Sport during breastfeeding: what the experts say
It can be practiced sport during breastfeeding? Can it involve any risk for the segregation of milk and the feeding of the baby? This is one of the questions that many mothers ask themselves when facing this process. This concern means that in some cases women do not perform any physical activity.
However, there is no risk to women or to the milk segregation. So says the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, AEP, which states that breastfeeding and sport they are two complementary activities. Doing some physical activity during this process is not only safe for the mother, but also brings important benefits to your health.
Benefits of exercise in lactation
The pediatricians assure that there is nothing to fear at the time of practice exercise. These specialists claim that there is no change in the attitude of the babies to the breast after the mother has done some exercise. Of course, be sure to clean the sweat produced in this area since this segregation can cause a salty taste that does make the child reject the intake.
In addition, the mother will have many Benefits derived from the practice of this sport. The physical activity of a woman during breastfeeding improves her cardiovascular system and calcification in the bones. It is also a good way to lose the accumulated fat during pregnancy and increases muscle strength and flexibility. On the other hand the immune system also benefits and the levels of stress and anxiety decrease. And what is more important, the mother increases her self-esteem and this is transmitted to the baby who grows up in a good environment.
Recommendations for this sport
Pediatricians give mothers some recommendations to prevent the minimum risks that exercise may have during breastfeeding. The first is to avoid those activities that may cause some type of trauma to the chest. It is also advisable to leave aside swimming during the puerperium, period in which the reproductive system of the mother recovers from childbirth.
Similarly, specialists also advise that mothers breast before going out to exercise to avoid the aforementioned salty taste that makes the child reject this shot. At the same time it is also advisable to use a sports bra, preferably cotton.
Regarding the feeding of the mother, the pediatricians affirm that it is good to increase the intake of liquids and maintain a low fat diet, less than 30% of the total calories in the form of fat, and rich in complex carbohydrates, up to 55-59% of the calories, This will keep the sugar deposits, main source of energy for physical activity.
Damián Montero
