The American College of Sports Medicine released a study indicating that breastfeeding mothers may need more aerobic and resistance training to prevent temporary bone loss caused by calcium depletion.
Cheryl Lovelady, Ph.D., along with her team of researchers, found in measurements of bone mineral density in 20 women, four to 20 weeks after giving birth, that those that didn’t exercise lost about seven percent of lower-spine bone density in that period of time.
“During lactation, women transfer around 200 milligrams of calcium per day from their own stores to their breast milk,” said Lovelady. “Calcium is critically linked to bone density and health, and this depletion can result in loss of bone mineral density. When mothers wean their infants, bone mineral density usually returns to normal levels. We proposed that weight-bearing exercise would minimize bone losses during lactation and decrease the risk of osteoporosis later in life.”
Research found, also, that regular weight-bearing exercise has an added benefit for mothers that are trying to shed post-pregnancy weight. Regular exercise improved their body composition and lowered body fat even without dietary intervention. “Women in our study found themselves overall healthier and stronger after completing the post-partum exercise program, which lasted just 16 weeks,” Lovelady said. “Moreover, implementing this exercise into daily life can help entire families get active and improve their overall health.”
