Lactation Cookies..

[Jakabella]

As you may know I didn't get any milk with DD for some reason - so I was wondering if it would be worth me making some Lactation cookies and taking them to hospital with me and eating them straight after birth of number 2??

Also can you make them and eat them before you give birth??

[MrsFabuloso]

I don't see why not hun. Anything is worth a try. Maybe make a batch a week or so before you're due and munch away! I found them to be quite yummy!

[onthefly]

Apparently they're delicious, so why not start practicing now....?
The milk coming in is largely a hormonal process, affected by all sorts of variables like how the birth goes, initiation and frequency of breastfeeding, keeping baby nearby, etc, etc. I'm not sure that cookies would help with that, though if you enjoy them they certainly won't hurt.

[Barb Glare]

Hi, Jackabella,

You can make some cookies and take them to hospital - they will be a great after labour snack - they taste great. But, as far as your milk supply goes they won't do a thing. Lactation cookies just don't work.
It is confusing, stressful and upsetting when your body doesn't do what we expect it to do, especially when the issue is as important about breastfeeding. There is always a reason why milk doesn't come in and breastfeeding fails. If you are able to get support to identify these reasons you stand a much better chance of success. You are welcome to share your birth/breastfeeding story and this may give us some clues. You might prefer to have a consult with a lactation consultant to go over your previous situation and how things could be different next time. Or call the aban helpline and talk it through. The number is 18006862686.

[Jakabella]

Thanks ladies.

Barb - I had a 16 hr posterior labour, with an epidural and after getting to 8 cms had an emergency C sect due to Failure to progress and Bella's head being stuck at an angle and not coming down. Well thats what my birth notes say.

I had her with me straight after my c-sect and she got skin to skin contact - but I had lost a fair bit of blood and I was shaking fairly badly due to the epi - so probably wasnt the best start! I used the LC's at the hospital but they actaully scared me and were quite rough - I was on the elect pump every 2 hrs to try and get my milk in but it just never came and by day 3 Bella was fully FF.

I guess all those factors played their role. I am hoping for a VBAC this time around and to successfully BF.