Lactation Energy No-Bake Bites: Apricot Almond Coconut

Recipe for fast, no-bake lactation bites for easy energy on-the-go

Breastfeeding has been the most difficult adjustment in this postpartum period.  I knew it would be demanding, but didn’t realize the magnitude of constant energy and thought I’d have into my lactation and milk supply.  It’s hard being a nursing mom, the sole provider of milk for a baby, and even harder to be that provider constantly on-demand!

Like most new mothers, milk supply has been on my mind since Day 1.  Caden lost a ton of weight (as most large babies do) in the hospital so I’ve been very much tuned into how much he’s eating and how much milk I’m producing.  In order for us to be allowed to leave the hospital, we started the “triple feeding” method: feed from breast, pump milk, feed pumped breast milk through a syringe.  We kept this up for the first week home as my milk supply came in fully. 

Aside from “triple feeding” I wanted to do all I could to make sure Caden would have enough milk and avoid frustrations of turning up too short in my supply, so as I’m sure you’ve done (which is how you ended up here) I started looking up recipes for lactation known to help with breast milk supply.

Ingredients to improve lactation

So what ingredients might you find in a lactation bite recipe to improve milk supply? A lot of the same ingredients you’d find in energy bite recipes in fact.

• Oats
• Healthy fats like flaxseed, peanut butter or almond butter
• Honey
• Chia Seeds

Also some other supplements are common to find like

• Brewer’s yeast 
• Fenugreek Seed

Do lactation bites actually increase milk supply?

First question: do lactation bites actually work for increasing milk supply?  The verdict after researching was a bit fuzzy, but I was willing to try anything that could help.  From what I gathered online and via recommendations I got from lactation consultants, oats and healthy fats have proven successful in increasing milk, whereas brewer’s yeast and fenugreek seed are more debatable.

I whipped up this recipe because all of the options I found online seemed more like afternoon pick-me-up snacks than something I’d want to eat for breakfast. Almost all recipes contained chocolate and while I’m a chocolate lover, I don’t love chocolate for breakfast.  These Apricot Almond Coconut Energy and Lactation Bites are dried fruit-driven vs chocolate-centric.

Make these lactation bites ahead of time, grab them for an on-the-go breakfast or quick energizing snack.  They are part of my daily morning routine! I nurse Caden, set him down on his activity mat and grab a couple bites to eat while playing with him in the morning.  And my husband loves them as well! No mess, little prep, fast energy and most importantly, delicious!

The Recipe

Apricot Almond Coconut No-Bake Lactation Energy Bites

Makes: 20 bites

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried apricots chopped (about 1.5 cups whole)
• 2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed 
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Directions 

1. Pulse apricots in food processor until chopped into small bits
2. Add dry ingredients: oats, flaxseed, coconut, chia
3. Add wet ingredients: almond butter, honey, vanilla
4. Pulse all ingredients together until gritty, but moist and starting to stick together in a food processor 
5. Roll into 1.5in balls by hand
6. Put in fridge for 2 hours to harden

Recipe modifications

Brewer’s Yeast: I didn’t use brewer’s yeast because it has a super bitter taste and is pretty high in calories. I also was recommended by a lactation consultant that this particular ingredient doesn’t increase supply.  That being said, you can always add it into this recipe if you want to give it a try for yourself!

Nut butter: You can use any nut butter for this and it will turn out delicious.  I’ve tried both peanut butter and almond butter. Cashew butter would probably taste amazing as well!

White Chocolate: Want to make these on the sweeter side? Add mini white chocolate chips!

Chia Seeds: Feel free to include these if you are a fan.  I honestly don’t think they add much, but some people love them.

Maple Syrup: If you are out of honey, maple syrup is a good alternative.

Hope you enjoy!

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