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Breastfeeding Cookies for Nursing Moms?
It’s a genius idea. Nursing mothers get an excuse to eat cookies and increase their milk production at the same time. I’ve heard of “cookies and milk,” but I didn’t know that cookies could make milk!
Nursing moms can now choose between two brands: MilkMakers and Milkin’ Cookies. Both are made from healthy ingredients which are said to increase milk supply – such as oatmeal, yeast and flax-seed.
Sounds great. So what’s the problem? No problem really, but two minor questions: 1) Do nursing moms really need their own special food? 2) Do you really need to shell out big bucks to increase milk production?
As the hilarious Lenore Skenazy wrote at ParentDish, “My cookie of choice while breast-feeding did not cost $44 for 30 of them, as do the MilkMakers. It was called the “Oreo,” and it was available pretty much everywhere.”
It does seem like a brilliant marketing plan — target insecure new mothers who are willing to shell out money to ensure they can produce enough milk. But is it really necessary?
Here’s a crazy idea: why not bake these cookies yourself and save a lot of money? Basically, they’re chocolate chip cookies with flax seed meal and Brewer’s yeast (no guarantee they’ll taste as good as the kind that cost $44, but it’s worth a shot).
There are certainly lots of herbal remedies (Fenugreek, Fennel seeds, Brewer’s Yeast, Red Raspberry tea, Blessed Thistle, Goats Rue and Nettle), drinks (beer!) and foods (cinnamon) which are said to increase milk supply. And, of course, the best of the bunch is free and readily available — water. Lots and lots of water.
What helped you increase your milk supply? Would you buy breastfeeding cookies? Really, aside from the price tag, I’m always up for eating cookies!
Photo: wikimedia/Ken Hammond
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[...] study is important because breastfeeding problems can cause women to stop nursing, especially if they feel that their baby is hungry or dehydrated. [...]
Older, Overweight Moms at Risk for Breastfeeding Problems | Strollerderby commented on Jul 28 10 at 2:41 pm[...] Breastfeeding Cookies to Increase Milk Production? | Strollerderby – Tags: breastfeeding diet, breastfeeding food, breastfeeding foods, breastfeeding tips, increase milk production. « « Kidz Bop: Do You Censor Your Kid's Music? Older, Overweight Moms at Risk for Breastfeeding Difficulties » » … [...]
Goog foods for breastfeeding mom | Breastfeeding Food commented on Aug 12 10 at 3:34 amlaura commented on Jul 28 10 at 12:08 pmOatmeal made a big difference for me. If I really wanted cookies, I’d just make peanut butter/chocolate oatmeal drop cookies and maybe sprinkle in some flaxseed if I felt ambitious. But when I had a newborn, I didn’t even have the ambition to so much as shower some days. I’m pretty sure I just ate oatmeal straight out of the canister a few mornings.
I thought that studies have shown that beer is actually bad for your supply. It just makes you feel engorged, but you will actually produce less milk. It just goes to show how under-researched breastmilk is (eg, how much alcohol gets into breast milk, how does the caloric value vary from feeding to feeding, mom to mom, etc). it is kind of frustrating that it isn’t easier to get straight answers.
JCF commented on Jul 28 10 at 12:18 pmOatmeal, fenugreek, and lots of water seemed to help me when my milk supply dropped a bit. Like the PP said, I might not currently feel up to baking cookies (with a newborn and two toddlers, I’m lucky if I get breakfast at a reasonable time), but I can eat a bowl of oatmeal, pop a few fenugreek tablets, and save myself a bunch of money (and probably calories).
Beth commented on Jul 28 10 at 1:39 pmThe only thing proven to increase supply is water and MORE NURSING. Besides most nursing moms don’t have supply issues; the babies are growing, thereby needing more fuel, thereby nursing more to increase mom’s supply for the future. Mom sees it as “this baby is always hungry, I must not make enough milk” and panics. Marketers who invent these ridiculous claims poison mother nature’s already there, perfect balance. No wonder so many women think “I couldn’t breastfeed” when in fact they already were and succeeding!
Laure68 commented on Jul 28 10 at 2:03 pmI agree with Beth. It is not necessarily that it is under-researched, but that nothing has been able to be proven to work. (Like so many herbal remedies.) More nursing, on the other hand, does increase supply. This is yet another way to fleece parents out of money.
MsC commented on Jul 28 10 at 3:18 pmWhen I was trying to increase my supply, I did a lot of looking around and found that there had been some (inconclusive) studies by Duke University on the efficacy of fenugreek. There are studies out there, but nothing especially definitive. Given how desperate I was, I might have given these cookies a try, but my guess is they’d have been about as effective as anything else I tried. Oatmeal, fenugreek, milk thistle, pumping between feedings, and Raglan all had measurable but insufficient effect on my supply.
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Jul 28 10 at 3:52 pmI’ll buy them if they can make them taste exactly like Thin Mints.
Emily commented on Jul 28 10 at 4:12 pmhttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/LACTATION-COOKIES-1252680
(add an extra egg)
I got a cold 3 weeks in and my supply tanked. Water, nursing, and these cookies made such ha difference. Also, they’re tasty.
Dustin Mattison commented on Jul 28 10 at 5:07 pmClary sage seed oil, unlike fish oil and some of the other Omega 3 oils, is always suitable for babies, elderly and sick people, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, vegans and vegetarians. Most researchers in the field of omega-3 agree upon the importance of DHA for optimal function of the brain, eyes and heart. DHA is also extremely important for pregnant women since the fetus needs DHA for brain development. Despite ALA’s low conversion ratio to DHA, clary sage seeds provide more than enough DHA for the brain’s functions. http://ecochicagoland.com/2010/07/is-dha-over-emphasized/
Gretchen Powers commented on Jul 28 10 at 7:14 pmI just drank the Traditional Medicinals Mothers Milk tea. I am intrigued by the cookies but would NEVER have paid that kind of money. All these BF posts and pics of babies feeding sure are making me nostalgic, though….
Gretchen Powers commented on Jul 28 10 at 7:15 pmPS…Beth got it right!
Linda commented on Jul 28 10 at 9:03 pmYou can bake your onw nursing cookies for pennies. I had recipes for them when my daughter was born 13 years ago. IME, oatmeal increases supply. When my youngest was 4 months old, we went on vacation and I ate oatmeal for breakfast each morning (I normally don’t) and I was engorged beyond belief.
lucy commented on May 16 11 at 2:23 pmI did what I read; breastfeed more often and drink water.
Becca commented on Jun 30 11 at 7:47 amI just want to say one thing Flax Seeds a) need to be ground to get the full benefit and b) you don’t need a lot. I put ground flax seed in pancakes, cookies, breads, and anything else I can hide it in. My son hates fish and it’s loaded with Omega3. Oh and guess what you can’t taste it.
I have never tried brewers yeast but I would think it would be the same general rule you don’t need a lot to make the difference
Amy commented on Jul 07 11 at 4:41 pmI used the recipe for lactation cookies that include flaxseed, oatmeal and brewers yeast.. They tasted fantastic and my supply skyrocketed whenever I made them.
Other methods didn’t work for me. Fenugreek supplements just made my baby cranky. So a big YES on the lactation cookies! But only homemade, not the spendy premade ones.
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