Mommy Commentary's Milk Makin' Lactation Cookies

I teased my Milk Makin' Lactation Cookies on social media yesterday (yup, I'm on social media, come find me on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram)...and instead of following through, I then teased them in yesterday's post.  Time to buckle down and share this recipe with you already, with my tips and tricks at the very bottom.

...AND it is still August, therefore, still Breastfeeding Awareness Month, so I also wanted to share a little more of my experience as a nursing mama.

With Thing 1, I was told I could not breastfeed.  I wasn't physically unable, but I was taking Prozac at the time and my OB/GYN, Psychiatrist and Therapist were all very adamant that my breast milk would be tainted and bad for my baby.  I was devastated. 

I was young, and didn't know any better to question my doctors. or how to advocate for myself and my baby.  I feel that my daughter and I were robbed of a key bonding experience, and I still mourn that loss.

For the record, there is now plenty of evidence on several anti-depressants that are perfectly safe for breastfeeding mothers.  Kellymom.com has this great article, which is  a good starting point if you need, or want, to look into it more.  And for good measure here's a great link about most common medications and vaccines, and their safety for nursing moms.

When I got pregnant with Thing 2 I was so excited that I was going to be able to  have that extra bond by nursing him. Then, at just a few months pregnant, the panic set in.  My biggest fear, regarding breastfeeding, was that I would not be able to provide my son with the vital nutrition that he needed.  My previously discussed 'Paranoid Parenting' instinct kicked into overdrive, and before I was even 6 months pregnant, I had already pinned at least 4,000 remedies to low/insufficient supply...  Along with possible solutions to every other breastfeeding woe there is.

When he was about 3 months my body had figured out the ebb and flow of Thing 2's dietary needs.  The thing about that is that your breasts stop getting engorged, and I stopped feeling the letdown reflex. I NOW know that this was completely normal, but at the time, I immediately assumed that I was drying up.  So I did what any good mother would do... I pulled up Pinterest and started sifting through the pins to find the most user friendly recipe for lactation cookies.  

I whipped up a batch, and by batch I mean 57 Chips Ahoy sized cookies (seriously, this recipe makes a lot of cookies).  I probably had 4 or 5 that night, and by the next morning I could tell the difference.  I've mad these bad boys a few times now, and have had the same results every time, where I can detect the boost to my supply by the next morning.

I was happy to have such success with these cookies, and have been even happier to spread the love.  My husband's coworker recently welcomed a little girl, and his wife had been having a rough go of breastfeeding in general.  She was having actual supply problems and did have to supplement with formula for awhile.  I was glad I had the knowledge and know how to make and send her some cookies-and I was even happier when she reached out to let me know how they had helped her.

I got this recipe from Laura of Sweet Treats, and she credits Amanda at i am baker with the original recipe, so I owe thanks to the both of them.

And a special expression of gratitude to my husband who supports me through the ups and downs of breastfeeding, and gifts me awesome kitchen tools!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Cocoa Powder (I use unsweetened)

3/4 cup Coconut Oil (or Vegetable Shortening)

1.5 cups Granulated Sugar

2  Large Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1.5 cups Rolled Oats

1 tbsp Ground Flaxseed

2 tsp Brewer's Yeast

10 oz Dark Chocolate Chips

1. Set oven to 350º and prepare 2-4 cookie sheets.
2. In medium mixing bowl, mix the first group of dry ingredients, set aside.
3. In a standing mixer, mix the coconut oil (or vegetable shortening) and sugar,  scraping down the sides of the bowl, until fully married.  Add eggs and vanilla, again scraping down the sides to make sure it all mixes.
4. On a low to medium speed, slowly add the the first group of mixed dry ingredients until entirely incorporated.
5. Use the, now, empty mixing bowl to mix the second set of dry ingredients, minus the dark chocolate chips. Slowly add this bowl to the stand mixer on a low speed.  you may need to remove the bowl from the mixer and further incorporate by hand. Then add the chocolate chips.
6. Place 1 inch formed balls on the cookie sheets, 12 per sheet in a 3 by 4 configuration.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned at the edges, remove and allow to cool. Store in an air tight container.  

My Tips...

• I actually prep the three groups of ingredients before ever turning the mixer on... break the eggs into a ramekin with the vanilla extract, and pour oats into a large measuring cup and then add the Brewers Yeast and Ground Falxseed to it.
• Put the sugar in the mixer before the coconut oil, the wet attracts the dry without having to fanangle around the paddle to scrape the bottom of the mixer's bowl.
• After adding the oats/yeast/flaxseed mix, to the mixer, in incorporating, remove the bowl from the stand and mix by hand.  There is always about an 1/8 of a cup that doesn't incorporate by the mixer alone.
• A full bag of chocolate chips is too much, in my experience.  I know its hard to believe I'm complaining about too much chocolate, but seriously, by the time that you get to scooping mix for the last batch, it's almost all chips with nothing to bind them together.