Lactation Cookies and their Benefits for Nursing Mothers

Are you having trouble breastfeeding?

If so, you’re not alone.  According to an article published by NPR, as many as 92 percent of first-time moms encounter problems. Low milk supply is one of the most distressing issues for new mothers, including pain and difficulty in latching the baby. Many women claim that a particular cookie (of all things) can help with that.

Introducing lactation cookies: a type of cookie specifically designed to help nursing mothers increase their milk supply. Lactation cookies are made with ingredients like brewer’s yeast, flaxseed meal, and oats- all of which have been shown to promote lactation. So how do these magical cookies work?

Keep reading to find out.

What are lactation cookies, and what do they contain?

Lactation cookies are all the rage right now, and with good reason. These cookies are specifically designed to help nursing mothers increase their milk supply. They are made with ingredients like brewer’s yeast, flaxseed meal, and oats- all of which have been shown to promote lactation.

You can look all over the web:  Pinterest, Cookie Love, even Etsy- to find recipes for these delectable treats. While the ingredients may vary slightly, most lactation cookies contain some combination of the following:

• Oats
• Fenugreek
• Brewers’ yeast
• Flaxseed meal

But do they actually work?

Hold that thought, we’ll come back to it later.

How do lactation cookies help nursing mothers?

Let’s start with the ingredient you’re most familiar with: oats. They’re high in saponins, an immune-boosting component that may help raise Prolactin levels, a crucial milk hormone. Oats are also rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them a healthy choice whether or not you’re nursing.

The next one on the list is fenugreek. This plant’s seeds include a phytoestrogen, which aids in hormone balance and prolactin regulation.  Fenugreek also helps your body release milk by stimulating smooth muscle contractions in the breast.

Brewers’ yeast is a useful lactogenic ingredient, and you may be unfamiliar with it. It contains B vitamins as well as trace minerals such as chromium and selenium, which are lacking in cow’s milk. B vitamins play a role in many of the body’s functions, including milk production.

lastly, flaxseed meal is high in mega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for both mother and baby. While omega-3 and omega-6 fats are required by everyone, these levels in a mother’s milk are critical for a newborn’s developing immune system.  They’re also thought to aid in the prevention of allergies.

So, do lactation cookies actually work?

There’s no scientific evidence to support the claim that lactation cookies help increase milk supply. However, many nursing mothers swear by them. One reason for this could be the placebo effect. If you believe the cookies are working, they very well might be-at least in your mind.

Another possibility is that the combination of ingredients in lactation cookies helps to regulate prolactin levels and promote milk production. Some mothers find that eating a specific food (like lactation cookies) helps their milk production more than others.

So, it’s up to you whether or not you want to try lactation cookies. Chances are, they can’t hurt and they might just help. Plus, they’re a delicious way to get some extra nutrients into your diet.

Where can you get lactation cookies?

If you’re looking for a tried-and-true recipe for lactation cookies in the Livingston, LA area, our friends at From Womb to Arms Doula Services bake some of the best, freshest cookies around.

And as luck would have it, they deliver them to us!   So, if you’re in the market for some delicious lactation cookies, just give us a call and we’ll get them to you.

If you’re not in the Livingston, LA area, don’t worry. You can find lactation cookie recipes all over the internet. Just be sure to use ingredients that have been shown to help with milk production.

Whether or not you decide to try lactation cookies, we hope this article has given you some helpful information about this topic.

Nursing is a beautiful and amazing experience, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

If you’d like to learn more about Wombs to Arms and get some of their yummy lactation cookies, visit their website.