1. Check with your doctor: You should check with your doctor before you begin any exercise regimen. The recovery period can be anywhere between 6-16 weeks. Your doctor is the best person to advise based on your individual health condition and recovery from childbirth.
2. Focus on your fitness and not weight: If you are breastfeeding and consistent in your exercises, you would ultimately lose your postpartum weight. But, feeling fit and having a flexible body is more important than a slim figure. It is great if you manage to fit into your pre-pregnancy pretty dress. But that need not be your ultimatum.
3. Be Consistent: You would have a lot of responsibilities when you are new to motherhood. So, sticking to a fitness regimen might be difficult. Follow a small, simple, doable routine and increase as you progress. You are more likely to be consistent if the routine is doable.
4. Choose an exercise that you would enjoy: It could be putting your baby on a carrier or a stroller and taking a quick walk or run. It could be dancing for your favorite tune as your baby watches. It could be anything you enjoy. Again, if you enjoy, it is more likely that you would be consistent.
5. Don’t fall for fad diets or quick weight loss: You need a balanced diet with all vital nutrients to recover yourself from childbirth and breastfeeding. Any day, a gradual weight loss without compromising on your health and fitness is definitely better than a quick reduction. Please never succumb to the societal pressures of getting back to pre-pregnancy weight and unrealistic norms.

At the end of the day, it is important to start a fitness regimen that is simple, doable and enjoyable to stay consistent. We wish you stay motivated to be fit through your pregnancy and postpartum journey.

• The first time you pee and poop after childbirth might be difficult: The first time is going to be painful, gassy and difficult just after childbirth. It is better if you are mentally prepared so that you can face it better.
• Your tummy is going to make you look pregnant even after the delivery: It’s normal for the tummy to still look big. You may look like you are still pregnant. This is because your uterus which expanded itself for accommodating your baby will take time for shrinking back to its original size.
• Breastfeeding your baby cannot be a foolproof contraceptive measure: You may or may not get your periods for a while if you are breastfeeding. There is enough chance for you to get pregnant even when you have not got your periods while breastfeeding.
• You may experience urinary incontinence even after childbirth: You may experience urinary incontinence* even after childbirth. If you experience incontinence 6 weeks after delivery, it’s advisable to consult your doctor.

Do you have more questions in your mind about pregnancy and post-partum? 

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Breastfeeding your baby has so much of benefits but comes with a fair share of difficulties and challenges to overcome. You should give it your best shot to breastfeed your baby for its obvious benefits. But, given the unavoidable situation of your inability to breastfeed, feeding formula is a suitable alternative. It is really important that you are never made to feel guilty for choices beyond your control.

We, at Little Sudhams promote and celebrate every mother’s successful breastfeeding journey. So, before you give up breastfeeding, please consult a physician or lactation consultant or approach a breast milk bank.

*Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as feeding infants only breast milk, be it directly from breast or expressed, except drops or syrups consisting of vitamins, mineral supplements or medicine.

3. Stress & Anxiety: Stress can hinder the supply of breast milk, though it may not stop the milk production. New mothers may enter into a loop of lack of sleep, stress and reduced breast milk supply. Hence, you should have a check on your sleep and stress levels. On the other hand, regularly feeding your baby can soothe you and help reduce stress levels and mood swings. Anxiety, fear stress and hormonal imbalances can affect your breast milk supply. It is also very important to remember that every mother does her best and it is completely normal to be overwhelmed by your responsibilities. Try to meditate or do a simple exercise or anything that can lift your mood and avoid stress. Talk to a friend or family member who has recently had a baby. This could help you in sharing tips and ideas and you could also get much needed empathy and reassurance.

4. Balanced Diet: A balanced and healthy diet is essential for the health of the breastfeeding mother and the baby. The quality of the breast milk will be greatly improved when you consume the right kind of diet from the start of your pregnancy and throughout your breastfeeding journey. A balanced diet can not only improve your breast milk supply but also improve your quality of milk. Even when the quantity of the milk supply is not a problem, when your diet lacks vital nutrients, the quality of breastmilk may get affected and/or you may get malnutrition. For example, if your diet lacks Calcium, the body makes amends to make Calcium available from your bones from the breastmilk. The recuperation of the body is better when the diet followed is a healthy one with all vital nutrients.

5. Hydration: Almost 88% of breast milk is water, hence hydration is key. Make sure you drink adequate amount of water. You could sip water, fresh fruit juice, lemonade, tender coconut water or butter milk as you nurse your baby or just after a feeding session. Drinking adequate water is key to maintain the breastmilk supply for nursing mothers. This can help to keep your body stay hydrated as the amount of water input has a direct effect on the breast milk supply.

6. Exclusive Breastfeeding:

Exclusive breastfeeding can improve breast milk supply. Breastfeeding works in the principle of demand and supply. The more you breastfeed, the more milk the breasts create. So, regular breastfeeding with no formula substitution can help increase your supply. Alternatively, you could also take the help of breast pump to increase your supply. You can increase the breast milk supply by pumping every 2-3 hours even when your baby is not hungry. Doing this routine for at least a day or two can help increase your supply greatly as your body adapts to produce more milk based on the demand.

7. Skin-to-Skin Interactions: The skin-to-skin interactions have been found to increase breast milk supply for the mother. The skin-to skin interaction can be done as long as possible and as frequently as possible especially during the postpartum period.* So mommies, go ahead to hold and cuddle your baby as much as possible. Don’t worry you cannot spoil or pamper your baby by doing so. On the other hand, the bond between you and your baby is strengthened by frequent skin-to-skin interactions. It could also help calm the baby and make the baby feel safe and secure. The skin-to-skin interactions between mother and baby can not only regularize breastmilk supply but also strengthen the bond.

In conclusion, remember that attention to the following aspects can help improve and regularize your breast milk supply:

*postpartum period is the first 3 months after childbirth