Can Breastfeeding Increase Injury Risk? Here's What Recent Research Says
- rdcdietitian
- Nov 11
- 4 min read
Hi there and welcome! I'm Rebekah - Registered Dietitian helping active mamas fuel their bodies confidently through pregnancy and postpartum.
If you’ve ever been told to “be careful — you’re breastfeeding, your joints are loose, you’ll get injured,” you’re not alone.
It’s one of those persistent postpartum myths that leaves many active moms second-guessing themselves. Is there really a link between breastfeeding and higher injury risk? Or is this just another case of fear-based messaging that keeps women from moving confidently after baby?
A brand-new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Jones et al., 2025) set out to answer that exact question - and the results are helpful for moms who love to move!
The Study in a Nutshell
Researchers surveyed 590 physically active women (on average 28 months postpartum) to explore the relationship between breastfeeding habits and musculoskeletal injuries in the first year after birth.
They asked about:
How long and how exclusively women breastfed
Their physical activity before and after pregnancy
Any injuries or aches they experienced postpartum
About 22% of participants — roughly one in five — reported an injury in that first year. The big question: were breastfeeding moms more likely to be in that group?
What They Found
The short answer: No.
Women who breastfed exclusively for six months or longer were no more likely to experience injury than those who didn’t. In other words, breastfeeding alone did not increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
That’s a huge sigh of relief for active, breastfeeding mamas who want to stay strong and train safely.
Here’s What Did Matter
Two other factors stood out - and they’re ones we can actually do something about:
A history of or current eating disorder or low energy availability
Women with this history were nearly three times more likely to report injury.
Translation: when your body isn’t getting enough fuel, it’s more vulnerable. Low energy intake affects hormones, bone health, muscle recovery, and even coordination.
A big drop in activity early in pregnancy
Participants who cut their training volume by more than 50% early on had almost double the injury risk postpartum.
Staying active (safely, and with guidance) through pregnancy helps maintain strength, mobility, and tissue resilience for the return to sport later.
So the takeaway isn’t “stop breastfeeding.” It’s “fuel well and move consistently.”
Why Fueling Matters So Much
Your postpartum body is doing triple duty: healing, producing milk, and maybe chasing a toddler - all while adapting to new sleep patterns and stress levels. That means your energy needs are high, and it's easy to fall into underfueling.
When you underfuel, your body has to choose priorities: milk production, healing, or training. Something eventually gives.
Underfueling can show up as:
Persistent fatigue or brain fog
Lingering soreness or slower recovery
Feeling “weak” during workouts
Mood swings or anxiety
Frequent little aches that won’t quit
Sound familiar? These aren’t signs you’re “failing” - they’re signals your body needs more energy, nutrients, or rest.
Fueling enough - especially during breastfeeding and return-to-training - is one of the best things you can do for injury prevention, performance, and overall health.
The Bigger Picture
While this study is reassuring, it’s also a reminder that injury risk is multifactorial. It’s not just about whether or not you’re breastfeeding. It’s about the whole ecosystem of your recovery:
Training load: Too much, too soon? Your tissues might not be ready.
Sleep (or lack thereof): Night feeds matter here — recovery requires rest.
Pelvic floor & core recovery: Strength and coordination take time.
Hormonal changes: They can affect tissue elasticity and energy metabolism.
Nutrition & hydration: The foundation for repair and resilience.
Stress: Emotional, physical, and mental loads all count.
Think of injury risk as a balance scale — when these factors are in sync, your body thrives. When one side tips too far (like training hard but eating little and sleeping less), things start to creak.
A Quick Word on Study Limitations
Before we close the book, it’s worth noting a few caveats:
The study was survey-based, so results rely on self-report (hello, mom-brain memory).
It shows correlation, not causation - we can’t say breastfeeding protects against injury, just that it doesn’t seem to raise risk.
“Injury” covered a wide range - from mild aches to more significant issues.
All participants were already active, so results may not apply to those newly starting exercise postpartum.
Also must consider support and resources available to different populations. For example - athletes may have access to coaches, team health-care providers and other resources that help them navigate postpartum challenges in sport.
Even with those limitations, this is one an encouraging study for active, breastfeeding moms.
The Takeaway
Breastfeeding ≠ automatic injury risk.What matters most is how you support your body through this chapter:
Fuel generously. Your body is doing A LOT - fuel for it all.
Progress gradually. Build load slowly and listen to your body’s feedback.
Recover intentionally. Rest is part of training, not the opposite of it.
Your body is capable, resilient, and worthy of the same care you give everyone else in your home.
If you’re returning to sport or training while breastfeeding and you’re not sure how much to eat, how to pace your workouts, or what recovery should really look like - that’s exactly what I help women with inside Fueling Motherhood: Postpartum Edition.
Because strong, nourished moms don’t just bounce back — they build forward.
Jones, P.A.T., Moolyk, A., Ruchat, S.-M., Ali, M.U., Fleming, K., Meyer, S., Sjwed, T.N., Wowdzia, J.B., Maier, L.E., Mottola, M.F., Sivak, A., & Davenport, M.H. (2025). Breastfeeding-injury link: are concerns warranted? British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-109310
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