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The World Health Organisation (WHO) & UNICEF recommend: 🍒
early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth; 🍒
exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life; 🍒 &
introduction of nutritionally-adequate & safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond. 🍒

Breast Milk – contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. 🍒
It provides all the energy & nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life, & it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year & up to one third during the second year of life. 🍒

Benefits of breastfeeding to Mother & can help lower the risk for :- 🍒
→ Breast & ovarian cancer 🍒
→ Type 2 diabetes 🍒
→ High blood pressure 🍒

Benefits to infants – it is the best nutritional source & can help lower the risk for :- 🍒
→ Asthma 🍒
→ Obesity 🍒
→ Sever lower respiratory disease 🍒
→ Acute otitis media (ear infections) 🍒
→ Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/ vomiting) 🍒
→ Type 1 diabetes 🍒
→ Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) 🍒

We must create supportive & safe environments for mothers who choose to breastfeed…. 🍒

#supportformums #everyfeedingjourney #breastfeedingsupport #everymumeverybaby #noshameinfeeding #inclusiveparenting #compassionovercomparison #maternalhealth 🍒

The World Health Organisation (WHO) & UNICEF recommend: 🍒
early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth; 🍒
exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life; 🍒 &
introduction of nutritionally-adequate & safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond. 🍒

Breast Milk – contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. 🍒
It provides all the energy & nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life, & it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year & up to one third during the second year of life. 🍒

Benefits of breastfeeding to Mother 🍒
Lower risk for :- 🍒
→ Breast & ovarian cancer 🍒
→ Type 2 diabetes 🍒
→ High blood pressure 🍒

Benefits to infants – it is the best nutritional source & lowers the risk for :- 🍒
→ Asthma 🍒
→ Obesity 🍒
→ Sever lower respiratory disease 🍒
→ Acute otitis media (ear infections) 🍒
→ Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/ vomiting) 🍒
→ Type 1 diabetes 🍒
→ Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) 🍒

We must create supportive & safe environments for mothers who choose to breastfeed 🍒

Hormones that are responsible for milk production & maintenance 🍒

Oestrogen + Progesterone + hPL (human placental lactogen) in the placenta lead to the development of the ductal system in the breast. 🍒
Prolactin transforms mammary epithelial cells into lactocytes (milk making cells) 🍒

LACTOGENESIS I = from 12 weeks gestation/pregnant, COLOSTRUM starts to be formed 🍒
The breast = a milk-producing organ. 🍒
Oestrogen & progesterone suppress prolactin during pregnancy 🍒

Hormones that are responsible for milk production & maintenance 🍒

LACTOGENESIS II = “Milk coming in” 🍒
From birth – 48 hours postpartum 🍒
Placenta expulsion from the uterus triggers → 🍒
↓ hPL (within hours) 🍒
↓ Progesterone & oestrogen → 🍒
↑ Prolactin → copious milk secretion. 🍒
Nipple stimulation/suckling → 🍒
Prolactin ( + insulin + cortisol) = → milk synthesis 🍒
Oxytocin → ‘Let-down’ (milk ejection reflex). 🍒
Oxytocin release = pulsatile for 20-60 seconds (….. gulp, gulp, gulp….) 🍒
Prolactin levels decrease 30 minutes after a feed 🍒

Hormones that are responsible for milk production & maintenance 🍒

LACTOGENESIS III = Galactopoiesis (Supply & Demand = Autocrine control). 🍒
Removal of breast milk (by baby or breast pump) & stimulation of breasts is the primary regulator of long term milk supply. 🍒
If milk accumulates, Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation (FIL, a small whey protein produced in the breast) slows further synthesis. 🍒

Te timatanga o te reo, Kei nga waiū o te whaea 🍒
The beginning of language, is at the breast of a mother 🍒

Iron Deficiency in Female Athletes
Iron deficiency (ID) is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies affecting female athletes,
with prevalence rates reported as high as 60% in endurance sports. Unlike the general population,
female athletes face a unique set of risk factors that increase their vulnerability to low iron stores,
even before progressing to iron deficiency anaemia (IDA).

Why Female Athletes Are at Greater Risk
The combination of menstrual blood loss (approximately 10–40 mg of iron per cycle), increased iron
turnover from high training loads, gastrointestinal blood losses, and low dietary intake or low
energy availability (LEA) puts female athletes at particular risk. Endurance training (including
altitude exposure), vegetarian/vegan diets, sweat losses, foot-strike haemolysis, and conditions like
coeliac disease or Crohn’s disease further contribute.

The Three Stages of Iron Deficiency
1. Stage 1 (Depleted Iron Stores):
Low serum ferritin (<35 µg/L) but normal haemoglobin (Hb >120g/L) and transferrin
saturation (Tsat >16%).
2. Stage 2 (Iron-Deficient Erythropoiesis):
Ferritin drops below 20 µg/L, Hb remains stable, but Tsat may begin to fall.
3. Stage 3 (Iron Deficiency Anaemia – IDA):
Both ferritin (<12 µg/L) and Hb (<120g/L) are low, impacting oxygen transport capacity and
leading to clear performance impairments.

Impact on Health and Performance
Iron plays a crucial role in oxygen transport (via haemoglobin and myoglobin) and cellular energy
production (as a cofactor in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation). Evidence from systematic
reviews and randomised trials shows that correcting ID improves endurance capacity, VO₂ max, and
energetic efficiency in female athletes, even before anaemia develops (Burden et al., 2015;
Dellavalle & Haas, 2014; Pengelly et al., 2024).
Common but often misattributed symptoms include:

 Fatigue

 Reduced endurance

 Frequent illness

 Mood changes

 Sleep disturbances (restless legs)

 Poor training motivation

 Jelly legs &/or light-headedness during/after exercise

Role of Hepcidin and Timing of Iron Intake
Hepcidin, a hormone regulating iron absorption, typically rises 3–6 hours after exercise, reducing
iron uptake from the gut. Hepcidin levels are higher when iron stores are sufficient and lower when
stores are depleted (ferritin <30 µg/L). To maximise absorption, athletes should take oral iron in the
morning or within 30 minutes post-training, avoiding the post-exercise hepcidin spike (McCormick
et al., 2020).

Blood Testing and Biomarkers
Assessment should include:

 Serum Ferritin (sFer)

 Haemoglobin (Hb)

 Transferrin Saturation (Tsat)

 C-reactive protein (CRP) – to identify inflammation that may falsely elevate ferritin

 Optional: Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) for further clarification
For accurate results:

 Test in the morning

 Athlete should be well-hydrated (urine specific gravity <1.025)

 Minimise exercise in the 24–48 hours prior

 Ensure no recent infection or illness

Nutrition and Supplementation
A ‘food first’ approach is always the starting point, focusing on both haem iron sources (meat, fish,
poultry – 5–35% absorption) and non-haem sources (wholegrains, legumes, green leafy vegetables,
fortified cereals – 2–20% absorption).
Vitamin C (50–100 mg) co-ingestion enhances absorption, while phytates, polyphenols, calcium,
and zinc inhibit it.

Oral Iron Supplementation
When dietary changes are insufficient, oral iron supplements (typically ~100 mg elemental iron per
day) are recommended for 8–12 weeks. Taking iron on an empty stomach with Vitamin C can enhance absorption but may cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, constipation, and
abdominal discomfort. If poorly tolerated, strategies include:

 Alternate day dosing

 Lower doses (e.g., 60 mg/day)

 Controlled-release formulations

(McCormick et al., 2020)

Intravenous (IV) Iron
IV iron is reserved for athletes with severe IDA, poor oral tolerance, or failure of oral treatment,
and is typically coordinated with a sports physician.

Important:

 IV iron is a prohibited method under WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) unless it meets
Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) criteria.

 Infusions exceeding 100 mL over 12 hours require a TUE, with full documentation and
justification (WADA, 2024).

Ongoing Monitoring
Regular blood monitoring (every 3–6 months in at-risk athletes) is essential to prevent recurrence,
assess treatment efficacy, and avoid over-supplementation, which can lead to iron overload or
oxidative stress.

Summary
If you’re a female athlete experiencing unexplained fatigue, low mood, frequent illness, or
declining performance, assessing and managing iron status could make a critical difference to both
your health and your results.

Canadian Guidelines for Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour & Sleep in the First Year After Birth.

(Davenport et al., 2025)

These national guidelines, developed by a panel of interdisciplinary experts, offer evidence-based recommendations to support postpartum women and people in safely engaging in physical activity, improving sleep, and reducing sedentary behaviour during the first year after childbirth.

Key Recommendations

1. Be Physically Active
   All postpartum women and people without contraindications should engage in physical activity for clinically meaningful benefits such as improved mood and reduced depressive symptoms.
   → Strong recommendation | Moderate certainty evidence
2. Medical Guidance if Needed
   Those with potential contraindications (see below) should consult a primary healthcare provider before starting or continuing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
   → Conditional recommendation | Low certainty evidence
3. MVPA Goal
   Aim to accumulate at least 120 minutes of MVPA weekly, spread over 4+ days, including aerobic and resistance training.
   → Strong recommendation | Moderate certainty evidence
4. Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT)
   Practice daily PFMT to support pelvic recovery and reduce urinary incontinence. Seek instruction from a pelvic floor physiotherapist for best results.
   → Strong recommendation | High certainty evidence
5. Early Return to Activity
   Returning to MVPA within the first 12 weeks postpartum supports mental health.
   → Strong recommendation | Moderate certainty evidence
6. Light Activity Before MVPA
   Start with light-intensity movement (e.g. gentle walking, PFMT) and gradually increase to MVPA once healing allows and lochia (vaginal bleeding) does not worsen.
   → Conditional recommendation | Low certainty evidence
7. Individualised Progression
   Follow a symptom-based, gradual progression toward 120+ minutes/week of MVPA.
   → Conditional recommendation | Low certainty evidence
8. Sleep Hygiene
   Adopt healthy sleep habits (e.g. limit screens, keep the bedroom dark and quiet) to improve maternal mental health and recovery.
   → Strong recommendation | Moderate certainty evidence
9. Reduce Sedentary Time
   Limit sedentary time to <8 hours/day, with ≤3 hours of recreational screen time, and break up long sitting periods.
   → Conditional recommendation | Very low certainty evidence

 

Relative Contraindications to MVPA Postpartum

Medical advice is recommended if any of the following are present:

• Severe abdominal or incision pain
• Heavy or unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Postpartum cardiomyopathy
• High blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg)
• Malnutrition or eating disorders
• Deep vein thrombosis symptoms
• Neurological symptoms (e.g. muscle weakness, ataxia)
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart-related symptoms
• Acute infection with fever
• Musculoskeletal injuries or fractures
• Excessive fatigue or signs of low energy availability
• Kidney disease
• Other serious or unstable medical conditions

Helpful Tool: Get Active Questionnaire for Postpartum

Created by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), this self-screening tool helps identify whether medical advice is needed before beginning MVPA postpartum.

Get Active Questionnaire for Postpartum 

 

Safety Tips for MVPA in the First Year Postpartum

• Avoid rapid return to MVPA if experiencing pain, bleeding, or mental health challenges.
• Ensure adequate nutrition, hydration, and rest, especially while lactating.
• Prioritise quality sleep to support physical and emotional recovery.
• Seek and maintain social, family, and emotional support.

Creatine: What It Is, How It Works, & Whether You Should Use It

Creatine is one of the most researched & effective sports supplements on the market. Whether you’re a gym-goer aiming to build strength, an athlete seeking recovery between high-intensity bouts, or even an endurance athlete curious about fatigue resistance, creatine could offer performance benefits.

🔬 How Does Creatine Work?

Creatine plays a key role in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — the body’s main energy currency. During short, high-intensity efforts (like sprinting, weightlifting, or repeated intervals), ATP is rapidly consumed. Creatine steps in by donating a phosphate group to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to regenerate ATP, helping your muscles produce energy more quickly & efficiently.

📦 Absorption, Storage, & Excretion

• Absorption: Creatine is quickly absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract. Blood levels typically peak within an hour.
• Storage: Most creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, though smaller amounts are also found in the brain.
• Excretion: Any excess is filtered by the kidneys & excreted as creatinine in the urine.

🧪 Creatine & Performance: What Research Shows

💥 Speed, Power, & Strength

Creatine may serve well in anaerobic sports — those requiring explosive movements & short recovery periods:

• Studies show gains in strength, power, & sprint performance.
• It may support recovery between high-intensity bouts.
• May also help increase lean muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training.

🏃 Endurance & Fatigue Resistance

Although traditionally linked to power sports, there’s emerging evidence suggesting benefits for endurance athletes:

• In some studies, creatine helped improve fatigue resistance & recovery during prolonged or repeated efforts.
• One in five studies showed improvements in aerobic capacity.

Results vary based on individual baseline creatine levels & training status — vegetarians & those with lower muscle creatine may see the biggest improvements.

🎯 Who Might Benefit from Creatine Supplementation?

• Athletes involved in resistance training aiming to boost lean mass.
• Those in high-intensity, short-duration sports (e.g. sprinting, throwing, weightlifting).
• Athletes in intermittent sports (e.g. football, netball, tennis).

🧪 Dosing Strategies

You can take creatine in two ways:

1. Fast Load + Maintenance

• Loading: 20g/day split into 4 doses for 5–7 days.
• Maintenance: 3–5g/day ongoing.

2. Slow Load Only

• Skip the loading phase & take 3–5g/day. This leads to saturation over ~4 weeks — a good option if you’re sensitive to side effects.

👉 Pro tip: Take creatine with a carbohydrate-rich meal to enhance absorption into muscle tissue.

⚠️ Potential Side Effects

Creatine is generally safe for healthy individuals, but some may experience:

• Water retention & slight weight gain (~600–1000g), particularly during loading.
• Gastrointestinal discomfort (e.g. bloating or nausea).
• Muscle cramps or strains (though evidence is limited & mostly anecdotal).

Staying well-hydrated & avoiding megadoses can minimize issues.

🧠 Creatine Beyond Muscles?

While most known for its physical benefits, creatine also plays a role in brain energy metabolism — with ongoing research exploring its potential for cognitive support, especially under stress or fatigue.

✅ Final Thoughts

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied, cost-effective, & beneficial supplements available — particularly for sports requiring power, strength, & repeated efforts. While not a magic bullet, it can be a valuable tool in your training toolkit.

📌 Just remember: individual responses vary. Always consider your sport, goals, health, & consult a qualified health or nutrition professional before starting supplementation.