Healthy postpartum snacks, including a special cookie for nursing mothers.

Sticking to a healthy diet postpartum is definitely a great way to fit back into your skinny jeans, but more importantly, eating highly nutritious foods gives the body loads of energy.

Energy is something that any new mother can use, right?

While coffee can certainly help you power through the day,  moms cannot survive on coffee alone.  Snacking on lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and foods that are rich in iron and vitamin C will also deliver a boost of energy, so you can focus on giving your new little bundle of joy all of the attention that he or she needs and deserves.

Reach for these simple yet nutritious snacks when hunger strikes:

Peanut butter and apples

Hard-boiled eggs with sea salt

Hummus and veggies (If all of your healthy eating leaves you with extra energy to burn, you can even make your own!)

Plain Greek yogurt with blueberries

Orange slices

Whole grain toast with almond butter and banana slices

Whole grain cereal with milk

Yogurt and fruit smoothie (Try this berry and banana smoothie or this strawberry, mango, and yogurt smoothie.)

Having a difficult time giving up all of those sweets that you may have craved during pregnancy?

Well, you’re really going to enjoy snacking on this healthy cookie.  Breastfeeding mothers even claim that it increases their milk supply!

Lactation Cookies

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of flax seed meal

4 tablespoons of water

1 cup of coconut oil

1.5 cups of coconut sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of sea salt

4 tablespoons of brewer’s yeast

3 cups of old-fashioned oats (slow-cooking)

1 cup of chocolate chips or cacao chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the flax seed meal and water in a small bowl and set aside.  Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl using a mixer.  Add the eggs, flax seed mixture, vanilla, and beat well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, yeast, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Add that dry ingredient mixture to the egg mixture and beat well with the mixer.  Finally, add the oats and chocolate chips. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet (greased with cooking spray).  Bake for approximately 12 minutes.  Transfer to a wire baking rack to cool.