Motherhood is undeniably the most wonderful phase but as a mother, you have to stay careful about a lot of things. This is especially true for breastfeeding moms who are fitness enthusiasts as well because they have to double-check everything that may affect breast milk. If you are someone who can relate to this, we have you covered!

In this brief pre-workout for nursing mothers guide, we will address everything about the pre-workout supplements and whether they are going to affect your breast milk supply or not.

Basics About Pre-workout Supplements

If you are a breastfeeding mama and exploring the fitness realm, you may not be familiar with pre-workout supplements. Simply put, these supplements are quite popular among mothers with busy schedules.

Any supplement that highlights boosting your workout performance if you consume it pre-workout would fall in this category.

However, there is a lot of mystery around that especially when it comes to breastfeeding mothers because the one key ingredient in pre-workout supplements is caffeine. But caffeine intake is not particularly bad for breastfeeding moms.

What Are Its Components?

Usually, a typical pre-workout supplement includes amino acids, creatine, glucose, and some caffeine. Some may also have Nitric Oxide. You will find them in either a pill form or powdered form.

Are Pre-workout Supplements Safe?

Caffeine extract being the main ingredient in a majority of pre-workout supplements can raise concerns. Since caffeine is a stimulant and is released in breast milk supply, many women wonder ‘is pre-workout safe?’ or ‘is pre-workout bad?’

While consuming caffeine is not bad for breastfeeding moms, you need to understand that excessive caffeine intake may have some chronic side effects.

Some of the common side effects of excessive caffeine consumption include tingling sensations, GI problems, nausea, racing heart, and high blood pressure.

How Pre-workouts Do The Magic?

These are certainly not magic pills and while they are safe, one needs to be cautious about the ingredients used. For breastfeeding women, it is highly recommended that they carefully read the ingredient list and ensure that the company has credibility.

The pre-workout supplement affects the central nervous system and stimulates it. While using pre-workout supplementation, you will feel an improvement in reaction time and reduced fatigue.

This boost of energy and upbeat workout performance is primarily because of the extra supply of carbohydrates. Glucose from these carbs is then used to raise your blood sugar level and offers you extra energy during workout sessions.

Why You May Need The Pre-workout?

With a hectic routine as a mother, many women wonder how to gather up energy for a workout at the end of the day. The answer is incredibly simple with these pre-workout supplements. They’re claimed to be very helpful in keeping you full of endless energy with a sharp focus and a healthy mind.

So, if you are struggling with sluggishness and being fatigued, these pre-workout supplements can alleviate all of that. Even after an intense workout, these pre-workout supplements will keep you full of energy.

The Best Time for Taking Pre-workouts

There is no hard rule about a specific time during the day when you can or must not take the pre-workouts. However, as a general rule of thumb, it’s good to take them within an hour before your routine workout performance is due.

Taking pre-workouts just a few minutes before your workout is perfect because that’s when your body requires the most energy. If you are taking pre workouts much earlier than the workout schedule, you may be suffering from lethargy and lack of energy during the workout.

Breastfeeding Moms & Pre-workouts

One of the primary concerns with pre-workout while breastfeeding is the caffeine content that may directly affect breast milk supply.

Fortunately, there are several pre-workout product options available and you can always search for a stimulant free pre-workout drink. The ultimate goal is to have a healthy body weight.

Moreover, taking pre-workout is not the only solution because the same branched-chain amino acids and more nutritional value can be derived from natural sources. You may consider looking for a protein supplement, or other energy drinks. All of these are great to choose as a pre workout energy drink.

For breastfeeding moms, it may be better to monitor their caffeine intake while taking a pre-workout drink. It is a valid concern to wonder if pre-workout safe for breastfeeding moms.

It is a great idea to always double-check with your health care provider or a doctor before using any pre-workout while breastfeeding. It is quite possible that under some conditions your doctor may advise you against it or they may recommend a better natural alternative.

Your primary goal is to have the energy to work out and lose weight, so give it some time to form your personal opinion about this.

Can Breastfeeding Moms Take it Then?

Well, this is the question when your healthy living style supports it and your health care provider also clears it as safe for you. You may also get in touch with a lactation consultant to rule out any undesired effects.

The first thing that you need to know is that many pre-workout supplements mention that these must not be consumed by breastfeeding mothers or pregnant ladies. The labels also recommend taking supplements after consulting with your doctor.

These disclaimers and notes of caution are there on the product label for a reason, so it’s not wise to simply ignore them. Generally, you will find a safe and stimulant-free option that your doctor may also consider safe to use for nursing women.

Cautions for Nursing Mothers

As a breastfeeding mama, your baby’s health is your primary concern but it is also important to embark on the health journey with breastfeeding safe options.

However, there are a few extra cautions that you have to take as a breastfeeding mom.

You Must Stay Hydrated!

As soon as you select sports supplements to use before training sessions, the first thing that you must do is limit caffeine consumption. You can go for green tea if this is something that you crave. You have to stay hydrated so increase your fluid intake.

You Can’t Mix Alcohol and Pre-workout!

Moreover, you must also avoid alcohol as it also adds some extra pounds. Alcohol shows up in breast milk supply, so the safest thing you can do is to avoid it.

What’s more important is not to mix the two ever! You should not take pre-workouts and alcohol together because the pre-workout, being a stimulant, will hide the effects of alcohol. This may make you drink more without even realizing that you have already consumed a lot of booze!

What this means is that you may end up compromising your sobriety. All in all, it’s a bad idea to combine alcohol and pre-workout. So watch out because it’s a slippery slope!

Monitor Your Metabolism

The pre-workout that you are using may affect metabolism and if that’s overwhelming stamina for you then you may have to look for another option.

Consider trying out a plant-based drink mix that is free of artificial sweeteners.

If you experience an upset stomach, it may be a sign that this particular pre-workout is not suiting you well. You may try out a whey protein supplement as they are also generally breastfeeding safe.

One of the common issues with taking pre-workouts is that the user may go right away for an intense workout session. You have to carefully evaluate your stamina and it is ideal to select light exercise training session that focuses on muscle building or muscle recovery and weight loss.

You will not be able to lose more weight by overwhelming yourself so select a workout that fits your current health condition perfectly.

Benefits of Pre-workout While Breastfeeding

It is hard to specifically say the benefits of pre-workouts for nursing women but there are several general benefits for all women.

Below are some of the best pre-workout benefits:

Evident Mood Elevation!

This is a common effect after you take such supplements because they happen to be stimulants primarily. You may experience a substantial mood elevation.

General Increase in Energy

This is another welcomed change. You will notice an evident increase in energy level and it is also one of the most commonly reported effects of using pre-workout while breastfeeding.

Better Performance!

As a mother, especially during the breastfeeding phase, being able to work out and give it your best seems like the most overwhelming task. After taking pre-workout your workout efficiency and performance will improve dramatically.

Shed The ‘Kilos’ Fast!

While this is not the primary effect and may not be a direct one either, you will notice an increase in weight loss. It so happens that these are great fat burners and you will notice weight loss happening steadily.

Once you have the best pre-workout supplement that’s also suited to your specific needs, you will be able to experience an overall improvement in your weight loss journey.

Are There Any Side Effects?

When you are using pre-workout while breastfeeding, you may have concerns regarding potential side effects.

Your concern is rightly placed because the pre-workout supplements are not regulated according to the regular drug regulation guidelines. This deficiency in knowledge and regulatory steps adds to the risk associated with pre-workout products.

What this means is that, in the absence of any regulations for such products, they can be sold or stocked until the company itself decides otherwise. So when looking for a pre-workout while breastfeeding you must go for the safest options.

Select a product that has certifications from a recognized regulatory body. While you may feel pulled toward your favorite pre-workouts, it is important to put safety first.

Do They Cause Acne?

Many users wonder whether pre-workout while breastfeeding leads to acne problems. While there is no rigorous research-supported evidence, there are a bunch of anecdotal claims.

Is caffeine the culprit?

Perhaps not the direct or sole causal factor! However, it may be one reason for acne issues while using pre-workouts could be due to excessive amounts of caffeine (especially when the user is taking other caffeinated drinks as well).

Could artificial sweeteners be an issue?

There is also buzz around pre-workout supplements using artificial sweeteners which leads to an increased level of insulin in your body.

This is merely another theory that links acne issues with pre-workout while breastfeeding. One quick solution to this problem is to look for a naturally sweetened pre-workout product.

Is BCAA or Creatine exaggerating your acne?

Another common concern that links acne with pre-workouts is the presence of BCAAs and creatine content. They are associated with leading to hormonal changes and possibly initiate or exaggerate the acne problem.

However, there is a substantial gap in research supporting any of these claims or concerns.

Which Pre-workout is Best for Me?

Let’s say you have decided that you’re going to use pre-workouts while nursing. Now you may be wondering which product is the best for you.

There’s no right or wrong answer!

Many pre-workout brands are available in exotic flavors, such as fruit punch or pink lemonade, etc. As long as you keep all the precautionary aspects and check the label for breast milk-safe ingredients, you should be good to go!

Another aspect that helps you in making this decision is the phase of your breastfeeding journey, how sensitive you are to caffeine or other pre-workout ingredients, and your overall health goals.

This is going to be a very personalized choice and you may have to decide after a brief trial and error period. However, do not lose hope or randomly select just any pre-workout while breastfeeding.

From Where Can You Find This?

They are easy to find! You can search for some options at your nearest nutrition and vitamin store. What’s more, you can even benefit from word of mouth at a local store.

There are many online shops as well that sell pre-workout supplements. When looking for pre-workout while breastfeeding you may even get some amazing deals or discounts. It may also be a cost-effective way to purchase if you are going to order in bulk.

Here’s the Bottom Line!

Regardless of where you buy the product from, make sure that the product is well-reviewed and that the online store or local shop has good reliability as well. Don’t forget to check the label for the ingredient list and third-party certification. They can be a great product that makes you feel full of energy and vitality but using pre-workout while breastfeeding calls for some extra caution. So take your time mama!