When breastfeeding moms lose hope in their supply, they turn to lactation cookies containing galactogogues to increase milk production. Understanding this, Milky Bomb baker Lily Siao developed her own lactation cookies for mothers in Kuching, Sarawak, and throughout Malaysia to have one last hope of providing nutritious milk to their babies.
Increasing milk supply with cookies
Breastfeeding is a natural process. This is how our ancestors and their ancestors fed their children, and it is considered normal.
Even though it comes naturally, not all mothers are able to produce a sufficient amount of milk.
Understanding this, research and discoveries were made. The inferences made suggest that eating foods high in galactogogues can help stimulate milk production naturally, increasing mothers’ milk supplies.
From this knowledge, mothers create recipes to help alleviate the problem. One such development is lactation cookies.
As mothers scour for hope to boost their supplies, lactation cookies made by part-time baker Lily Siao were their knight in shining armour.
Although it may not work immediately or at all, it is the hope that mothers hang onto.
According to Siao, the main ingredients in her cookies are brewer’s yeast, flaxseeds, and rolled oats.
“Along with that, I used flour, butter, eggs, nuts, chia seeds, and sugar.”
Lactation cookies, which are created entirely of natural ingredients, should only be consumed in moderation.
“I often advise my customers to eat three to five pieces per day, constantly for a week. It is best taken 30 minutes prior to pumping or feeding.”
Siao said that it is also critical for mothers to stay hydrated and pump on time in order to stimulate milk supply.
Siao added that she has met many people who have consumed lactation cookies for their benefits and that each person’s experience is unique.
“It differs from person to person, much like milk boosters. While some people claim to see effects right away, others claim it may take a little longer. Some people may not notice a difference in their supply, but their milk thickens. Some have no outcomes. The effectiveness is a gamble that is determined by each individual body,” said the 34-year-old.
Sharing further on her consumers, Siao said that the majority of the people who bought her cookies were other breastfeeding mothers or their friends.
“We occasionally get orders from confinement centres or from husbands to their wives. Whenever the cookies are successful, I frequently have repeat purchases.”
The start of Milky Bomb
An avid baker, Siao was always interested in cooking and baking since she was a child. Her passion for baking has led her to watch countless baking shows.
The pharmacist added that she would see her aunts bake kek lapis for Chinese New Year every year.
“For me, baking is a combination of art and science. I’m fascinated by the chemistry of how butter, sugar, and flour can be transformed into something delicious.”
She was overjoyed when her father bought home a hand mixer so she could finally bake.
“He said I could now bake. My first cake was a steamed banana cake for which I sought the recipe from my aunt. It was a success at the time,” she said, recalling a moment she had during her secondary school years.
She invested in a Thermomix brand mixer when she was 25 years old to improve her skills. She also received support for her baking endeavours from her best friend and her best friend’s mother, who gave her a stand mixer and an oven as a wedding gift five years ago.
“With a proper baking set up, I learnt by watching baking videos and tried more recipes.”
When she has time, she bakes cakes, breads, and buns for her children to take to school.
Siao would only make lactation cookies when there were orders because of her busy schedule.
Siao recalled the inspiration for her lactation cookie business, Milky Bomb, which she operates on Instagram and Shopee.
“With my first child in 2017, I was experiencing supply issues. The third month, just as my maternity leave was about to finish, my milk supply started to decrease. My menstruation cycle coincided, which hampered my supply,” said Siao, adding that her husband’s parents and hers are not in Kuching.
As a result, the couple had to rely on themselves to care for the baby. “My husband was at work, so I was at home with the baby. I don’t always have time to cook, let alone eat a proper meal. There are days when I miss my meals. I was frequently exhausted and only woke up to feed the baby before falling back asleep.”
Despite the difficulties, Siao persevered. “I didn’t give up and continued to nurse him partially while supplementing with formula milk.”
When Siao delivered her second child in 2020, she became determined to fully breastfeed her.
“Before I gave birth, I heard about lactation boosters, and one day during confinement, I discovered lactation cookies on a website I came across. Why not give it a shot, I thought.”
However, she was disappointed when the cookies arrived in crumbs and broken bits as a result of delivery.
“That’s when I had the idea to bake for myself. Because I am still on maternity leave, I can bake when my son is at school and the baby is sleeping. Additionally, I could bake them as I wanted. That’s how I began making lactation cookies for myself,” said Siao.
Siao began her experiment by baking various recipes in small batches with the help of her supportive husband.
“The entire procedure involved trial and error. I was able to stock up on lactation cookies for myself as well, and they came in handy because breastfeeding burns additional calories, making me feel hungry more frequently.”
Her increasing milk production was what kept her going. “I was happy when it did. It got to the point where we purchased a freezer to store the frozen breast milk.”
When the mother of two was satisfied with her lactation cookies, she decided to share them with the mothers in Kuching.
“There weren’t any bakers making lactation cookies here at the time. My husband tried it and encouraged me to start selling them as well. I also thought that there must be a lot of people with low milk supplies who want to try milk boosters as well. So that was how it started.”
Siao said that since she began in 2017, she has received a great deal of support from mothers who often repeat their orders.
Although she gets customers mostly from Sarawak, she also gets customers from West Malaysia and Singapore.
“I did not anticipate that there would be so many other mothers who are seeking lactation cookies.”
Baking as a stress reliever
Siao finds it challenging to balance work and motherhood. Even though she loves to bake, she admitted that she also loves what she does for a living.
“I enjoy the process of baking and doing something new from my full-time job. Baking for me may be a stress relief because it makes me happy when someone appreciates my baked goods.”
“It’s never easy to bake with two kids. However, it is all thanks to my wonderful assistant, my husband. While I bake, my husband looks after the kids. Sometimes, after they’ve gone to bed, I’ll bake,” she said, adding that she would normally bake during the weekends.
“If there are more orders, I’ll fulfil them after work on weekdays.”
Despite being limited by time, she continues to remain passionate about baking. “My small business allows me to interact with mothers, which I find enjoyable. Hence, by marketing my lactation cookies on Shopee, the platform assists in making the ordering and shipping procedure easier. By doing this, I can take pleasure in baking and forge relationships with other mothers.”
