Lactation smoothies are a great way for new moms to enjoy a quick refreshing treat and boost their milk production.
Good nutrition for breastfeeding moms is paramount. A diet that is packed with the right nutrients not only helps the mother, but also enhances the nutritional content of the breast milk produced.
One way to consume lots of nutrients is by taking lactation smoothies that also go along way in increasing breast milk supply.
Let me share with you a little story that made me create these sumptuous lactation smoothie recipes.
My Breastfeeding Challenge
When I was breastfeeding my second son, I had a lot of trouble with milk production. Baby J came at a time I was going through so many changes in my life.
I had to sit for exams four days after he was born; which I did. I couldn’t imagine lagging behind an entire semester. Looking back, I wish I had saved myself all the trouble and just taken care of my baby.
The school didn’t have a private area where I could pump milk, so I had to content with hurting and leaking breasts as I did my exams. Ouch!
I would only express early in the morning before I left for my exams and in the evenings when I came back from college. Thank God that lasted just a few days!
However, I had to deal with clogged milk ducts which drastically decreased my milk supply as a result of extended periods of not emptying the breasts.
One thing that helped me improve my milk supply after that week of exams was lactation smoothies for breastfeeding.
My breast milk had really dipped, yet I was determined to exclusively breastfeed my boy for the first six months of his life.
I tried different lactation smoothie recipes in my bid to increase my breast milk supply fast and naturally and they worked!
Enough of me already! I’ll not make you scroll any further.
Let’s dive right into the best lactation smoothies for breastfeeding moms.
And make sure to read all the way down as I will explain about some awesome add-ons on our breastfeeding smoothie recipes and why you need to use them to boost your milk supply.
These lactation smoothie recipes for breastfeeding moms helped me make more milk. I am sharing them with you and hope they will also increase your breastmilk.
Related: What Is Dream Feeding? Everything You Need To Know
Hey, Wait!..Before we get started;
You will need a high-powered blender for your smoothies. I have a Vitamix blender that does its job perfectly. Some blenders will not blend into a consistent texture, that is why you need a blender that makes perfect smoothies. Get a nutribullet or a vitamix blender from Amazon and enjoy fast delivery.
The Best Lactation Smoothies Recipes To Increase Milk Supply
1.Oatmeal and Dates Lactation Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup dates
- ¼ cup cashew nuts
- 1 cup milk (any choice)
- 1 tbs brewer’s yeast(optional)
- A pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Blend your overnight soaked oats first until you attain a smooth consistency
- Add the dates-make sure to remove the seeds before you put them in the blender.
- Combine the other ingredients and blend to your desired consistency.
NOTE
- This is an overnight recipe. You will need to soak your old-fashioned oats overnight. I know there is the quick way of adding water to your oats then shoving it in the microwave for a few minutes.
- However, if you want to enjoy your oats and even get all the flavors and nutrients, I recommend soaking them overnight for a yummy lactation smoothie.
- If you don’t like the extra sweetness that comes with dates, you can use strawberries. I prefer dates because they mask the taste of brewer’s yeast.
2.Banana and Hemp Seeds Lactation smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Bananas
- 1 ¼ cup of your preferred milk
- Raw shelled hemp seeds
- 2 tbs Fresh ginger
- 1 tbs Cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients together and blend to your desired consistency. If you love a thick consistency like I do, add less milk. For a thinner one, add more milk.
3.Blueberries and Banana breastfeeding smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes
- 1 Tsp of flaxseed
- 1 tbs of brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbs of chia seeds
- 1 1/4 cup of your preferred milk
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients together and blend to your preferred consistency.
NOTE: You can switch the frozen banana with frozen blueberries. Alternatively, you can use grapes (frozen or fresh) instead of blueberries.
4.Avocado and Oats lactation smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- ½ avocado (I’m assuming you have a big avocado like the one I have right now!)
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast
- 1 cup of water or your preferred milk
- 1 tbs chia seeds
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend to your preferred consistency.
5.Mango and Pineapple breastfeeding smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 cup peeled and cubed mangoes
- ¼ cup pineapple
- ¼ cup peaches
- ½ cup red grapes
- 1 tbs heaping of flaxseed
- 1 tbs of wheat germ
- A handful of kales
Instructions
- Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
- You can chill in a freezer for about 20 mins or add ice cubes when blending your smoothie
6.Soaked Oats and Sunflower seeds lactation smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbs of sunflower seeds
- ½ cup blueberries
- 1 cup-soaked oats
- 1 cup of almond milk (you can substitute with water, coconut milk or cow milk)
- 1 tbs brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbs flaxseed oil
Instruction
- Combine everything and blend to your desired consistency.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy your smoothie
7.Green breastfeeding smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of coconut milk (you can use your preferred milk)
- 1 tsp of fresh ginger roots
- 1 tbs of hulled hemp seeds
- ½ an apple
- 1 tbs of brewer’s yeast
- A handful of almonds
- 1 tsp of honey or preferred sweetener(optional)
Instructions
1.Combine everything in a blender and blend to your desired consistency.
The Best Lactogenic Ingredients Used In Our Lactation Smoothies Recipes
What makes a lactation smoothie recipe different from any other smoothie? The answer is a lactation smoothie mix that contains lactogenic foods.
Lactogenic foods increase milk supply in nursing moms. They are also known as galactagogues.
Also Read: 7 Lactogenic Foods To Increase Milk Supply
Where do you get these lactogenic ingredients?
Some of these milk boosting ingredients are available in your local grocery store, but others are hard to find there. To be honest, I have never bought mine in my local grocery store.
I always order mine from Amazon. (I love the convenience online shopping offers me) So, I’ve included Amazon links where you can shop them.
Some lactogenic foods we have used in our best lactation smoothies recipes are:
- Oats
- Almonds
- Flaxseeds/flax oil
- Green leafy vegetables
- Sunflower seeds
- Raw shelled hemp seeds
- Brewer’s yeast
- Avocado
- Chia seeds
- Ginger
- Dates
Let’s have a quick look at each one of these ingredients we have used in our breastfeeding smoothie recipes and how they are important for breastfeeding moms.
Avocado in lactation smoothies recipes
First of all, avocados are packed with folic acid, vitamin C, Vitamin E, and potassium. Your breastfed baby will get enough folic acid that helps in their overall growth and development.
Second, they also contain unsaturated fats (the good fats) that help in balancing your “bad fat” levels and boosting your milk supply.
If you can’t stand avocados in a smoothie, try it on a sandwich or plain. I love the consistency avocados add to smoothies.
Oats and breastfeeding
Oats are whole grains and can even be eaten on their own. There are 1001 ways to eat oats. I love making mine and adding dates, apples, and grapes.
However, they make a great addition on smoothies and add some extra texture. They are also awesome for making lactation cookies that you can snack on to increase your milk supply.
Oats promote the production of the prolactin hormone that helps in producing breastmilk. In addition, oats a rich source of fiber, thus lactation smoothies recipe with oats will keep you fuller for longer.
Related Read:How To Dry Up Breast Milk Fast And Safely
Dates to increase milk supply
Dates are awesome additions to a nursing moms’ diet. They are packed with vitamin C, thus promote a stronger immune system for your little one.
These sweet treats enhance the production of prolactin that helps keep milk flowing in your mammary glands. I looove dates. Its one thing that you will always find in my house.
Brewer’s yeast and breastfeeding
Brewers yeast is a nutritional supplement with vitamin B, iron, protein, chromium, selenium among other minerals.
It is a favorite addition for lactation smoothie recipes as it helps to make more breast milk. Not only that, it will increase your energy levels, elevate your mood, and minimize your stress levels.
It has a strong flavor and sometimes, it may feel like you are taking beer in your smoothie, but the effects are well worth it.
Every time I took a smoothie with brewer’s yeast, I’d notice a spike in my milk production after a few hours.
It was literally my go-to milk supply increasing ingredient for my breastfeeding smoothies and lactation cookies.
Flaxseed and breastfeeding
Flaxseed in lactation smoothies recipes can be used as whole, ground, or flaxseed oil. I preferred using flaxseed oil in my smoothies, whereas I found ground flaxseed great for lactation cookies.
Also, ground flaxseed in breastfeeding smoothies also works like a thickener.
Flaxseed contains phytoestrogens that are known to increase breast milk production. Furthermore, flaxseed is rich in essential fatty acids which are good for you and baby as well.
Almonds
Almonds, especially raw ones, are healthy and rich in calcium and protein. They are used to thicken lactation smoothies as well as increase the creaminess and sweetness in breastmilk.
Furthermore, they are wonderful lactogenic foods that have been used for years by nursing mothers to increase breastmilk.
Ginger (fresh ginger root)
I love cooking with ginger, and when a friend told me that it is a galactagogue, I was over the moon. Adding fresh ginger to my lactation smoothie recipes came naturally.
Not only did the ginger in breastfeeding smoothies increase my milk supply, it helped with let-down reflex.
You can also add ginger to your daily routine by making ginger ale or brewing some ginger tea. Fresh ginger is safe, but do not take ginger supplements without consulting your doctor.
My Go-To Basic Lactation Smoothies Recipe Ingredients
The good thing about a smoothie is that you can play around with the ingredients. You do not have to follow a fixed list of ingredients.
Often times, I will substitute one thing for another and my breastfeeding smoothie will turn out much better than I actually expected.
Banana
You probably have realized I use banana in most of my lactation smoothies recipes. Bananas are great for increasing the thickness in smoothies and I love my smoothies thick.
Oh! and the natural sweetness bananas add to smoothies is heavenly.
Berries
Berries are natural sweeteners. They make my smoothie taste great. You can use frozen berries or fresh ones.
I like mine frozen so that my smoothie is cool and frosty. What more? They are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants.
Related Read: What Is Power Pumping And Does It Increase Breast Milk Supply?
Mango
Just like banana, mangoes are great for making smoothies thick and yummier. They add that zing to your lactation smoothie.
You can substitute a banana for a mango or even use both of them at the same time for extra thickness.
Milk
If you are vegan, you can always substitute cow milk with coconut milk, almond milk or any other non-diary milk.
Do Lactation Smoothies For Breastfeeding Really Work?
Well, to be honest, I was a little bit skeptical of all these lactation smoothies recipes all over the internet.
But I was proved wrong once I tried them and they worked for me. When the right ingredients are used, a breastfeeding mom will get all the necessary nutrients needed to promote milk supply.
However, even the best lactation smoothie recipes are not magical and will not kick start milk production. If you are concerned that you aren’t producing enough milk for your baby, it is best to see a lactation consultant.
If you have any medical condition that is hindering your capacity to produce enough milk for your little one, then no matter how much of lactation smoothies you take, sadly, nothing will change.
Lactation smoothies for breastfeeding provide you with the much-needed nutrients and energy to keep you going as well as up your milk supply.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the above lactation smoothies recipes will help you boost your milk supply. Furthermore, they are also quick and easy recipes you can make on the go especially as a new mom.
You can even throw in some protein powder and you have a complete meal. Give them a try and let me hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
Finally, before you go, grab these MUST HAVE lactogenic ingredients from Amazon. You will be glad you did.
As always, don’t forget to pin the recipes to your Pinterest account for reference later.
Recent Articles
How To Clear A Clogged Milk Duct Fast And Ease Breast Pain
How to Fix Lopsided Breast From Breastfeeding
What Is The Best Baby Wrap Carrier For A Baby? A Beginner’s Complete Guide
Baby Hates Tummy Time? 6 Ways To Fix This
5 Ways To Burp A Baby That Won’t Burp
PIN IT FOR LATER
