Breastfeeding is strongly recommended for the first six months and ensures that a newborn gets all the necessary nutrients and antibodies in the first few months of birth. However, the quantity of milk produced varies and often it may not be enough for a full feeding. Hence, one of the most popular methods used by new mothers to increase the milk supply is the consumption of lactation cookies.
In this article:
Do Lactation Cookies Work?
Can Anyone Eat Lactation Cookies?
5 Best Recipes for Lactation Cookies
What Makes These Healthy Lactation Cookies?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do Lactation Cookies Work?
Lactation cookies are a great way to help increase the milk supply. The key ingredient is the brewer’s yeast and this cannot substitute any other kind of yeast. These are made using galactagogues or foods that are believed to improve breast milk production. Benefits are –
- Improves health
- Controls constipation
- Helps in postpartum depression
- Completely harmless
- Nutritious snacks
Can Anyone Eat Lactation Cookies?
Yes, all of the ingredients are safe for anyone to eat and not to worry.
5 Best Recipes for Lactation Cookies
Biscuit Bites
These delicious chocolate chip lactation cookies require simple ingredients and take less than 10 minutes of preparation time.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp powdered flaxseed
- half cup grated coconut
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbsp fenugreek powder
- few drops vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips
Recipe
Mix yeast, chocolate chips, flaxseed, coconut, fenugreek, and oatmeal together in a blender, then add honey, vanilla essence and peanut butter and continue blending until smooth. Refrigerate the mixture for around an hour and take it out and roll in into small discs. The cookies are ready to eat.
No sugar cookies
these nutritious cookies are sugar-free and contain a variety of healthy ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp brewer’s yeast
- 1 banana
- one whisked egg,
- 2 tbsp coconut oil,
- a pinch of baking soda,
- 2 cups rolled oats,
- three tbsp crushed nuts,
- 2 tbsp fenugreek powder,
- 1 tsp baking powder,
- pinch of cinnamon and salt of taste
Recipe
Mix oats, baking soda, fenugreek, cinnamon, baking powder, yeast, salt and nuts together in a bowl. Blend together banana, eggs, and coconut oil until getting a smooth texture. Mix the dry and wet ingredients with the hands. Pour around 2 tbsp worth of the mixture onto a wax paper or cookie sheet and press to form a small disc. Bake in a preheated oven for around 15 minutes and let them cool before eating.
Raisin Berry Cookies
these yummy no-bake lactation cookies are packed with berries and raisins, giving them a tropical flavor.
Ingredients
- few drops of vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp organic coconut oil
- half cup milk
- 3 cups oatmeal
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tsp flaxseed
- half cup assorted raisins and berries
- half tsp fenugreek powder
- 1 cup sweetener (cane sugar)
- half tsp salt
Recipe
Mix milk, coconut oil, sugar, and cocoa together and allow the mixture to cook in a saucepan for a minute. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well until to get a thick paste. Pour small blobs of the mixture onto cookie paper, press into a disc and allow them to set.
Pumpkin cookies
These spicy pumpkin lactation cookies are delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cane sugar
- one cup oatmeal
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 tbsp brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- half cup butter
- a pinch of salt
- half teaspoon fenugreek powder
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp powdered flaxseed
Recipe
Blend the cane sugar, oatmeal, flour, baking soda, yeast, pumpkin, spice, salt, fenugreek powder, and flaxseed together. In a separate vessel, mix together vanilla essence, purred pumpkin, egg, and butter. Mix the wet ingredients slowly with the dry ingredients and mix until getting a consistent dough. Spoon out small parts of the dough onto a wax paper and press into a disc. Bake them in a preheated oven for around 15 minutes.
Eggless Cookies
These eggless lactation cookies are ideal for vegans and vegetarians to avoid animal products.
Ingredients
- half cup organic coconut oil
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp brewer’s yeast
- half cup almond butter
- half cup cane sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp powdered fenugreek
Recipe
take flour, sugar, salt, flaxseed, fenugreek, salt and chocolate chips in a bowl and blend. Mix the coconut oil, almond butter, vanilla extract, and honey in a different bowl and combine the 2 bowls together until to get a smooth clay like batter. Make small discs with this batter on a wax paper. Bake in a preheated oven for around 10 minutes.
What Makes These Healthy Lactation Cookies?
Galactagogues are milk boosting ingredients used in cookies but there is no clear proof that they work as advertised. However, the galactagogues in lactation cookies are generally quite beneficial to health. These are –
- Oats
- Fenugreek
- Flaxseed
- Brewer’s yeast
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Many Lactation Cookies Should I Eat?
Depends on the body and personal milk supply of women, most of them eat 2 or three cookies a day to boost milk supply.
How Long Does It Take For Lactation Cookies To Work?
Most nursing mothers can tell if there is a difference in milk production within the first 2 or three days. Ideally, give it up to a week to be totally sure.
Can Lactation Cookies Recipe Be Made Without Brewers Yeast?
It can be made but won’t see the same effects in the milk supply boost if brewer’s yeast is included.
Do Lactation Cookies Make You Gain Weight?
Eating in moderation is okay but eating more can cause weight gain.
Conclusion
If there is any problem in breast milk production, try lactation cookies to increase the supply. Otherwise, consult the doctor.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3549114
https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/lactation-cookies-benefits-and-recipes/
https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/lactation-cookies-recipe/
Hope this article was of help to you! Please share your comments/queries/tips with us and help us create a world full of Happy, Healthy Babies and Empowered Women!!
