Healthy Eating

Lactation Baked Oatmeal – Eating Bird Food

February 10, 2023

This lactation baked oatmeal is made with ingredients to help boost milk production and supply for breastfeeding including oats, brewer’s yeast and flaxseed. It’s easy to make, gluten-free, vegan + perfect for meal prep.

As a breastfeeding mama I’m always looking for ways to increase or maintain my milk supply. I’ve developed recipes for lactation cookies, lactation bites, lactation brownies and a lactation smoothie – given my love for baked oatmeal I just had to develop a recipe for a lactation baked oatmeal!

I created this recipe for mamas with dietary restrictions in mind, so this recipe is dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free and jam-packed with ingredients known to help boost milk supply like oats, flaxseed, brewer’s yeast, molasses and sesame.

Lactation baked oatmeal in a baking dish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s packed with ingredients to help boost milk production and supply for breastfeeding moms!
The combo of chocolate, cinnamon, coconut and molasses is so good!
Easy to make and only requires one bowl and one pan!
Great for meal prep! Make a batch on Sunday and you’ll have breakfast ready to go for the week.

Ingredients measured out to make Lactation Baked Oatmeal: maple syrup, molasses, baking powder, vanilla, rolled oats, coconut oil, cinnamon, ground flaxseed, almond milk, sesame seeds, bananas, sea salt, brewers yeast, coconut and chocolate chips.

Ingredients & Substitutions

rolled old-fashioned oats – my fave brand is Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats.
brewers yeast – brewer’s yeast is one of the best foods to help with breast milk supply (see below for more info). It is packed with vitamin B, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium.
ground flaxseed – high in omega-3 fatty acids (which are great for baby) and it also contains phytoestrogens that can influence breast milk production.
milk – I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but feel free to use your favorite type of milk.
maple syrup – one of my favorite natural sweeteners. Just be sure to use pure maple syrup, not the artificial kind labeled “pancake syrup” and made from corn syrup… not the same!
coconut oil – make sure you’re using coconut oil that’s melted. I’ve purchased several different brands of coconut oil before, but Nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil is my favorite.
ripe bananas – these will help bind the ingredients together, while also adding some natural sweetness. If you don’t have bananas on hand you can use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce instead.
molasses – adds a sweet, rich and warming flavor to this baked oatmeal.
sesame seeds – contains phytoestrogens which will help increase milk supply. You could also use tahini, which is ground sesame seeds.
cinnamon – the perfect warming spice for this baked oatmeal!
baking powder – helps the baked oatmeal rise.
sea salt – brings all the flavors together.
vanilla extract – another flavor enhancer.
shredded coconut – adds a great flavor and texture to this baked oatmeal. Make sure you’re using unsweetened shredded coconut.
chocolate chips – I recommend Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips which are allergen-friendly or Lily’s chocolate chips because they are low in sugar and calories.

Collage of six photos showing the steps to make Lactation Baked Oatmeal: mixing the oatmeal mixture and baking in a pan topping with coconut and chocolate chips.

How to Make

Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray an 8×8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the shredded coconut and chocolate chips.

Fold in shredded coconut and chocolate chips. Carefully pour oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with additional coconut and chocolate chips.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Portion and serve. I like to drizzle a little maple syrup and nut butter on top when serving.

A baking dish containing lactation baked oatmeal cut into 6 servings, one serving is missing.

Ingredients That Help Increase Milk Supply

When developing this lactation baked oatmeal recipe I did some research on what foods help with milk supply so I could include as many as possible in this recipe!

Oats – One of the reasons for decreased milk supply is low iron levels. Oats are high in iron so some studies have shown that oats help with milk production. I personally love having some sort of oat-based breakfast almost daily. I’m a big fan of overnight oats (these chocolate chip overnight oats are my go-to) and baked oatmeal (I love my strawberry banana baked oatmeal). I gravitate towards these options because I can prep them in advance.
Brewer’s yeast – It is considered a “galactagogue,” which is anything that promotes breast milk production. Brewer’s yeast is packed with vitamins and minerals – most notably, vitamin B, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium. It’s also a good source of protein. One 1/4 cup serving offers 8 grams of protein. While brewer’s yeast has a lot of really great benefits, it’s important to note that you should talk to your doctor before adding brewer’s yeast to your diet as it can interact with a variety of medications.
Flaxseed – Flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids (which are great for baby) and it also contains phytoestrogens that can influence breast milk production.
Sesame seeds – Just like flaxseed, sesame contains phytoestrogens. Using tahini is one of my favorite ways to incorporate sesame in my recipes. These tahini chocolate chip protein balls and chocolate chip tahini cookies are two of my faves!
Molasses – Molasses is a rich source of iron, calcium, and vitamins B6 and B12, all of which are important for lactation.

Pouring maple syrup on a serving of lactation baked oatmeal.

What to Serve With Baked Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is packed with fiber, healthy fats and some protein, so it’s a great breakfast option and can definitely be eaten on its own, but if you want to serve it with some sides here are some ideas that would pair well with it:

A plate with a serving of lactation baked oatmeal.

Storing & Freezing

Baked oatmeal is great for meal prep. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When freezing, I recommend cutting the oatmeal into portions, wrapping each in plastic wrap and placing the portions in a large freezer bag. The individual servings make it easier to reheat.

To reheat the entire pan of baked oatmeal: cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until warm.

To reheat individual portions: set oven or toaster oven to 350ºF and bake for 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. Once warm, add your toppings and enjoy!

A serving of lactation baked oatmeal on a plate.

More Recipes to Help with Milk Supply

More Baked Oatmeal Recipes

Be sure to check out all of my baked oatmeal recipes as well as my baby meal prep ideas!