Galactogogues

Sounds like something from Star Wars, but galactogogues are actually things to help increase milk supply!  I used only fenugreek while nursing Michael, but used a whole bunch of stuff when nursing Noah, and am planning to use a plethora of galactogogues for nursing Avery too.

Here's what I've accumulated so far:

• Chia Seeds-  Yes, like the "ch-ch-ch-chia! pets" that were heavily advertised when I was growing up, chia seeds have no actual flavor to me, and are easily added to lactation cookie recipes, oatmeal, etc.  The seeds themselves become a little slimy (and I hesitate to use that word because it sounds horrible, but it's not) when wet, but it doesn't bother me.
• Flaxseed- This, like chia seeds, has no actual taste to me.  I have put it in pancakes, oatmeal, lactation cookies, energy bites, etc. 
• Brewer's Yeast- I can taste this when I put it in oatmeal-- it's not an overpowering taste, but it's present.  When I add it to lactation cookies, I'm unable to taste it.  This is not actually yeast to make beer or other brews.  Although another galactogogue is very stout beer, I don't choose to drink beer, and am sure that a stout beer would not be my flavor of choice.  The Brewer's Yeast offers the same galactogogue benefits as a stout beer, and I feel like I can do more with it-- ie, baking-- than I could with a mug of stout beer. 
• Fenugreek Tea- This is my favorite galactogogue to date!  When I was nursing Michael, my mom found this tea at Earth Fare-- a naturalist grocery store.  I'd buy two boxes or so every couple of weeks.  Our local Earth Fare closed down shortly after I began nursing Noah, but it never occurred to me to check Amazon for the tea!  We have a Whole Foods in our area now which might carry the brand, but it's super convenient to order this through Amazon, so I doubt I'll actually buy it from Whole Foods.   Fenugreek is a fine line for most people.  It took me a while to get used to it, but once I did, I didn't find that anything else worked as well.  The "tea" is actually just bags of fenugreek seed.  Fenugreek seed is yellow and smells a bit like Ramen noodles, or maple syrup-- kinda depends on the day. :)  It didn't bother me to drink the tea even if it smelled like I was sipping Ramen noodles.  I almost feel like the whole experience-- the smell, the taste, the warmth of the water it was brewed in-- added to my success in milk supply with fenugreek. I attempted to use the fenugreek tablets part-way through nursing Noah, but they didn't seem to work as well for me.  My sister-in-law uses the tablets and has mentioned having success with them.  So, there's options here with fenugreek. 

*Not pictured is Old Fashioned Oatmeal.  It is a galactogogue that is readily available to most people.  Eat it hot for breakfast, or use it in overnight oats, or add it to cookies or energy bites.  Very versatile and definitely helpful in the milk supply department.*

With the existence of Pinterest and Google, it's super easy to find recipes for all kinds of lactation treats.  I have a Pinterest Board called "New Mommy Advice" and I've pinned all kinds of things related to being a mommy of a newborn.  I frequently return to this board when I'm trying to remember tips for boosting milk supply, or to look up a recipe for a lactation treat.  

These days, you can buy pre-made lactation cookies, etc.  I haven't ever tried them because I've been able to whip up my own using recipes I've found online.  But if you're pressed for time or kitchen space, buying pre-made lactation cookies might be super helpful. 

Some of my favorite recipes include:

• Energy Bites-- Sometimes I don't even roll these into balls.  I just eat some straight out of the bowl!  I've made these a couple times during this pregnancy just because I like the taste, and I left out the flaxseed and brewer's yeast just because I didn't want to open my packages of them yet.  I've added in 1/4 c of applesauce before.  And I've left out the toasted coconut more than once because I didn't have any on hand.  And I use regular chocolate chips, because in this house, we have no mini chips. :)
• Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies-- These were really good when I've made them in the past to help with the craving of sweets and the desire to increase milk supply.  I plan to make some of these ahead of delivery, and freeze them so that I already have them ready to snack on when I get home from the hospital with Avery. 

This website  has lots of lactation aid recipes for snacks and meals and smoothies, etc.  I plan to utilize a lot of things on here when Avery comes. 

This website has lots of natural ways to increase milk supply-- like drinking LOTS of water, which is totally key!!!!

This pin on my New Mommy Advice board talks about foods that naturally increase supply:

This site includes snacks to eat when breastfeeding that help keep up your body's nutrition. 

Foods to avoid include peppermint and spearmint, sage, and oregano.  I'll be more careful this time around in avoiding these things!

Hopefully this has been helpful, and I know that I'll be referring back to this post in August to gain a few reminders when I'll be extra-sleep deprived and maybe not readily remembering all the tips and tricks!

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba