Returning to teach (or participate)

[wetlandtraining]

I am an aquatic fitness instructor and just gave birth to my beautiful daughter 10 days ago:-jumpy. I taught until 2 weeks before my due date (but then the lifeguards and my mom were getting nervous) and have agreed to be a sub for the winter session. Has anybody else instructed (land or water fitness) while breastfeeding (or even made it for regular workouts at the gym)? How did you manage? I do not want to express any milk to be used in a bottle until the breastfeeding is well established. On the 2 occasions that I have managed to make it out of the house on my own since Sara's birth, I fed her just before leaving the house :9 and I wasn't gone for more than an hour (last minute Christmas shopping). I am planning to leave Sara at my parents (5 minutes away from the pool) if I do get called in to teach - there is childcare at the pool (for infants under a year if 24 hour notice is given), but I am a bit apprehensive about that.

Any ideas?

 

[DebbieH]

Hi!

I'll leave the workout question to Cathe or Sheila but wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS on the miracle of Sara's birth! How exciting! (I missed your announcement while my computer was broke down.) Sounds like you & Sara are doing well. Good luck on your adjustment back into teaching. Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH

 

[Andrea]

I will be interested in the answer too, and I'll be working out at home. For some reason I'm stressing over the fact that, even after I have baby (4 weeks away!) I still won't have my body back. I'm wondering how working out and nursing will even go together.

Andrea

 

[Hazel]

Hi. I had a baby 5.5 months ago whom I'm still breastfeeding and returned to teaching Body Pump about six weeks after she was born. I think it is doable, but you've either got to luck out and get a class time between feedings or you have to use the bottle. I rarely have lucked out so I just express some milk before I leave for the gym and my husband or whoever is staying with Lauren feeds her. It probably will only take you a few weeks to get breastfeeding established enough to where you can give the baby a bottle if need be. You'll also start to understand her rythms and patterns better as the weeks go by and get more confident about being away.

I also understand your apprehension about the infant care at the gym, especially since your baby is so young and given the time of year, but you may feel better about leaving her there as she gets older and more sturdy (although if Grandma and Grandpa are right there, what a deal!)

Hazel

Good luck! You can do it if it's important to you, it just takes some more planning now!