Diving Post-pregnancy and while Breastfeeding

[cinder4320]

Does anyone have any information on how long after giving birth to wait before diving again? Also, does breastfeeding affect diving?

Thanks!
Miranda

 

[BabyDuck]

i waited for a month after my c-section but made my buddies carry my gear. if you're cleared for regular stuff & lifting regular weight, you're cleared. if you have restrictions, live within them.

breastfeeding made my surface intervals interesting - i pumped & chatted over my shoulder to people. i accidentally flicked milk on those who ever accidentally flicked pee on me. payback is lovely! though i did call a dive shorter than i might have otherwise because it was time to pump.

if it's worth it to you, you'll fit it in. but don't be surprised if it's not that important. yes, they are all correct - your priorities shift wildly after a baby. what they don't tell you is that you don't really care & it doesn't bother you much at all. when it starts to bother you, you'll know it's time to change something.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Let me preface this post by saying I'm not an OB/Gyn...
Divers Alert Network has a special webpage on diving issues for women. Both of your questions are specifically addressed on that page. A summary of DAN's recommendations follows:

Q: How soon may a woman resume diving after giving birth?
A: It depends. For vaginal delivery, obstetricians recommend avoiding sexual intercourse and water immersion for 3 weeks postpartum. For C-section, wound-healing must be considered. Generally, the recommendation is to wait 4 to 6 weeks before resuming full physical activity and 8 weeks before resuming diving. If there were any pregnancy-related complications, it would be advisable to seek specific medical clearance from your OB for diving. It's also worth noting that caring for a newborn can be physically demanding. Inadequate sleep and higher levels of stress and fatigue should be considered in dive planning.

Q: Is it safe to dive while breastfeeding?
A: Yes, it is safe for the mother provided that there is no infection or inflammation of the breast. Furthermore, there is no risk of the baby accumulating nitrogen from ingested breast milk.

Have fun and dive safe...

 

[raya]

BabyDuck is sooooo right!! It was the one thing that drove me mad when I was pregnant, not being able to dive, watching my hubby and all our friends get kitted out and taking the plunge into the sea I was Green with envy!!! I swore that as soon as the baby was born I'd be back in super quick! However... When Maya Blue arrived diving was the last thing on my mind! In fact I think I did my first dive 9 months after the birth! My hubby kept buying me new gear for birthday and xmas and trying to lure me back into it.I was breast feeding, and to me the thought of leaving Maya even for an hour knowing full well that I was her only food supply as such frightened me.More to the point, it was the fear that I was going to do something for myself.To be selfish and put myself forward before her. Sounds silly maybe, but it really did take a while to just feel relaxed. The first dive, I cried underwater! So, just relax... The sea and dive sites will always be here, take each day as it comes but most of enjoy your little bundle.