On May 26th I was blessed with a new baby girl and like my other daughters I wanted to nurse her. But I was scared because in the past I was not very successful with nursing and had issues with lactation. I wanted to pump between nursing sessions because the plan was to have enough breast milk frozen when I returned to work so I bought all the equipment and supplies I needed to get started. I joined facebook groups, I did research and I was ready to go and than my daughter arrived and my plans drastically changed. My milk never came in and my daughter was losing weight quickly. The hospital and her pediatrician were very supportive of breastfeeding and offered me lots of tips and suggestions but none of them worked. By the time we left the hospital she had lost a pound. So we had no choice but to offer her formula. I felt like a failure I just wanted to nurse her and give her all the benefits breastfeeding offers, but I never gave up and after a few weeks of nursing and supplementing our little peanut finally gained weight and my milk had finally came in so we were going strong. Now, I have found out that I was one of those moms that just can’t pump. Some moms are great at pumping and others just get no results and it turns out I am one of those moms but I was fine with that because I was feeding her directly and we were going strong and than at 10 weeks of nursing and supplementing my milk just stopped. No warning! I was heartbroken because I thought my journey of breastfeeding was over. I called my husband crying and he ran to the health food store to pick up Mother’s Milk Tea, Fenugreek, and Brewers Yeast which are the things everyone online swears brings back your milk supply. So I tried and I even made something Lactation Cookies which have a number of ingredients that help with supply. Well, for anyone who knows me knows that I don’t bake. So I made homemade cookies and they weren’t bad but they were dry and had no taste which is what we want in our cookies….enter sarcasm. So I went online and found a number of people who swore they made the best lactation cookies but I was not sure. How do you spend money on something you have never tried? How do you spend money on something nobody you personally knows has tried? So I went to my breastfeeding support group and the same name kept coming up. Bessies Best. So I contacted them and she was thrilled that a Jersey Shore girl reached out to her. She is from Lacey Township and jumped at the chance to work with me.
Well my package arrived and I felt like it was Christmas morning and I was opening my gift from Santa. So while my husband held the package filled with their signature cookie and granola I jumped in and took a huge bite and all i can say is WOW! It was so good. I could not believe how it tasted. How was this suppose to help my supply? How is this the same type of cookie I have tried to bake a number of times? I am still not pumping very well but in all honesty I am not one of those moms that have the ability to pump and store tons of surplus. Some MOMS just can’t pump….hey I am from NJ! Remember Jersey Girls don’t pump! But I will tell you these cookies have helped my supply. I am able to feed her longer and she does not fight me. We have not had to use formula to supplement or “TOP HER OFF” as we say. I will continue to pump and hopefully I will be able to get my enough surplus for her that when I return to full time work outside the home, we will not have to rely on formula during the day when I am not home.
So now you have heard a little bit about my journey I need to tell you about the best cookies in the world…..well to me anyway!
The following passage was taken directly from the Bessie’s Best Website: I thought it was best that you heard her story directly as she wrote it.
“Once upon a time…
there was a Mommy who was determined to breastfeed her children. First she had son, and lacked education and support but not determination! She lasted only 11 weeks but even that seemed like an accomplishment because of her low supply.
Two years later, this mother was equally as determined but FAR more educated. This time she went to support groups, nursed on demand and required the nurses at the hospital after the birth to support her breastfeeding goals. Still struggling with low supply, she agonized weekly to her mommy-friends in her group and they suggested lactation cookies.
Luckily, this mommy had a 2 year old who liked to dump and mix and stir and bake. So she made cookies for herself….and they worked! Then she made some for her friends, and their friends, and their friends. Suddenly, they were helping mothers across the country…and the world. We ship to all 50 states, Canada and 7 countries overseas (so far!). The only feeling in the world better than successfully breastfeeding my baby is helping hundreds of mothers successfully breastfeed their babies.”
Lactation Cookies are $10 per dozen. S&H is only $13.95 no matter how much you order (domestically). They freeze well and keep on the counter for about 3 weeks so lots of mamas will order a bunch to maximize value. Most mamas start with 3 for breakfast and then a few more in the afternoon if you are really working on your supply. Contact us with any questions!
The original lactation granola is $6/lb. and is a definite crowd pleaser! You are able to order an unlimited amount in the United States for the same price, so stock up! You can eat it like a cereal, on top of yogurt, as an ice cream topping, or right out of the bag… some even include it in their smoothies!
The seasonal lactation pumpkin bread is $8/loaf and is one step up from our delicious cookies! Again, they freeze very well and shipping is the same no matter how many you order, so most will order a bunch to maximize value. This product is sold from October to March.
MTO Granola is $30 for 3 lbs. and you can customize it however you like. Whether you like salty, sweet, or both – we have combinations to fit every need!
The lactation cookie sample pack is $6.50 including shipping (domestically). It contains three of Bessie’s original lactation cookies. It’s a great way to see if you like the taste of our cookies before ordering more… and we’re betting you’ll love them! They’re soft, moist, and perfectly filling!!
Check them out and get all the information you need about the product.
http://www.bessiesbestlactationcookies.com/home.html
https://www.facebook.com/BessiesBestLactationCookies
Check out my VLOGhttps://youtu.be/kROildc1B9w