When to Eat Lactation Cookies: What You Should Know
It’s no secret that lactation cookies are a popular choice for many moms. But what is the best time to eat them. Should you wait until you’ve started to experience milk supply issues, or can you enjoy them anytime? Let’s explore the answer to these questions and more.
Lactation cookies are very popular among new moms, especially when you enter a breastfeeding Facebook group.
While there are varying opinions on whether or not they actually do anything, their reputation persists and many people use them on a regular basis.
One of the biggest questions is ‘when to eat lactation cookies’, which is what we will explore in this article!
When should I start eating lactation cookies?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors. If you are experiencing milk supply issues, it’s best to work with a lactation professional to make sure lactation cookies will even be helpful and to assess the reasons for lower milk supply. If you have an issues with milk supply not related to supply and demand, eating lactation cookies may just be adding unnecessary calories to your diet.
If you’re not experiencing any milk production issues, then there’s no harm in enjoying lactation cookies anytime! Some moms like to have them for a snack in the middle of the day, while others prefer to have them as a dessert after dinner. There’s no right or wrong answer here – it’s all about what works for you and your baby. Just be sure to listen to your body and eat intuitively.
What time of a day should I eat lactation cookies?
Anytime of day is fine, though milk supply is often highest in the morning. While consistency probably matters most, combining the cookies with earlier day pumping may be helpful – th though I have no research to back that up.
I would personally not eat them at night. Some of the ingredients may cause heart burn, which tends to be worse at night time for many.
Should I eat lactation cookies?
I personally don’t see any harm in eating lactation cookies (this lactation cookie recipe is fantastic), as long as you keep a few things in mind:
Lactation cookies should not be the first place you turn if you are experiencing breast milk production issues. I have seen, time and time again, moms who experience issues with their milk supply and tell me that the first thing they did was get lactation cookies.
The first thing you should do with suspected low milk supply is work with a lactation consultant who can assess the situation and help you determine the cause of your low supply. In situations where there is a hormonal condition, insufficient glandular tissue or hyperplasia, etc., all the lactation cookies in the world may not help.
If you need help assessing low milk supply, consider booking a virtual consult with me to go over all your history and come up with a plan.
You don’t need lactation cookies to make milk. Many new moms wonder if they should eat lactation cookies before they give birth or bring them to the hospital to help with establishing milk supply. The best way to establish your milk supply and bring your milk in more quickly is through frequent latching, skin to skin, and hand expression. Here is some more information that might be helpful:
- How to Help Milk Come in Faster After Birth: 12 Must-Know Tips
- When Does Milk Come in? 8 Secrets for Establishing Milk Supply
Keeping all that in mind, the answer to “should I eat lactation cookies” really just comes down to personal preference and if you like them! They may help with milk supply alongside other measures, such as increased stimulation to the breast.
Need help with your milk supply? Make sure you enroll in “Master Your Milk Supply“ today to more fully understanding and truly master your milk!
How often should I eat lactation cookies?
This depends on your body, the type of lactation cookie you are eating, how big they are, and why you are taking them.
If you buy lactation cookies from a company, they usually have a serving size recommendation. Most often, I see the recommendation to eat 2-3 per day. This is in line with the dosage for different Lactation Supplements for Increasing Milk Supply. While lactation cookies aren’t necessarily in the same category as those, it can be seen as a treatment and regular dosing can make a difference.
When doing this, make sure to pay attention to the nutritional facts for the cookies you are eating. Many lactation cookies have a lot of sugar and fat, which can add up throughout the day.
Typically, those who see results from eating lactation cookies see those within 24-72 hours. Keep in mind – sometimes it’s just the increase in calories rather than the cookies themselves causing the increase in supply. Focusing on a well-round diet is going to be the best option. Here are a few resources that might be helpful:
- Seven Tips for a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet and Lifestyle
- The Best Menus for Breastfeeding Moms: What You Should Eat and Diet Plans
- How to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding (Without Losing Your Supply)
How long after eating lactation cookies should you pump?
There isn’t a hard and fast rule to this, especially because lactation cookies don’t really take immediate effect, so doing it in relation to when you pump or nurse isn’t necessarily important.
It’s more the cumulative effect of the cookies and their ingredients that make a difference. So you can really just eat them anytime throughout the day!
Do lactation cookies work same day?
You will find forums filled with new moms saying that lactation cookies gave them an immediate boost. With my second child, I did make lactation cookies and felt like the response was pretty immediate. But it’s hard to know what was actually making the difference.
I’ve seen some people claim to see a response within 1-2 hours, though, so it seems to vary considerably.
You should be able to see results within 24-72 hours, though, so you can accurately assess their impact after that.
What happens if you eat too many lactation cookies?
There is too much of a good thing! It’s important to not overdo it on the cookies to avoid unwanted side effects. The side effects can vary depending on the ingredients, but they may include:
- Weight gain
- Upset stomach
- Indigestion
- Heart Burn
- Oversupply
How do lactation cookies work?
There is plenty of room for debate when it comes to this question. Sometimes people will experience an increase in milk supply simply due to the extra calories they are consuming from the yummy cookies. However, lactation cookies do typically contain different herbal supplements and galactagogues which may help with milk supply when combined with other techniques to help boost milk supply. For many, it’s just a tasty way to try and support their milk supply with more nutrient-dense cookies.
There are plenty of moms who report a significant increase in milk supply after eating lactation treats, but these are all mostly anecotal reports rather than scientific evidence. The good news is, at the very least, they can be a quick snack to help improve your energy levels (which I think all of us new mamas need from time to time).
What are the best lactation cookies?
I think the best lactation cookies are ones that contain fiber, and protein, and are lower in sugar. They should also contain a number of key ingredients and common galactagogues. This can be hard to find in ready-to-eat brands, especially those available at the grocery store. Many common ingredients and main ingredients are brewers yeast, flax seeds, and oats. I would make sure you pay attention to the ingredient list and nutritional facts before purchasing some cookies – they should be better for you than regular cookies!
It can be hard to make your own homemade lactation cookies, but it’s usually the best option since you can control the sugar content and have more natural ingredients. There are lots of lactation cookie recipes online, but I developed these protein-packed lactation cookies that are amazing and tasty!
I do really like Majka – they sell lactation bites that are full of high-quality ingredients and galactagogues. They make for a great snack during the day, and you can use the code TBM10.
Another alternative is lactation bark, which is a granola bark from Boobie Super Foods. You can use the code katie15 for 15% off.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the best time to eat lactation cookies. However, if you’re experiencing milk supply issues, it’s best to wait until after you’ve tried other methods of increasing your breast milk production before turning to the cookies. At the end of the day, if and when you choose to eat lactation cookies is up to you! Let me know in the comments what your experience has been!
