Breastfeeding and Latic Acid?

[45K10]

Okay, so I know this isn't your typical thread on here but I know some of the ladies on the forum or other members may have experience with this.

So, my wife is expecting her 1st baby in December. She loves to ride/race whenever she can and is looking forward to getting back into a regular training regime once the baby is born. However, she recently read that the build-up of latic acid during strenuous exercise can make the breast milk undesirable to the baby.

My questions are:
1. Is this true and does anyone have any experience dealing with it?
2. If it is true, is there a "buffer time" after a hard workout that can help avoid this problem.
3. Tubulars or Clinchers on the baby trailer? :)

Thanks

[Likes2ridefar]

Okay, so I know this isn't your typical thread on here but I know some of the ladies on the forum or other members may have experience with this.

So, my wife is expecting her 1st baby in December. She loves to ride/race whenever she can and is looking forward to getting back into a regular training regime once the baby is born. However, she recently read that the build-up of latic acid during strenuous exercise can make the breast milk undesirable to the baby.

My questions are:
1. Is this true and does anyone have any experience dealing with it?
2. If it is true, is there a "buffer time" after a hard workout that can help avoid this problem.
3. Tubulars or Clinchers on the baby trailer? :)

Thanks

I'm nearly 6 months into our first child, and while I cant specifically answer your question, what I can say is you'll find numerous times where you are wondering what may or may not be causing the current crying bout, sleeplessness, gas, etc. My wife did however return from a bike ride which involves a long climb to the house and immediately fed the baby...never had an issue.

i'd suggest if she refuses once when you think lactic acid is present then try it again a few days later and see if you get the same results. if then, maybe it's the lactic acid build up!

long ways from the baby trailer! I did research before ours was born as well, but ended up forgetting about it since it's quite awhile till she can safely ride with me.

[Md3000]

Don't you worry, there will be 200 more things people / the internet will tell you that is good for you or bad for you while breast feeding! I don't think there's any substantial proof for this, my wife looked it up cos she already resumed exercise 2 weeks after birth and is now waiting to get back on her bike. One thing that can be of influence for breast milk according to our pediatrician is the amount of caffeine intake on the day.

[atrexler]

I have exactly 0 experience when it comes to infants and everything associated with them. I am a biochemist though, so questions of pH and physiology generally interest.

FWIW, I can say that both blood and milk are fairly strongly buffered solutions, meaning they resist pH changes fairly well. Blood pH is really tightly controlled. Respiration doesn't work if it gets too off the mark. Though lactate does noticeably accumulate in the blood after exercise, it looks transient, and declines readily after exercise ceases (Fig 6: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769631/). In addition to the body working to eliminate lactate and stabilize blood pH, and though I don't know the specifics, I'm sure there are similar mechanisms regulating breast milk production and composition. The milk itself is slightly acidic normally and would strongly resist further pH changes.

[Likes2ridefar]

i have exactly 0 experience when it comes to infants and everything associated with them. I am a biochemist though, so questions of ph and physiology generally interest.

Fwiw, i can say that both blood and milk are fairly strongly buffered solutions, meaning they resist ph changes fairly well. Blood ph is really tightly controlled. Respiration doesn't work if it gets too off the mark. Though lactate does noticeably accumulate in the blood after exercise, it looks transient, and declines readily after exercise ceases (fig 6: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2769631/). In addition to the body working to eliminate lactate and stabilize blood ph, and though i don't know the specifics, i'm sure there are similar mechanisms regulating breast milk production and composition. The milk itself is slightly acidic normally and would strongly resist further ph changes.

ifls!

[Netdewt]

Babies cry - my wife reads too much also and I think it freaks her out (we have a 2 month old and 2 grade schoolers). Babies are simple really, versus the problems as we get older. They eat, sleep, and poop. As long as you can distinguish, you're good to go.

I have exactly 0 experience when it comes to infants and everything associated with them. I am a biochemist though, so questions of pH and physiology generally interest.

FWIW, I can say that both blood and milk are fairly strongly buffered solutions, meaning they resist pH changes fairly well. Blood pH is really tightly controlled. Respiration doesn't work if it gets too off the mark. Though lactate does noticeably accumulate in the blood after exercise, it looks transient, and declines readily after exercise ceases (Fig 6: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769631/). In addition to the body working to eliminate lactate and stabilize blood pH, and though I don't know the specifics, I'm sure there are similar mechanisms regulating breast milk production and composition. The milk itself is slightly acidic normally and would strongly resist further pH changes.

I love this post BTW.

[45K10]

I have exactly 0 experience when it comes to infants and everything associated with them. I am a biochemist though, so questions of pH and physiology generally interest.

FWIW, I can say that both blood and milk are fairly strongly buffered solutions, meaning they resist pH changes fairly well. Blood pH is really tightly controlled. Respiration doesn't work if it gets too off the mark. Though lactate does noticeably accumulate in the blood after exercise, it looks transient, and declines readily after exercise ceases (Fig 6: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769631/). In addition to the body working to eliminate lactate and stabilize blood pH, and though I don't know the specifics, I'm sure there are similar mechanisms regulating breast milk production and composition. The milk itself is slightly acidic normally and would strongly resist further pH changes.

Thanks atrexler, my wife is a professor of Biology/Genetics and will appreciate the link to the published data concerning blood PH.

I love this place. Thanks for all the input guys!

[benb]

Isn't the entire concept of lactic acid buildup during exercise a misnomer?

I thought I had read in the last few years that the whole burning legs thing with high efforts actually had nothing to do with lactic acid and coaches and cycling sources needed to get up to date.

[malcolm]

Isn't the entire concept of lactic acid buildup during exercise a misnomer?

I thought I had read in the last few years that the whole burning legs thing with high efforts actually had nothing to do with lactic acid and coaches and cycling sources needed to get up to date.

Lactic acid does accumulate in working muscles, as mentioned above it clears quickly. The debate is if that is the source of the burn you feel. I think most physiologists think, not.