No-Bake Lactation Bites

About a month ago I thought I noticed a dip in my milk supply. As a mama who aims to nurse her baby boy up to the year mark, I was a little worried about my supply holding strong long enough. So, I started doing some research for ways to increase my milk in a healthy way. I knew I wanted something simple to make; packed with nutrients, wouldn't leave me feeling crummy for eating it; and tasted good. It's a long list of requirements, I know, but I wasn't willing to settle. 

So I set out to search for something that fit the bill. And I came across a recipe for no-bake lactation bites that used brewer's yeast. I'd never heard of it before and was intrigued. Turns out, brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and a rich source of minerals - particularly selenium, protein, iron, and B-complex vitamins. If you're curious, you can read more on it here. 

When talking about breastfeeding, brewer's yeast is considered a galactagogue - anything that promotes breast milk production. Though it hasn't been specifically studied for its ability to increase breast milk, the other potential benefits + the thought that it can aid in production helped me decide to give it a try to see if I felt like it increased my supply at all. I placed an order online (you can find it HERE), and waited for its arrival. 

I made these lactations bites as soon as the brewer's yeast was delivered to my doorstep. And I have been so pleasantly surprised for a few reasons.

1. The bites taste great to me. They're perfect for a morning snack, or really a little snack throughout the day.
2. I do feel like it has helped increase my milk supply. Not in a huge, whoa kind of way. But in an impactful way that helped me not stress about how much I was producing. 
3. These lactation bites literally check off everything I wanted in lactation-supporting treat. 

I've been making these bites for a month now, and will continue to do so while I nurse Wells. If I find other benefits, I'll just keep making them long past that for the other benefits of the ingredients. Brewer's yeast isn't the only good thing in there or the only ingredient helpful in increasing supply: the oats, full in iron; natural peanut butter for its healthy fats and protein; and flaxseed for its phytoestrogens and fatty acids. The combination of these four ingredients really has been the boost I needed and not just for breastmilk production.

• What You'll Need
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 3 TBSP brewer's yeast
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 TSP vanilla
• 1/4 - 1/2 dark chocolate chunks

• What You'll Do
• Lay out apiece of parchment paper on a baking sheet; set aside
• Combine the oats, flaxseed, brewer's yeast, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
• Then add the dark chocolate chunks. Stir well. I will use my hands to help combine.
• Form balls with the dough by rolling in your hands - you can make them whatever size you prefer. I opt to use about 1-2 TBSP of mixture per ball. 
• Place balls on baking sheet. Once all balls are shaped, place baking sheet in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. This allows the bites to set.
• Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

**This recipe will typically last me for a whole week.

**Recipe source, originally found here.