Lactation Cookies

Jul 31, 2015
3 min read

Do a google search of Lactation Cookies, or better yet a Pinterest search and you are bound to come up with a TON of recipes. Unfortunately, many of the recipes out there are chalked full of non-nutritious ingredients like refined flours and lots and LOTS of refined sugars. As a breastfeeding mother, it is super important that you are getting not just enough calories throughout the day, but also making nutrient-dense choices that will help to nurture your body and that of your precious newborn. Getting up at all hours of the night can make it really difficult to ensure an adequate intake of healthy foods throughout the day, so it is important to have a collection of healthy snacks on hand. Let's face it, you aren't likely to be making gourment meals 3 times a day when you are taking care of a newborn; however, with preparation, intention, and support you can stock your home with nutritious options that take minimal time and effort to prepare.

Lactation cookes are great in that they are simple to make (and freeze), easy to grab and eat, are full of nutritious ingredients that feed your body and promote healthy lactation, as well as delicious! The following recipe is a result of lots of playing around in the kitchen (aka lots of taste testing, darn!) and produces cookies with more of a granola-bar type feel to them, as opposed to a super sweet and fluffy cookie. Let's take a look at the ingredients...

Oats: Almost every lactation cookie out there contains oats. The main reason behind this is because oats are thought to increase milk supply in mothers. Oats (Avena sativa) also help to stabalize blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels, enhance immune response to infection, as well as act as a nervous system relaxant. Oats are wonderful for exhaustion, anxiety, and insomnia.

Dates: Dates not only add sweetness to these cookies, but also supply a wide range of vitamins (including vitamin C, vitamin A, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin), minerals (including iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and potassium), protein, dietary fiber, & fatty acids. Side note: If you haven't already seen it, you should check out the 2011 study published in the Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology that looks at the ability of date consumption in late pregnancy to significantly lower the need for intervention during labor. Go dates!

Brewer's Yeast: Brewer's Yeast is high in B vitamins, protein, iron, and several minerals that help to nourish both mom and baby. It aids in increasing milk supply, as well as boosts energy levels (and what new mom doesn't need that).

Teff: A super tiny grain (less than 1mm diameter), teff packs a punch in the nutrient department! Teff is an incredible source of calcium and iron - needed nutrients for new moms. It is also an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and dietary fiber.

Fennel Seed: Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) is an aromatic herb that helps to increase breast milk production through its galactagogue activity. What is a galactagogue you ask? Galactagogues are medications or herbs that aid in initiating and maintaining adequate milk production, and are particularly useful for women who are unable to produce adequate breast milk. Fennel also provides digestive support in relieving gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

Source: Romm, R. (2010). Botanical Medicine For Women's Health. St Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger: All three of these spices are warming in nature. Many cultures around the world are known to give only warming foods with warming spices to moms in the postpartum period as a way to restore balance within the mother. They also add an amazing flavor to the cookies!

Coconut Oil: You could write a book on the benefits of coconut oil (I'm sure someone already has), but I will spare you the looong list here. Coconut oil has numerous benefits for mothers and I included it in this recipe mainly as a source of fatty acids.

Almonds and Walnuts: Nuts are a great source of protein, calories, vitamins & minerals. I chose these two specifically for their nutrient profiles. Almonds contain high levels of calcium, vitamin E and magnesium. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, as well as vitamin E and magnesium.