Training during pregnancy
Question:
Can I continue my cycling training during pregnancy?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
Pregnancies of sportswomen are 90 per cent trouble-free. Complications occur much less frequently than in non-athletes. A trained body can cope much better with the increased demands on the cardiovascular system and metabolism that pregnancy entails. In a healthy pregnancy, exercise can be carried out up to the fifth month without any problems. Later on, there is a risk of the embryo overheating. That's why I recommend loosening and relaxation exercises from the fifth month onwards. Four weeks after the birth, you can start light fitness training again. After eight weeks, full fitness is restored. Women often experience a considerable increase in performance after pregnancy. Due to the circulatory and metabolic stresses during pregnancy, the body is at a high level of performance after the birth.
Training and breastfeeding
Question:
Our first child was born a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to getting back on my bike. However, some people warn that endurance sport is not compatible with breastfeeding. Is that true?
Answer from Dr Merkl:
Training can be resumed from the fourth week after the birth. However, due to the weakened musculoskeletal system, the training must be dosed. Breastfeeding and cycling training are not mutually exclusive if care is taken to maintain a balanced fluid, vitamin, electrolyte and trace element balance. Sufficient calories should also be consumed: The calorie requirement of a breastfeeding mother should be set at around 80 kilocalories per 100 millilitres of expressed milk. A breastfeeding mother therefore needs an additional 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.
