If you’re breastfeeding, you already know that the hunger can be REAL. (So can the thirst, right? That thirst is unlike any I’ve ever experienced!) You know how it goes: You sit down to nurse the baby and suddenly realize you haven’t eaten in hours (or at least, it feels like you haven’t). Or you’re pumping, holding a baby, answering a toddler’s question, and trying to figure out what you can eat with one hand.
TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE, PLEASE.
That’s exactly why I love having easy postpartum snacks ready to grab.
Lactation energy bites or lactation energy balls are one of my favorite options because they’re quick to make, easy to keep in the fridge or freezer, and absolutely packed with ingredients that make them a satisfying snack for busy breastfeeding moms. They’re especially handy during those early postpartum weeks when you’re hungry all the time and don’t exactly have the time (or free hands) to make yourself a meal.
Sometimes you just need something you can grab out of the refrigerator and eat while the baby is nursing, or for when the middle of the night “I’m famished” vibes hit. Enter: lactation energy bites.
Who is The Labor Mama and Why Am I Here?
Hey friend! I’m Lo – also known around here and social media as The Labor Mama. I’ve spent my nursing career in labor, delivery, and postpartum, have birthed 4 of my own babies, have labored thousands of mamas at the bedside, have taught thousands of students online, and have even delivered a few speedy little babies with my bare hands (oops).
Here at TLM, I offer online classes to empower you the way everyone should be. The education + support I offer gives you experience, evidence, and empathy; you’re getting all of my years of “clinical” RN knowledge, beautifully combined with my real experiences as a mama and a nurse. These are not your average hospital classes (those won’t do it, I promise), and honestly, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding don’t follow a textbook or protocol anyway. You need to know so much more than that!
If you want to connect with me further, head to Instagram or Tiktok. There are hundreds of thousands of us over there learning together daily.
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Why I Love These Lactation Energy Bites
No fancy answer here – they’re easy to love for a ton of reasons:
- easy to make
- no-bake
- *can support milk supply
- freezer-friendly
- easy to eat
- one-handed
- good for middle-of-the-night nursing sessions
- helpful when you’re constantly hungry
- portable/packable for pumping/nursing moms
- ingredients you probably already have
- made with ingredients to support your body
- can easily be doctored up with favorite add-ins or swaps
Do Lactation Energy Bites Actually Increase Milk Supply?
Okay, did you see that asterisk on “*can support milk supply?”
These are called lactation energy bites because they contain ingredients commonly used in lactation recipes, including oats, flaxseed, and brewer’s yeast. But I want to be really clear about something: there isn’t one magical food that will suddenly increase your milk supply. None.
Your milk supply is influenced by a whole host of things, with effective and frequent milk removal being one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle. Baby or a pump have to be latching consistently and moving milk effectively before any food could ever support that process.
So, I’d encourage you to think of these more as a delicious, nourishing breastfeeding snack that can help you take care of YOU while your body is working hard to make milk.
- More of a cookie person? Here is my viral lactation cookie recipe.
- Postpartum meal prepping and want some meal ideas? This post has what I prepped before baby!
- Thinking about collecting colostrum before they’re here? Start here – I can walk you through it.
Lactation Energy Bites for Milk Supply
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Lactation Bites
Yield: 16-ish bites
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (can do gluten free if needed)
- 1/2 cup rice krispy cereal
- 1 C peanut butter or nut butter
- 1/2 C honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBSP brewer’s yeast
- 1/4 C flaxseed meal
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (we like the minis)
DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients in large bowl and mix well to combine. If the mixture is too sticky to touch/shape, add a shake of oats. If the mixture is too dry, add another scoop of PB. There really is lots of freedom here!
Once mixed well, scoop and roll in palms to create similarly shaped bite-sized balls. Place finished balls on a sheet tray. Refrigerate to set (or freeze if you’re trying to go quickly).
Once set, put your balls in a lidded container and refrigerate to store and eat with 7 days. If you are not going to eat them in that week, freeze them and take them out to enjoy within 3 moths. and mixer. I do think an electric mixture (like a Kitchenaid – this is the one I have and love) works best. If the mixture is too sticky to touch/shape, add a shake of oats. If the mixture is too dry, add another scoop of PB. There really is lots of freedom here!
Recipe Notes
These I make on an as-needed basis. They are so quick to whip up and you have a lot of freedom in adding your own likes/dislikes – things like raisins, chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. If the mixture ever starts to seem too wet or too dry, just add in a bit more peanut butter or a bit more oats until you can easily handle the mix and roll it into those bites.
READ MORE: A Better Milk Supply from Day One
Friend, are you looking for help, support, and confidence as you head into your own breastfeeding story? I can give that to you! As a mama of 4 breastfed babies, a CLC, and former postpartum RN I have been a part of SO many breastfeeding experiences – and I KNOW that The Breastfeeding Blueprint course WILL change your story for the better. This one resource will save you time, tears, money, and energy while you and your baby learn to breastfeed better together.
You’ll know what’s coming, what to do, what questions to ask, and how to navigate all the highs and lows. I got you!
What’s not to love about no-bake lactation energy bites?
The postpartum days can feel like a blur of feeding, pumping, diaper changes, laundry, and trying to remember when you last ate something that wasn’t from a package or could double as a toddler snack. Take it from me, having easy, nourishing snacks ready to grab can make a surprisingly big difference.
I know how easy it is to take care of baby first, foremost, and always. But don’t forget you – and that includes fueling yourself as best you can while the two of you figure out this new life together.
What do you think? Have you tried them? If you make any fun modifications or additions, let me know in the comments! xx – Lo
Loved this blog post? Here’s some others you’ll probably like:
- Traveling With Babies: How To Travel With Breastmilk & Formula
- Power Pumping for Low Milk Supply
- Eufy Breast Pump S1 Pro: Eufy Breast Pump Review
More resources (and freebies!) for you to take a peek at:
