No-Bake Pumpkin Lactation Bites

As so many moms before me have said, breastfeeding is hard work.  It is truly a precious gift what we, as moms, are able to provide for our babies, but it is exhausting, not at all glamorous and can be a test of your sanity.  I am in the throes of the breastfeeding/pumping stage of life and let me tell you it is all I think about.  It can be exhausting the constant worrying about if I am going to produce enough milk to meet my daughter’s needs while I am at work, but the special time that I have when it is just she and I somehow makes it all worth it. 

As the type A overachieving mother that I hope to be, I read everything I could get my hands on about how to increase milk supply. Pump every time you blink? I did it. Drink Gatorade? I should be able to dunk like Mike with all the Gatorade I consumed. Take fenugreek supplements? I officially smell like I sweat maple syrup.  I’ll be honest my milk supply consumes a large amount of real-estate in my daily thoughts and while these things may have helped some I have found that there isn’t a magic bullet to suddenly make me able to produce the overabundance of milk that would make me feel secure. 

Then I found it the one thing that would solve all of my problems, Lactation Bites.  I don’t know how I had missed these when I was breastfeeding with my first because one quick search on Pinterest yielded multiple variations of these supposed miracle treats.  So in honor of fall and all thing pumpkin spice I thought I would make my own fall version and see how they worked.  Was I able to pump gallons of milk after eating a few pumpkin lactation bites?  No, but what they did do was allow me some self-care time, a healthy sweet treat that I could look forward to, and maybe a few extra milliliters of milk to nourish my growing baby girl. 

Between the healthy ingredients and the yummy flavor, how can any breastfeeding mom go wrong with these tasty treats that embrace the flavors of fall?  Enjoy!

No-Bake Pumpkin Lactation Bites

Prep time 10 minutes
Ingredients
  1. 2 1/2-3 cups old-fashioned oats
  2. 1/2 cup ground or milled flax seed
  3. 3 table spoons brewer’s yeast
  4. 1 cup nut butter
  5. 1/2 cup honey
  6. 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  7. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  8. 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  9. 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl combine old-fashioned oats, flax seed, brewer’s yeast, nut butter, honey, pumpkin puree, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine well. I like to start with 2 cups of oats and add more to the perfect consistency.  You want this mixture to be soft enough that you can roll a generous spoonful into a ball.
  2. Once the mixture is workable add in the white chocolate chips. Scoop large spoonfuls of the dough into your hands and roll into bite sized balls. These bites can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for longer.

I would love to hear if you have a go to recipe that supports your breastfeeding goals!  

Samantha Jacob
Samantha is a Kansas girl through and through. Born and raised in a rural community near Topeka, KS, she moved to Wichita in 2002 to attend WSU. Obtaining her graduate degree from the Wichita State School of Social Work, she loves her job as a pediatric medical social worker. Samantha calls East Wichita home with her husband, two beautiful children, and dog. Having lived in Wichita for over a decade she has enjoyed rediscovering Wichita through the eyes of her children. When time allows Samantha enjoys spending time with friends, trying new restaurants, and re-watching episodes of the West Wing.