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The Perfect Lactation Cookie Recipe for Moms
In Motherhood

The Perfect Lactation Cookie Recipe For Moms

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If you’re trying to increase your milk supply, I bet you’re willing to try just about anything- I know I am! Even though the verdict is still out on whether or not lactation cookies help boost milk supply, who wouldn’t love an excuse to eat cookies?! I love making this homemade lactation cookie recipe; not only are they cheaper than store-bought cookies, they’re arguably more delicious too!

Some notes:

For healthier cookies, substitute chia seeds for one of the eggs. To do this, simply mix 1 tablespoon chia seeds with 3 tablespoons water and let sit for 15 minutes. The mixture will turn into an egg-like texture.

I love substituting half of the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips- they make these extra tasty and feel like a special treat!

I usually save about half of the dough in the fridge to make a fresh batch later on.

This post contains affiliate links to my favorite items, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.

My Homemade 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

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 sticks butter (at room temperature)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar or half white sugar and half brown sugar

2 eggs (or substitute 1 tablespoon chia seeds soaked in 3 tablespoons water for one egg)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips/chunks (or for a special, delicious treat, substitute butterscotch chips for half of the chips)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix the butter and sugar together.
  3. Add the egg(s) (and optional chia seeds), vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, brewers yeast, and flaxseed.
  4. Stir until combined.
  5. Add the oats and mix again. The dough will be fairly dry.
  6. Then add the flour and mix again.
  7. Add the chocolate (and optional butterscotch chips) and mix.
  8. Taking about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, place about an inch apart on a nonstick baking sheet. 
  9. Bake for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, until just starting to turn golden brown.
  10. Enjoy warm out of the oven, or leftover the next few days!

I hope you find the time to give these cookies a try and love them as much as I do! Let me know in the comments how it goes!

The Perfect Lactation Cookie Recipe for Moms
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The Zomee Versus The Lansinoh - An Epic Breast Pump Review
In Motherhood

The Zomee Versus The Lansinoh – An Epic Breast Pump Review

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Selecting a pump can seem like a big and overwhelming decision with so many options available, so I wanted to share my experience with the Zomee collection cups and the Lansinoh Signature Pro pump.

You might also be interested in this post on finding an ideal breast pump, where my friend shares tips on choosing a breast pump and her experience with the Bellababy electric breast pump.

Don’t forget, you can get a free pump through your health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act! Contact your insurance company for more information.

This post contains affiliate links to my favorite items, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.

Zomee Z2 Collection Cups (with double electric breast pump)

Pros: 

  • Automatic shut off: After 30 minutes, it automatically turns off which is nice if you fall asleep while pumping (I fell asleep once and woke up when it shut off).
  • USB charger: I love this because it’s international-travel friendly because you don’t need to worry about different plugs and voltages in different countries.
  • Small motor: This was so nice because I could really be on the go with it! 
  • The cups are more discreet than traditional milk collection bottles- just slip them into your bra.
  • The motor is pretty quiet.

Cons:

  • They worked well for a few weeks but then sometimes I’d get nothing out of one breast.
  • The screen stays on the whole time; it’s very bright in the middle of the night.
  • It’s easy to accidentally touch the buttons. I’d accidentally turn it off mid-cycle which was annoying because then I wouldn’t know how long I had been pumping. It was also painful sometimes if I accidentally increased the suction.
  • The suction felt too strong for me and hurt my nipples over time.
  • It didn’t seem to be as efficient at expressing milk as the Lansinoh pump.

Lansinoh Signature Pro pump

Pros:

  • Affordable (especially if you add it to your Amazon baby registry and use your completion discount!)
  • Super easy to assemble 
  • Easy to clean
  • The light doesn’t stay on, which is nice at night

Cons: 

  • The motor is sort of loud
  • The pieces might loosen overtime
  • It’s only AC adapter or battery powered: It isn’t USB or rechargeable, but the batteries are lasting a lot of pump sessions so far and I plan on buying rechargeable AA batteries.
  • The light doesn’t stay on: You can’t see the screen at night after it shuts off.
  • The light is really bright in the dark.

Overall, the Lansinoh Signature Pro pump is working better for me and I’ve been happy with it, especially since it didn’t break the bank! The Zomee pump worked well for a few weeks but it seemed to stop working as well after using it for a few weeks.

What pump(s) have you tried? How did you like them?

The Zomee Versus The Lansinoh - An Epic Breast Pump Review
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How to Stay Positive When Breastfeeding Doesn't Go as Planned
In Motherhood

How to Stay Positive When Breastfeeding Doesn’t Go as Planned

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If you’ve always wanted to breastfeed, it can be really upsetting, frustrating, and hard to stay positive when breastfeeding doesn’t go as planned. So how do you say positive when things don’t go as planned?

These are some things I’ve been doing to stay positive during a frustrating breastfeeding journey.

Tricks to Stay Positive When Breastfeeding:

Take walks: Getting out of the house and into the fresh air does wonders for mental health and sanity. It’s grounding, as well as calming. I especially love walking on sunny days, but even cloudy days have a positive impact on my mood.

Remember it isn’t forever: In the moment, it’s easy to think breastfeeding (or pumping) will last forever, so it’s been helpful to remind myself that it’s only temporary. Also, taking note of how far you’ve come and how much closer you are to introducing solid foods can help.

Work with a lactation consultant: If you still want to breastfeed, work with a lactation consultant to get support and guidance.

Talk about it: Even though you rarely hear this, breastfeeding is difficult for a lot of women. You don’t need to keep your emotions to yourself! Share what you’re going through and how it makes you feel with your family, friends, therapist, and/or doctor- whoever you feel comfortable with and will make you feel better about the situation.

Remember it’s not your fault: Chances are, there’s nothing you could have done to avoid the less than ideal situation you’re in now. Don’t blame yourself!

Some breastmilk is better than none: If you’re still working hard to give your baby some breastmilk, remind yourself that even just a little breastmilk is better than none! Breastmilk has so many benefits for your baby; even if you can only give your baby a little, it’ll pay off.

Give yourself permission to do what’s best for you and your baby/situation: Try to let go of how you thought things would go. Instead, evaluate the situation and give yourself permission to adjust the plan to fit your unique situation.

Remember You’re Doing an Amazing Job!

Breastfeeding (and motherhood!) is hard work, but you’re doing an amazing job! Keep up your hard work; I promise it’ll all pay off and get easier soon (or so I’ve heard)!

I hope this post helped if you’ve been wondering what to do when breastfeeding isn’t going as planned. Let me know what suggestions you’re going to try, and share which tactics are helping you in the comments!

How to Stay Positive When Breastfeeding Doesn't Go as Planned
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