As a nursing mom, it can be hard to be away from your little one, even for a date night. This is especially true when you are nursing on demand in order to maintain or increase your milk supply. If you're planning on staying in, you can prepare and share a sweet treat with a recipe for the one Valentine's Day dessert to get your milk supply going.
This deliciously milk-increasing recipe is Two Peas & Their Pod's oatmeal chocolate chip cake with cream cheese frosting. Sounds amazing, right? The rolled oats are key to getting your milk flowing. According to Belly Belly, eating oats can help a nursing mom increase milk supply. This is because oats contain saponins, which have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and also impact the milk making hormones created by the pituitary gland. Oats also contain Beta-glucan, according to Very Well. This is a fiber that is believed to raise the body's levels of prolactin, the milk-making hormone. Additionally, oats contain plant estrogens which stimulate milk glands and can lead to the increased production of breast milk
Oats are also a good source of iron. Kelly Mom warned that low iron or maternal anemia is believed to be a cause of low milk supply. The same is true of high cholesterol. Oats are known to help reduce a person's overall cholesterol levels.
It's important to point out that although many nursing moms have had success increasing their milk supply by eating oats and oatmeal, Kelly Mom noted that there is currently no scientific evidence linking oats and increased milk supply.
Oats do have many studied health benefits apart from lactation. According to Parenting, oats contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and proteins, which is good for maintaining health, so serving this delicious, made from scratch recipe in lieu of a processed, store-bought dessert is a win-win for both you and your Valentine.
