The best new mama treats
Energy and lactation balls designed to nourish new moms and increase milk supply.
I’ve got some very pregnant friends and clients at the moment, so nourishing mamas is top of mind and on the agenda this week.
I just love this stage of life. I got lucky, and was very fortunate that my experience was relatively uncomplicated, I could just enjoy being a new mom and my memories are (mostly) beautiful.
Devouring Angela Liddon’s glo bars, prepared for me by my postpartum doula in the weeks she cared for me, is one of them.
They were delicious. So nourishing. Ultra convenient.
When I went to make them myself, I decided to adapt the recipe.
My first thought was, why make bars when you can make balls. Balls can be eaten in 1-2 bites, don’t fall apart, allow for a more moderate amount of nut butters, syrups, etc. and are just easier to make.
I’ve been making these for years now for myself, and always include them in postpartum nourishment plans for clients, whether mama’s breastfeeding or not.
And now you at home can get in on the action, too!
Keep scrolling to learn why I love these so damn much for new mamas, and well… anybody really!
Healthwise…
There are a slew of ingredients in there to support lactation and boost milk production - sesame, oats, flax, ghee to name a few.
The whole grains (oats and brown rice crisps) are high in fiber, which will keep you full. I don’t know about you but the early days breastfeeding was a particularly ravenous time for me, so I leaned into a lot of whole grains. They also help to support energy levels at what can be an exhausting time.
They’re a great source of protein and fat. The World Health Organization recommends increasing your daily protein intake by 17 grams during the first 6 months of nursing, for baby’s health but it’s also believed that increased protein intake can help with milk supply as well. A few of these balls a day helps get you there.
Ghee is a perfect postpartum food. In fact, it is the one and only non plant-based item I eat and I introduced into my diet right after I had my son. Good fats are an essential postpartum food, and ghee is second to none. It’s excellent for nourishing and rehydrating your body and helps you produce milk. It’s soothing, strengthening, cleansing and healing. Just what a new mama needs.
Why they’re so damn convenient
Lots to love on this front…
You can make them ahead of time, before the baby arrives.
This recipe yields about 12-15 small to medium size balls, which means balls for days. Or nights. I used to eat 1-2 during night feeds if I was hungry. I loved having them there and not having to think about what to eat if I got hungry.
They’re also a great grab and go option. You can pack them for appointments, other little trips out of the house, etc.
They’re nut-free. If you’ve just given birth to number two, these also double as an amazing clean and nutritious snack for school lunches for toddlers.
They will keep in the fridge for up to a week and way longer in the freezer (they won’t last that long though).
These are great for any stage of nursing, really. I’ve made and enjoyed these countless times during my nursing journey and still do to this very day.
Check out the full recipe below. I hope you love them as much as I do!
New Mama Treats
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Yields: 12-15 balls
Ingredients:
(Dry Ingredients)
1 cup of quick oats
1 cup brown rice puffs
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
2 tbsp raw pepita seeds
2 tbsp ground flax
3 tbsp unsweetened cranberries, goji berries or chopped dates.
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mineral salt
(Wet Ingredients)
2 tbsp brown rice syrup
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp ghee
Directions
Combine all dry ingredients in a food processor. Let that sit unmixed or blended while you prepare your wet ingredients.
To prepare wet ingredients, add brown rice syrup to a small pot on a low heat. Once liquified, stir in maple, sunflower seed butter and ghee. Once combined, and ghee is fully melted, pour the wet ingredients into the food processor bowl.
Blend or pulse until wet and dry ingredients are combined/well mixed.
Remove mixture from the processor, and into a large bowl. Use your hands to roll into small to medium sized, dense balls.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or longer in the freezer.
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