Lactation Cookies Recipe - Increase Breastmilk Supply

**Mrs P** · January 27th, 2013, 03:07 PM

Thanks Julie. With my first baby my milk took ages to come in due to having a c-section, and it was stressful. So I'd like to make the process of establishing breastfeeding easier this time if I can!

**Julie Doula** · January 27th, 2013, 03:31 PM

Are you thinking about VBAC this time, Mrs P?

Whether you are thinking about VBAC or RCS, a doula or private midwife might be worth looking into. So much of what happens at birth, during third stage and the start of breastfeeding is all to do with the birth hormones - especially oxytocin. Stress hormones actually work against what the birth hormones are doing. One the other hand, privacy, emotional support ane being treated with love, kindness, patience and respect are not just airy-fairy frills, they are actually essential for safe birthing, third stage, bonding and breastfeeding. That is where a doula or IM could come in.

Sarah Buckley has some great articles about the hormones of birth and how to encourage peak flows of hormones during birth and post natally. (free articles on her web site).

There are also doulas who specialise in post natal nurture and support and breastfeeding encouragement. Melanie Cane in Melbourne is one, she is very experienced and encouraging, and she knows from personal experience how c/section can affect things.

**Mrs P** · January 27th, 2013, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the info Julie - I am wanting a VBAC this time and have an obstetrician who is supportive of that. However he doesn't allow doulas to be present. I think I am preparing myself well for the process and will definitely be focussing on trying to remain as less-stressed as possible

Will be making up some cookie dough to freeze and bake closer to my due date!!

**Julie Doula** · January 27th, 2013, 03:48 PM

Hmm that sure doesn't sound very woman-centered - it's certainly not his place to dictate who you can and can't have present when you give birth, and he is actually contravening your human rights by trying that on with you. The power differential is not right and not in your favour. He is your employee, not your boss!

Do you know for sure what his VBAC success rate is?

If you're determined to go with him (check his VBAC rate first - and check the hospital's VBAC rate too - try the MyBirth site), then hire a doula or IM to help you stay home and labour at home as long as possible and rock up fully dilated and ready to push. Tell him the doula/IM is your sister/Aunty.

**HotI** · January 27th, 2013, 09:48 PM

Thanks for the info Julie - I am wanting a VBAC this time and have an obstetrician who is supportive of that. However he doesn't allow doulas to be present.

It's not actually up to him who your support person/people are.

If he practised evidence based medicine, he would know that having a doula increases your chance of having a vaginal birth, and would welcome their presence.

**Frangipani Lou** · January 27th, 2013, 09:40 PM

I took a stash Mrs P. they were part of my bf plan and recommended by my lactation consultant. Handy to have too cause the meals were really small in the hospital and I was famished.
The dough is far more effective eaten raw. I just divide the mix into snap lock bags and eat raw- minus the egg and baking powder. It freezes really well. Congrats and best wishes for the birth that you want.

**Mrs P** · February 3rd, 2013, 05:41 PM

Just made up my first batch to freeze. DD helped me so I cooked a small tray so we could taste them. I did put the full 4 tbspns of yeast in, and I think that may have been a bit much as they have this strange flavour I can't quite place but I think that's it. Not too bad, DD didn't like them though ha! I think I could easily eat a couple per day with a glass of milk once bub arrives!!

**Mrs P** · March 6th, 2013, 08:29 AM

Actually Kelly I haven't needed to defrost them yet since this bub is currently 5 days late. But I will hopefully be defrosting and baking soon!! Will update then

**Teeki** · March 6th, 2013, 12:20 PM

I've frozen them before and they were fine

I also found with the yeast, you can taste it quite strongly if you put it in on its own rather than sifting it in with the flour etc.

**Mrs P** · March 6th, 2013, 01:19 PM

I also found with the yeast, you can taste it quite strongly if you put it in on its own rather than sifting it in with the flour etc.

Well I was too lazy to sift so that probably explains it!!

**MummyDuck** · March 6th, 2013, 03:11 PM

I tried lactation cookies and I thought id share MY experience - keep in mind its my experience and won't be everyone's.

I read you could add fenugreek - personally it tastes foul and makes the cookies dry.

It worked for me, yes, great things I thought till......

I had a baby that was colicky.

It took a lot of research into what COULD be causing all ds wind and unsettledness. Brewers yeast was a food recommended to avoid. I did for a month, gorgeous settled bub, then tried again and again he was windy and unsettled.

I highly recommend trying the cookies but just be aware of things that might be interacting with bubs - I would never have put it down to the cookies if I hadn't read about it.

**Chonny** · March 12th, 2013, 09:35 PM

Can bakers yeast be just as effective? im about to make a batch as my supply is low from breast refusal but she's taken me back, so im desperate to get my supply up super quick and ban the bottle. Im somewhat house bound by frequent and long feeds and hubby is at work. hence the only yeast we could find was bakers.

**Frangipani Lou** · March 12th, 2013, 10:57 PM

I'm not sure about bakers yeast but you could try Breastfeeding Support tablets made by Herbs of Gold as well. They are available from good health food shops. I'm sure some of the lovely BB members might be able to help more with other ways to increase your supply in the BF section of the forums. Good luck!

**BellyBelly** · March 13th, 2013, 06:52 AM

Don't forget to check out our other articles on milk supply:

Low Milk Supply? Increase Low Breastmilk Supply With These Great Tips
Is My Baby Hungry? Do I Have Enough Milk?
Not Enough Milk? Concerned About Your Milk Supply?

**Babyluv** · March 13th, 2013, 07:13 AM

Bakers yeast won't work it's not a galactagogue.

**MLR1901** · June 3rd, 2013, 01:23 PM

I just baked my first batch of cookies and have a few questions.
Are the meant to be spongy? Not hard like biscuits?
I added 4 spoons of brewers yeast, and now the kitchen smells like Vegemite!!
How many spoons did you add to get the taste right?
And I didn't add chocolate chips, but are they meant to taste sweet as mine taste a little doughy/flour like?

And how big do you make them? The receipe says makes 6 dozen. My batch made about 2 dozen. I did half a tablespoon.

Your tips please.....

**Pholi** · June 3rd, 2013, 02:30 PM

Mine were spongy - almost like an over-cooked muffin texture. Definitely not crisp!

Yes, the brewer's yeast is powerful stuff!

You don't add brewer's yeast for the taste, you add it for the supply-boosting effects. It's the other stuff - choc chips/ sultanas/coconut/whatever that you add, to disguise the disgusting taste of the brewer's yeast. There were so many people raving about how yummy these were, I was really disappointed by them. I thought they were 'okay'. Just. Especially with 4 Tbsp brewer's yeast. They would taste better with 2, but that's not the point, really. They're not yummy, they're a barely palatable way of ingesting disgusting bitter brewer's yeast.

Re choc chips, see the above - add something. I added either 1 C of sultanas, or 1C chopped apricots and 1/2 C desiccated coconut.

I got about 5 dozen from them - I rolled them into small truffle sized balls - slightly smaller than a Lindt chocolate, if that helps. They don't spread or flatten much at all when cooked. I also just ate them raw after the first batch. I preferred the raw texture.

Other tips? If you have ongoing supply issues, I suggest you avoid all the extra calories that come with eating the supply-boosting ingredients in this format, and do as I eventually did - ditch the cookies altogether. Instead I buy brewer's yeast capsules from the health food shop, along with a fenugreek and blessed thistle mix capsule (often sold as 'breastfeeding support'), and have those instead. I'm still doing this and DS is now 8 1/2 months. I'd have been as big as a house if I'd kept eating all those cookies! You could also eat oats (also a supply booster) as muesli or porridge. It's far more sustainable in the long term, if you really need the supply help, and much, much healthier.

Hope that helps.

**MLR1901** · June 3rd, 2013, 05:41 PM

Thanks Pholi!
I eat oats every other day, love them.
MIL has been making curry with fenugreek (not hot)
I haven't been drinking as much water as I should be.

I agree the cookies were a bit of a disappointment, I was expecting yummy from what I had read. But they aren't horrible! But definitely need something else.
It's my day supply that needs boosting - DD. likes her sleep so I get heaps at night, but of course she'll feed heaps during the day and for 1.5-2 hr sessions! So doesn't leave much time for milk to fill up.
Trying to avoid daily formula top ups.

Thanks for your reply!