Breastfeeding: Lactation Cookies

I love having a reason to make time to return to the kitchen. 

Check out my food blog, Fare La Scarpetta.

Lactation cookies - cookies with ingredients that are supposed to increase your milk supply - aren't entirely guilt free, but at least eating them is both enjoyable and productive. And yes, I was really skeptical about the idea.

I really like this food.com recipe. The cookies taste great and I've noticed an actual increase in milk supply. Ok, the increase isn't terribly noticeable, but the cookies are good and it seems like they are helping. No harm done, right?

The cookies contain brewer's yeast, oats and flax - all healthy ingredients. I've made some with the recommended chocolate chips and some with butterscotch chips. I also cut out the white sugar from the recipe (the brown sugar made them sweet enough for me.) The recipe suggests 2-4 tablespoons of brewer's yeast and I've been using the full four. The cookies taste just like regular cookies that I'd eat regardless of breastfeeding. Non-lactating male and female friends have tasted them and liked them (and didn't start to lactate, so no worries there.)

Lactation cookies sold in stores and online are crazy expensive. Two dollars a cookie is too much, especially when this is the time to save for basics like diapers. Sure, time is also short these days, but I baked a a few batches one afternoon and froze most of them. 

Essentials for the New Mamma

Sure, there are endless things to buy for the baby (here are some things I recommend to help with infant sleep.) But what about the new mamma? 

I often find myself in a position where I can't move. It can take a while to feed the baby (who sometimes takes lots of breaks and falls asleep in my arms) or I'm pumping. I need to be comfortable and have something to read, listen to or look at. Sure, it would be nice to spend all of the time looking deeply into my baby's eyes while nursing or bottle feeding him, but he eventually closes his eyes.

I've set up a bit of a nest for myself in his room. On the (adult) guest bed in his room, I've piled lots of pillows (including a "husband" pillow for back support) and keep some essentials within reach on a breakfast tray:

Magazines, books and book light (great for keeping the room darker before naps or during night feedings)
iPad (also great for reading during nighttime feeding, streaming movies with the subtitles on and the sound off or listening to podcasts)
Easy to eat snacks (dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, etc.) and water
Nipple cream

Nursing releases sleep-inducing hormones (as if caring for a newborn didn't already take care of sleepiness). If someone is nearby to watch the baby and lets you nap after a feeding, have an eye mask and ear plugs nearby to ensure that you can sleep deeply and well for at least a short period. (Of course, don't wear ear plugs if you're responsible for baby.)

Nearby I keep a heating pad that can be heated up quickly in the microwave. It offers a great muscle relief. 

What tools helped to make you feel more comfortable? 

Book Resource: The Nursing Mother's Companion

A friend recommended the Nursing Mother's Companion after reading my recent post on breastfeeding.  It was generally quite helpful - very clear descriptions of various positions, possible issues regarding food, etc. The beginning focuses on preparing to have the baby and breastfeed, so you might consider reading it before giving birth.

I read it - perhaps ironically while breastfeeding - with a pen in hand and folded down some pages that I'll return to. While I've met with lactation specialists and completed a breastfeeding class, it is helpful to continue to learn and reinforce the information after having had more experience.

The book doesn't give much leeway for mothers who might opt out of nursing for various reasons, including medical challenges for the mother or child. While I'm committed to trying to breastfeeding because of the benefits, there are times when it might not be possible.

There are also some great resources on the book's website.

Thanks again to my friend for the recommendation. Posting on this blog and our Facebook group has been a great way to not only keep in touch, but to continue to learn from my amazing network and community of friends. Early motherhood can be really lonely (feeding every few hours, exhaustion, etc.), but reaching out, even electronically, makes it less so. 

First Time Breastfeeding

The benefits of breastfeeding are undeniable, starting with protecting baby and mother from some illnesses. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least six months and then continued with solid foods up to age two and beyond. The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees.

Before giving birth, I imagined breastfeeding to be an idyllic and tender moment between mother and child (unlike these strange Victorian images.) I was convinced of the medical importance and beauty of it all. 

I wasn't prepared for how difficult it would be and I haven't even tried to breastfeed in public yet. It has taken the bambino and I some time to figure out how to breastfeed. And, even with the time and coaching from lactation specialists at the hospital, the Breastfeeding Center of D.C. and our pediatrician's office, we still have some trouble here and there. 

It has been hard to remember that we are both new to this process. He's new to eating and I'm new to feeding. Luckily, there is a lot of help out there (including very generous friends who have shared their stories.)

For more resources, I recommend the La Leche League International and the Breastfeeding Center of D.C.