tongue-in-cheek, but it has really been liberating to not be tied to the pump Every.Waking.Moment of my life.  However, to be very clear, I do not regret a single second I spent or a single ounce of milk that I got.  The whole year was time (& breast milk) well spent. I would do it all over again in a second. But, if you read that post, you know this.

That is not what I want to address today.

What I want to address I so, so, SO often hear:

You can't exercise and breastfeed.
You can't run and breastfeed.
Running/exercise with cause your supply to dry up.
Running/exercise will put lactic acid in your milk and the baby won't take it/it will turn sour.

Can I just say,
MYTH
LIE
MYTH
LIE

I'm not a lactation consultant.

Buuuuut I've been through this breastfeeding rodeo twice now.
Each time I ran. 
Each time I ran long distances.
Each time I had MORE than enough of a supply, never had the milk be "sour", or have the baby refuse.


I want to give a few of my stand-by tips that got me through 18 combined months of exclusively pumping and 2 months of breastfeeding while running.

Tips for Running and Breastfeeding or Pumping

1. HYDRATE.  Yes, this does mean drinking plenty of fluids like water, but it also means electrolyte replacement.  Too much water can actually decrease supply, so the recommendation is to drink to thirst. I added in NUUN electrolyte replacement tablets into my water.  Gatorade & Powerade work too, but they have some nasty ingredients like flame retardant.  Coconut water is another good option, but I just couldn't get over the taste.

2. Pump or nurse immediately before you run.  I used to run at 4 am. That means I would get up for a 3.30 AM date with my Medela PISA.  Most pumping sessions should be between 15-25 minutes long, but because I had a TON of milk, it would take 30 minutes, with massage, to get all of the milk out.  If I didn't, I was in for some serious clogged ducts.  I don't have time during the day to deal with clogged ducts since I'm a teacher, so that could be a problem if I didn't pay attention first thing in the morning.

3. Schedule your run when built-in babysitting is available. I ran at 4 am because that's when hubby was at home, albeit asleep. It was the only time I could get a run in during the fall/winter because of his coaching schedule. Does 4 am stink?  ABSOLUTELY.  3:30 stinks even more. But it was either run then or not run at all. It all depends on your schedule. This probably also means being ready for a run at any moment.

4. A good supportive bra.  The typical compression style bras don't work so well when you are sporting porn star sized boobs. Not only don't they support you very well, but they can also lead to clogged ducts.  I really like Under Armor's sports bras, but I have heard good things about Title IX. Word of warning: Only wear your sports bra for as long as you need it. Tight compression for too long does contribute to a decreased supply.

5. I never had a problem with leakage, but honestly, I was so sweaty most of the time after a run that if I did leak it wasn't noticed. If I did, I might have done what this blogger suggests, but probably wouldn't have been overly concerned.

6. Don't be afraid to nurse or pump ANYWHERE. You want to have a little milk as possible in your breasts before you run because otherwise things will only continue to get more uncomfortable. This might mean pumping in the car on your way to a race. With other people in the car.  This might mean pumping in the parking lot as other other runners are milling around. (And if you do pump, don't forget to bring storage bottles and a lunchbox/cooler with some ice packs so you can keep the milk.) If I nursed, I'd definitely do what this momma did.

7. Eat.  Yes, we've all heard that breastfeeding helps you lose weight and that you burn an extra 500 calories, but I'm convinced that because my metabolism was already high since I'm a fit person, I burned more than that.  I was RAVENOUS. I lost a TON of weight & ended up having to incorporate a ton of good fats in my diet like avocados, coconut oil, Orgain nutritional shakes, eggs, and peanut butter. Losing too much weight can absolutely have an effect on your supply.

When I first started running while pumping, there wasn't much information out there. Now, there is a lot more. I referred to these sources:

The Runner's Trials   (This post is also by her on Walk, Jog, Run)
Kellymom (With LOTS of scientific studies linked under the article for more professional reading.  It's pretty informative and will squash anyone who says it's not possible.)
La Leche League


 I hope these tips encourage and help any to-be or current mama who is both nursing/pumping and running.

You totally got this girl.

I know there are other nursing runners out there!  What other tips do you mamas have?