Do Oreos increase milk supply?

Wait.. Oreos can boost my milk supply?

Yeah, right! It’s just an old wives’ tale. It’s a good excuse to eat Oreos, but doubt it works.

You’ve probably heard the rumor.

And like most of us, rolled your eyes.

But if you’re exhausted, desperate, and ready to try anything, munching a couple of Oreos doesn’t sound so crazy at all, does it?

So, do Oreos really increase breast milk supply? How does it work?

Are Oreos considered Lactation Cookies?

Read on as we explore the answers to these and more.

But first…

Can I eat Oreos while breastfeeding?

You can, if you want to!

What’s more, Oreos are actually dairy-free and vegan.

And there’s even gluten-free Oreos for those who can’t eat gluten.

There’s nothing in Oreos that’s harmful to your baby.

Unless, of course, your baby has a specific allergy to any of the Oreo ingredients.

Just go easy and try not to eat a lot (and I mean, the whole pack) in one go.

So what’s in Oreos, anyway?

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Oreo Ingredients

The iconic Oreo first came out in 1912 (yes, it’s over 100 years old!) from Nabisco Company in NYC. They’ve changed the design and ingredients over the years until the modern-day Oreo was developed in 1952. ^[1]

Phew, that’s a long history!

I won’t bore you with every single ingredient in each Oreo variant.

But I’ve compiled the ingredients list of the main 4 Oreo cookies commonly mentioned by pumping mamas (see image below):

• Oreo Original
• Double Stuf Oreo
• Mega Stuf Oreo
• Gluten-free Oreo

Notice the ingredient what’s common in all these variants?

That’s right. Soy Lecithin! (More on that later).

I personally combed through the ingredients in Oreos to find out if it contains any galactagogue (aka, “milk boosting” food, drink or herb)

But, sadly, no, it does not.

There’s nothing in Oreos that can directly increase milk supply.

Nothing.

Zero. Zip. Nada. Zilch.

But why do some women claim it helped BOOST their pumping output?

Usually, by at least 1-2 ounces (which, by the way, is already significant if you’re barely making enough milk for your baby).

I’ll repeat it again.

There’s NOTHING in Oreos that has been scientifically PROVEN to increase milk supply.

So why do anecdotal reports claim otherwise?

Let’s explore this further..

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Why do Oreos help milk supply?

I came up with the 3Cs theory.

Please note that this is just a theory, which I (and other breastfeeding mamas) use to explain why Oreos seem to have a milk-boosting effect on SOME lactating moms.

1. Calories

Making milk requires a LOT of energy.

500 calories. That’s the amount of energy needed for milk production in the first 6 months postpartum. ^[2]

When you’re sleep-deprived, it can be easy to overlook yourself and eat less.

Sure, the calories in Oreos might be what health-conscious people call “empty calories” but they’re still calories.

Of course, you can get those extra calories in a healthy balanced meal.

But eating a cookie (or four) is just an easy way to do it.

Also, I suspect it’s really not just about the calories.

In fact, I even saw one mama say she’s been eating more (that means a lot more calories too), but none had a milk-boosting effect like Oreos did for her.

2. Comfort Food

Oreos are familiar.

First, you Twist it, then you Lick it, and then you Dunk it”, remember?

Twist, Lick, Dunk.

I can still clearly remember that TV commercial back in my childhood years.

And yes, I did try to eat Oreos that way too – dipped in milk. Not always, but I did try it once or twice. (Don’t judge me, I like milk in my coffee, not in my Oreo.)

Eating a familiar, sweet comfort snack we’ve known for years releases feel-good hormones, bringing our stress levels down.

Any breastfeeding mama probably know this deep down inside:

Stress affects our milk supply. ^[3]

But the exact mechanism as to why and how is yet unknown.

We only have theories (aka, “potential explanations”) for now.

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• reduce insulin response and release, which negatively affects milk production in the lactocyte (“milk making cells” in your breasts).
• spin your HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) Axis out of control, impacting your milk supply
• diminish oxytocin release (Oxytocin is needed for letdown), thereby reducing milk ejection. The Milk Ejection Reflex (or letdown) is how your milk “flows” out of your breasts.

It doesn’t just work for Oreos, though.

Any familiar, comfort food will do. Even relaxation techniques like Yoga and meditation will help fight stress resulting in better breastfeeding outcomes. ^[4,5]

3. Clogged Duct Buster (Lecithin)

First, a caveat.

I’m not saying go eat Oreos for plugged ducts, okay?

But Oreos contain soy lecithin.

And lecithin helps your milk flow.

How does it work, though?

Imagine trying to drink milkshake from a narrow straw. Some bits get stuck, blocking the flow, making it really hard to drink.

Lecithin is an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help mix things together that normally don’t go together like oil and water. ^[6]

Think of emulsifiers as a whisk or blender. Their job is to keep things mixed up.

If the milkshake you’re trying to drink was blended smoothly, it won’t clog up the straw. You can sip it until you run out of breath or you run out of milkshake.

In breast milk, Lecithin keeps the fat from clumping together. This prevents those fat clumps from getting stuck in the tiny ducts in your breasts, causing plugged ducts. ^[6,7]

So by keeping breast milk nice and smooth, Lecithin helps prevent clogs and keep milk flowing!

The more milk flows out of your breasts, the more milk you produce.

The Science (or Lack Thereof)

I hear you saying, that’s pretty cool. But is it backed by science?

There’s very limited research on Lecithin and breast milk. ^[7]

Despite that, it’s still being used by lactation professionals because of the wealth of anecdotal evidence from breastfeeding mamas around the world. ^[8]

If you’re concerned about plugged ducts though, it’s best to take a supplement.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (they’re medical doctors specializing in breastfeeding) recommends taking Sunflower or Soy lecithin 5–10 g daily to reduce inflammation in ducts and emulsify milk. ^[9]

For more info on Lecithin and Breastfeeding, read our post here.

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Are Oreos Lactation Cookies?

Oreos are cookies.

But since they don’t contain any known galactagogue, they’re technically NOT considered “lactation cookies”.

Lactation cookies usually contain oats, brewers yeast, flaxseed and other herbs that have a lactogenic (milk-boosting) effect.

So nope, Oreos are NOT lactation cookies.

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How many Oreos to increase milk supply?

Let me say this again.

Oreos DO NOT, by itself, increase milk supply.

But if you’re a mama who:

• need the extra calories (and don’t have time to prepare snacks)
• need a feel-good, familiar comfort food
• tried a LOT of different things to up your milk supply

Then you can try eating Oreos to see if it will increase your supply.

Consider it an experiment.

Eating Oreos for science?

That’s a good excuse!

Just don’t expect Oreos to be the magical cure-all for low milk supply.

Here’s how to do it..

Eat a couple of Oreos about 1-2 hours before you pump. You can even down an entire pack.

And then, forget about it. Just go about your day (or night!)

Don’t stress about your supply.

That’s KEY.

Most of those pumping mamas who’ve had great results with Oreos just ate and promptly forgot about it. When they think back on what they ate, only then can they pinpoint the Oreos.

So, was it really the Oreos? Or the “not stressing about supply” part that did it?

No one knows for sure.

If you do try it, leave a comment and let me know how it goes!

Do Oreos boost milk supply?

Scientifically speaking? No.

But plenty of anecdotal (aka, “personal experience of breastfeeding mamas”) claims support “Oreos as milk-booster”. No wonder it’s such a popular myth.

So if you want to, try and see for yourself if it helps.

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References:

1. Moore, Jessie. (2010, July 17). Ask CakeSpy: How Are Oreos Made? Retrieved from https://www.unicornlove.com/blog/2010/7/17/ask-cakespy-how-are-oreos-made.html
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020) Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov
3. Nagel, E. M., Howland, M. A., Pando, C., Stang, J., Mason, S. M., Fields, D. A., & Demerath, E. W. (2022). Maternal psychological distress and lactation and breastfeeding outcomes: a narrative review. Clinical therapeutics, 44(2), 215-227.
4. Greenthal, K., & Spatz, D. (2023). The Effects of Mindfulness on Lactation: An Integrative Review. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 18(11), 822–841. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2023.0170
5. Boybay Koyuncu, S., & Yayan, E. H. (2022). Effect of Postpartum Yoga on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Maternal Attachment in Primiparous Mothers. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(4), 311–317. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0320
6. Mitchell, K. B., & Johnson, H. M. (2020). Breast Pathology That Contributes to Dysfunction of Human Lactation: a Spotlight on Nipple Blebs. Journal of mammary gland biology and neoplasia, 25(2), 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-020-09450-7
7. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006-. Lecithin. [Updated 2024 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501772/
8. Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM, Noble L, et al. (2022). Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical profession. 9th ed. Elsevier.
9. Mitchell, K. B., Johnson, H. M., Rodríguez, J. M., Eglash, A., Scherzinger, C., Zakarija-Grkovic, I., Cash, K. W., Berens, P., Miller, B., & Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (2022). Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, Revised 2022. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(5), 360–376. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2022.29207.kbm