How to Make a Double Chocolate Lactation Protein Shake
This season, let’s celebrate the holidays and breastfeeding moms with the most delicious double chocolate lactation protein shake ever. Protein is essential postpartum for rebuilding muscles and creating breast milk. You can increase your milk supply and lose the baby weight with the right healthy indulgent recipes.
This post is sponsored by Wow Moms, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own based on my truthful experience.
Lactation Protein Shakes For Breastfeeding
Consuming enough protein is of the utmost importance postpartum! Especially for breastfeeding moms. During pregnancy, your muscles (especially those in your abdomen) weaken and stretch.
Most women lose a lot of muscle mass during pregnancy. As a certified personal fitness trainer, I can assure you that protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. Whey protein is a primary choice for women looking to regain muscle mass. The essential fatty acids naturally in whey help you reduce body fat while rebuilding lean muscle.
Postpartum your body is not only focused on repairing itself, but also nourishing your new baby with breast milk. Protein is even more important while lactating! Eating enough protein during breastfeeding is essential to build and maintain your own lean muscle mass, as well as providing protein for your babies’ growing body.
Losing the Baby Weight With Protein Shakes
As a new mom it can be hard to find time to be sure you get enough protein to properly fuel your own body as well as your rapidly growing babies’ body. Adding in a low-calorie, low carb, high-protein shake is a perfect and simple way to get the nutrients you need for breastfeeding fast.
Plus protein shakes are so delicious and refreshing. Supplementing meals or snacks with a milk boosting lactation smoothie is easy. I cannot think of an easier way to pack so much flavor and nutrients into one glass (or plate for that matter) quickly.
And we’re all about quickly with a new little one. For at least the first year postpartum I always feel that everything is absolutely rushed. The time flies by, you are doing almost everything with one hand, and there are never enough minutes in the day to get everything done.
By blending up a few yummy lactogenic shakes full of protein and nutrients, you can close your busy mom day with knowing you were able to fill your body with something so good for you. Something that was loaded with the nutrients you and your breastfed baby need; and that was so easy and fast to make.
RELATED: Blueberry Lactation Smoothie that Will Increase Supply Faster than Lactation Cookies
The Most Delicious Whey Protein Powder
Now that you are ready to take on repairing your body postpartum, while amping up that milk supply, I’m going to share with you my favorite whey protein powder for breastfeeding moms.
It’s called Wow Moms Lean Protein. This protein powder was made by moms for moms. It is so clean that it only contains 4 ingredients!
- 100% Cold Filtered Whey Isolate
- Natural Flavors
- Fruit Extracts
- Stevia
If you are looking to rebuild your muscle postpartum, whey protein is ideal. But Wow Moms isn’t just any whey protein powder. It is specially formulated with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in mind.
Wow Moms Lean Protein doesn’t contain any of the common allergens that can cause irritation to mom and baby. It is:
- Lactose-Free
- Gluten Free
- Soy Free
By avoiding these common baby sensitivities you are lowing the risk of dealing with a possibly colicky baby. I’ve been there. It was my soy protein powder at the time that caused my poor baby so much discomfort and 5 hours of crying every night.
I switched to whey protein at that time and the colic stopped! That might not work for everyone, but eliminating common allergen known foods often does help.
Wow Moms Lean Protein is also my top pick of a whey protein powder for breastfeeding moms because it is low carb and added sugar-free! It tastes sweet, but that comes from my favorite healthy sweetener, stevia.
And who needs added carbohydrates when you are trying to lose the baby weight? Stevia is perfect for breastfeeding moms because breastfeeding can cause you to crave sugar. A natural, no carb, sugar alternative really helps to fight off those sugar cravings while breastfeeding.
Flavors of the Holidays
Christmas is right around the corner. My mind is switching from all things pumpkin spice to all things chocolate and peppermint.
Chocolate, in the right forms, is actually really good for you! It’s the sugar mixed in with all our chocolately favorites that can compromise your health and waistline.
Cocoa and cacao without sugar are loaded with antioxidants. I’m so passionate about healthy chocolate I wrote an entire sugar-free recipe book detailing how to eat chocolate the right way for your health!
I put together a protein-packed, double chocolate chunk lactation smoothie for you today. It tastes as indulgent as a candy bar, but healthy. When I blended this delicious milk boosting and waist slimming recipe up with Wow Moms Lean Protein I surprised even myself.
It was DELICIOUS! Like eating double chocolate chunk ice cream. It is really that good. You will love indulging in this recipe absolutely guilt free.
How To Make a Double Chocolate Chunk Lactation Protein Shake
**In the video you will see peppermint extract pictured. I decided to alter this recipe from its original inclusion of peppermint when I created the video.
In about 40% of women peppermint has a negative impact on breastmilk supply! So to be on the safe side in case you fall into that 40%, I omitted to ingredient entirely with no detriment to this indulgent protein shake!**
This protein shake is so easy to make. I always use baker’s cocoa for all of my chocolate recipes. It contains no added sugar and this protein powder is sweet enough that you won’t even notice that the delicious chocolate flakes are sugar-free!
I recommend first chopping up the chunk of chocolate before adding it to the blender. It helps the thick chunk of chocolate break up into scrumptious chocolate flakes a bit easier.
You can use either unsweetened almond milk (vanilla is my favorite), milk, or water as your base. It really is a taste preference. Wow Moms Lean Protein blends well with any choice. But if I do say so myself, unsweetened vanilla almond milk worked absolutely perfectly.
Drop all the ingredients into your favorite blender and mix well. It couldn’t be much easier and you might be drooling over this recipe for a while. At least I am. It’s my new favorite lunch smoothie recipe.
Another recipe note: The avocado can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. When attempting this the first time I was a bit leery. But I actually enjoy it even more than the slice of avocado now and have been adding it to my protein shake every day! The texture is even more rich and creamy.
Double Chocolate Peppermint Shakeology Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology Superfood Powder (OR chocolate)
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/4 medium avocado OR 1 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1/2 oz. baker's cocoa
- 2 packets of stevia
- 1 tbsp. oats
- 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
Instructions
- Slice the baker's cocoa so that it mixes better in the blender.
- Add all ingredients to your favorite blender.
- Mix on high until all pieces of the avocado are pureed.
- Enjoy this indulgent shake as a meal replacement while filling your body with nutrients.
This is perfect as my baby has a dairy allergy and I want hot chocolate for the holidays! Thanks do much for sharing!! Xx
Oh Holly babies with allergies can be so tough when you’re breastfeeding! Mine was soy sensitive. I keep dipping into this yummy protein powder whenever I was a little sweet treat, you’ll love it!
WOW! This is amazing, Allie! I have been looking for a product like this. I will definitely check it out! 🙂
That’s so great to hear Milica. I think you’ll love the product! A delicious only 4 ingredient protein powder? Definately on the top of my list!
Love this take on lactation smoothies. And I’m always looking for highly reviewed (good tasting) whey protein to try, I’ll have to look into this!
Thanks Bridget! This is the cleanest whey protein I’ve found and really tasty! I think you’ll love it!
That looks absolutely delicious! Perfect for this time of year. I wish I would have known about lactation smoothies when I was nursing!
Thanks Lauren! You’ll love it even if you’re done nursing! It’s completely clean and great for your health too!