Snacking & Breastfeeding
It is very important, as a breastfeeding mom, to be taking in enough calories throughout the day to make adequate milk for your little. One way I did this was to snack while I was breastfeeding my son. Sometimes it was hard, depending on the food. So… I have pulled together some of my favorite recipes that I used to help keep my belly (and breasts) full 🙂
The great thing about these two recipes below is their versatility. You do not need to stick to the exact ingredients in these recipes. You can add different fruit, different nut butter, or sweeteners. They are also very quick, easy, and most importantly, SIMPLE to make. As a first-time mom or a mom with a newborn and a toddler, finding time to eat can be a challenge so these may be a great go-to for you to ensure that you are eating and taking in enough calories to produce milk.
Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
These are one of my go-to breakfast or snacks throughout the day. They are very easy to make and if you have a well-balanced diet, these are things that you may typically have in your house.
The benefit of this type of “snack” is that it has over 6g of protein, the oats, chia seed, flax seed and strawberries have properties that help with milk production.
Energy Bites (Boobie Bites)
These Energy Bites, or as some call Boobie Bites, are a nice pick me up when you are getting into the swing of being a new mom. This recipe is also very versatile, you can sub agave for the honey, add m&m’s instead of mini chocolate chips, add chia seed or flax seed, and sub out the peanut butter for any kind of nut butter, etc.
The benefit of this type of “snack” is that it’s quick to make, easy to snack on while breastfeeding, and is packed with milk-making foods (oats, brewer’s yeast, coconut, peanut butter). The only caution with this recipe is Brewer’s yeast. This is a supplement and you should speak with your primary care physician before taking it.
How Many Calories and What Food Groups?
Check out this MyPlate tool to see what your daily dietary intake should look like when you are breastfeeding.
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