EATING FOR BETTER SUPPLY (+ LACTATION COOKIE RECIPE)

Lets talk a little bit about how you can fuel your body for a better supply! For starters, breastfeeding mamas need to be keeping themselves well hydrated and drinking lots of water. I keep a bottle with me 24/7 to sip on, and try to drink a full bottle every breastfeeding session. I also eat oatmeal every single morning for breakfast which is great for your milk supply. Oatmeal is something I ate daily for years before I even had the twins just because I LOVE oatmeal (I'm weird, I know), but you better bet that it is something I most definitely continued to eat after the twins arrived given it's benefits for breastfeeding moms! Here are some foods that other breastfeeding mommas swear by to keep up that milk supply.

Foods to Boost Milk Supply:

• Fenugreek

• Lean Meats

• Oats/Oatmeal

• Barley

• Flax Seed

• Whole Grains

• Brewer's yeast

• Garlic

When we got home from the hospital with the twins, my mother-in-law found a great recipe for lactation cookies that she made for me! They turned out so good that my husband, AJ, kept eating my cookies! Now, we make these cookies just because they are delicious, and we have even taken them to friend + family get-togethers...ha!

Lactation Cookie Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour

• 5 tablespoons brewers yeast

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 12 tablespoons organic unsalted butter

• 4 tablespoons unrefined organic virgin coconut oil

• 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar

• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips/chunks, I like ghirardelli

• feel free to add: unsweetened flaked coconutchopped almonds, 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven the 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, yeast, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and coconut oil on medium speed until creamy. Add in the sugar and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add in the egg and egg yolk, beating until combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined again. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined and mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula until they are evenly dispersed.

4. Scoop the dough into 1-inch rounds (I use an ice cream scoop so they are fairly uniform in size) and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms are just golden. Let cool completely before storing in a sealed container.

NOTE:

• Yields ~2 dozen cookies.

• You can easily freeze this dough – scoop the rounds on a baking sheet, place the sheet in the freezer for 2 hours, then place the dough rounds in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer. Bake at the same temp – they may or may not need an extra minute or 2 – your preference!