9 Best Protein Powders For Breastfeeding Moms
Many new moms find it difficult to consume enough protein despite knowing its importance for breast milk production and postpartum recovery. Because of this, many turn to protein powders to help fill in the gaps.
In our article - Protein Powder and Breastfeeding - I discuss whether or not protein powder is safe (and what to look for). In this article, I'm sharing my top recommendations for protein powders. Spoiler - you don't need something specifically targeted toward breastfeeding moms. Generally, the cleaner the ingredients, the better of you are.
It's important to find something that you can use easily, tastes good, and has clean ingredients. I hope that you'll find these recommendations helpful!
✅ In a hurry? Just Ingredients is our number one choice due to its quality, taste, and clean ingredients.
You May Also Enjoy:
Best Protein Shakes for Breastfeeding
There are tons of different protein powders available, but, as we've already mentioned, not all of them are great for pregnant moms or breastfeeding moms. The proteins listed below are some options that would be an excellent choice for a protein powder while breastfeeding. Some of these have a unique lactation blend, but honestly, I would focus more on natural protein powders than anything.
Remember - be careful about using a protein shake or powder for meal replacements. You need to make sure you are getting enough calories and nutrition in your regular diet! Protein requirements are increased with breastfeeding, though, so a protein shake during the day can be a good option for meeting those goals.
I tried to find dairy-based ones and had plant proteins, so there should be an option for everyone. I'm not too fond of vegan-based protein powders, but I know that many people need that kind, either because of a dairy allergy for them or their child OR for personal preference.
However, I believe all these options are high quality. All of them have adequate protein levels, though some have more than others.
I recommend mixing these with fresh fruit, chia seeds, nut butter, or whatever sounds good. I'm personally a fan of using Silk Protein Almond Milk, which boosts protein.
✅ Winner: Just Ingredients
Just Ingredients is a company run by a woman named Karalynne. She runs a very popular Instagram page called Just. Ingredients and she has such a passion for bringing clean products to families and individuals in an accessible way.
She set out on a mission to create a clean protein powder, and she was accomplished that. Her protein powder is the only protein powder I've had that hasn't upset my stomach at all.
It is not lactation-specific, however, you can eat it knowing that it doesn't have anything that will harm you or your baby. There aren't a lot of flavors right now - just chocolate and chocolate coconut - but they are so tasty and easy to eat. They are a great protein powder to incorporate into your day!
Here is the nutrition profile:
Protein from Five Sources
Non-denatured 100% Grass-fed Whey Protein Isolate from New Zealand
Organic Pea Protein
Organic Pumpkin Seed
Organic Chia Seed
Collagen
Free of sugar, gluten, and artificial sweeteners
Depending on the flavor, it has between 140 and 160 calories per serving
4 grams of fat
3 carbs
3 grams of dietary fiber
24 grams of protein
It is more expensive than many protein powders, but this is it if you want the best. They have tons of delicious flavors and keep releasing more! My personal favorites are the chocolate coconut and strawberries and cream.
You can save 10% on any products on Just Ingredients with the code TBM. Her face serum is a miracle worker - it was one of the only things that helped my son's cradle cap!
Buy Just Ingredients Now - Save 10% with code tBM
Make our DELICIOUS protein-packed lactation cookies!
Best Lactation Specific - Boobie Body
This is a plant-based protein powder that is designed specifically for breastfeeding and pregnant mothers. It costs $40 for 20 servings.
It has 19 grams of protein, 1000 IUs of Vitamin D, prebiotics and a custom probiotic strand, and all essential amino acids.
Its primary source of protein is pea protein, and it also includes a variety of other ingredients such as flaxseed, chia, and maca root. The main galactagogues I saw were moringa, maca root, and Shatavari. It is sweetened with monk fruit and stevia.
I saw more negative reviews on this one about the taste, though some loved it - so it's hard to say whether or not it's the best-tasting blend out there. They offer a variety of flavors - chocolate bliss, coffee caramel, vanilla chai, and vanilla cookie.
I personally LOVE this brand and think it tastes amazing. You can save 20% when you shop through their website with my link!
Runner Up: Clean Simple Eats
Clean Simple Eats is my personal FAVORITE when it comes to protein powder for a few reasons:
They have a wide variety of flavors, and they are always coming out with new ones.
They use clean ingredients
It is not high in sugar
It tastes really good!
I also love all their recipes, and they also have products like a super berry mix, collagen (which is fantastic for postpartum recovery), and delicious nut butter.
It has 20 grams of protein per serving, which could vary depending on your flavor. They always seem to have Brownie Batter and Simply Vanilla (I've heard this is the best vanilla protein powder, which is hard to find) along with seasonal flavors.
Their protein powder has artificial colors, dyes, sweeteners, or added sugar, and it contains grass-fed whey.
Clean Simple Eats also has a line of fantastic cookbooks that often incorporate their protein powders, so that's also something to consider. They have some of my favorite recipes for protein shakes in their cookbooks!
There are no special galactagogues in this, but this is a protein powder I can personally vouch for the quality and consistency. I have three bags in my cupboard right now!
They aren't specifically for breastfeeding moms, but you can use them and feel confident in them. This is the brand I primarily have used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can get 10% off with the code KATIE. Check out everything they have here.
Buy Clean Simple Eats Now - use code KATIE for 10% off.
Milk Dust
Milk Dust is explicitly marketed toward breastfeeding moms. It is a vegan protein powder with pea protein, brown rice protein, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds.
This is a dairy, soy, and gluten-free protein powder, so this might be a good option if your child has any dairy issues.
It is a bit pricey at $49.99 for 20 servings. They claim it helps to calm sugar cravings and promotes a healthy milk supply. It does contain milk thistle, red raspberry leaf, brewer's yeast, fenugreek, and fennel, which are all breast milk enhancing herbs - otherwise known as galactagogues.
It has some other exciting ingredients, and they all seem to be high-quality. It contains folate instead of folic acid, which stood out to me (I try to get folate rather than folic acid in my diet, personally).
It contains 100 calories, 4 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein, which is low. I would not recommend just making this shake for a complete meal without adding additional calories. I couldn't tell what flavor it was - they say it's a "unique flavor unlike any other protein powder," which tastes like Dunkaroos. And no chalky after taste!
It has pretty good reviews, though some feel it's way too sweet (someone framed it as "the most expensive, offensive flavor." Others commented on the priciness of it. However, most of the comments seemed to think it helped increase their milk supply - or at least, helped them get enough calories to maintain their pool.
I did read one comment that said their supply decreased with it. I'm not sure if this is because they relied solely on just these drinks for their calories, or perhaps they had a reaction to the fenugreek (while I haven't seen any studies on this, a lot of moms report fenugreek hurts their supply rather than helps - if you have a sensitive supply, you will want to be careful).
We have a Blendtec Blender, which has served our family well - but you can use whatever you want! Overall, it is expensive, but it is an exciting blend. If you are especially sensitive to sweetness, it may not be the best option for you.
BEST FOR POSTPARTUM RECOVERY - Ritual Protein Powder
Ritual is a brand that I've liked for their daily multivitamin, so I was excited to see that they created a protein powder specifically for pregnant and postpartum women. It has 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. It also has 250mg of choline, which is really important.
It is a vegan protein powder made from pea protein, and it's available in a vanilla-caramel flavor that gets rave reviews. No specific lactogenic ingredients in this one, but it seems like a decent option!
You do have to signup fr a subscription, but you can cancel at any time and skip months. If you're like me and always seem to forget to order things, a subscription can be helpful.
Ora Organics
This is another clean, vegan protein option. It is not explicitly made of breastfeeding mothers, but it is a great option. It comes in chocolate, vanilla, and vanilla chai.
Ora Organics:
Has 21g of protein
Gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, and soy-free.
It costs $37.99 for 20 servings, though you can subscribe and save with Amazon to get it for a little bit less.
Its blend of ingredients doesn'thave any stand-out galactagogues, but it doesn't appear to have anything known to decrease supply.
It did have coconut milk and quinoa, which sometimes are thought to be galactagogues. It has a bunch of superfoods in it, which seems appealing.
Overall has excellent reviews. Many people liked its flavor and consistency, but it was noted that this could depend on the base you put it in (whole fat coconut milk and avocados seemed like popular choices!).
Someone even claimed that it's the best plant-based protein on the planet. I saw one comment from a mom who used it through her pregnancy and post-pregnancy. I'm not going to lie - as I read the comments, I almost ordered some. It does seem like a very high-quality protein powder that doesn't have any weird chemicals or ingredients.
Orgain
I like Orgain protein powders, and it's widely available online and at Costco. I have tried their chocolate peanut butter, chocolate, and their limited edition hot cocoa, and I've enjoyed them all.
I recommend buying them from Orgain.com, as they often run different promotions and sales that you won't find on Amazon.
They have plant and whey-based proteins, so they have an option for everyone. Not lactation-based, just a good, clean protein option.
They also have ready-made meal replacement shakes, which can be convenient for a lot of people. I know Premier Protein shakes are popular, but I think those are full of junk, so this is a good alternative if you are looking for something you can pop open and drink.
Mommy Knows Best Brewer's Yeast
This isn't a protein powder. However, it's something that you can easily make your protein smoothies with or add to your favorite protein powder to make it more of a "lactation smoothie."
Brewer's yeast tends to be pretty nasty and bitter tasting. However, the kind from Mommy Knows Best has been debittered, which makes it taste a bit better. They have a plain and chocolate flavor, so it might be fun to try out.
Vital Proteins
Vital Proteins is a pretty popular company with tons of different products. Their protein powder is whey-based but lactose-free, and it is jam-packed with 25 grams of protein.
It is less expensive than many of these brands at $29.99. They have a few different flavors - chocolate, coffee, strawberry, and vanilla.
Although it isn't a lactation blend, it does have sunflower lecithin, which can help with recurrent clogged ducts and mastitis, as well as MCT oil. It also contains collagen.
The reviews are great for this brand. If you are looking for a more affordable brand that tastes good and has a lot of protein, I will check them out!
All in all, there are a lot of great protein powders out there that are compatible with breastfeeding. Which one is your favorite? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
