The Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding Moms in 2024 that are Baby Safe

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When you’re a new mom it is so important to find the best protein powder for breastfeeding moms that is also safe for your baby. A protein powder for breastfeeding needs to have super clean ingredients, contain no common baby allergens, be loaded with nutrition, and be delicious! These protein powders are perfect to help you increase the protein in your diet while losing the baby weight in a safe and healthy way.

**This post contains affiliate links to products I own and love and am confident will benefit you immensely. Feel free to read the full boring disclosure here if you’d like.**

Why is finding the best protein powder for breastfeeding that’s also baby safe so important?

So much of what we eat is passed to baby through your breast milk! While breastfeeding (especially when baby is exclusively breastfeeding and getting all of its nutrients from your breast milk alone), it is of the utmost importance to be aware of what we’re putting in our bodies.

Making healthy nutrient-dense meal choices can help you lose the baby weight quickly. Home prepared meals are the best for your health, but as a mom, we often don’t have time to cook every meal at home.

Protein shakes are an absolutely amazing way for moms to get all the nutrients they need quickly! In fact lactation protein shakes are one of the key recipes in The Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan, the best postnatal diet and exercise program for breastfeeding moms.

Protein Powder Smoothies for Breastfeeding

Protein powder smoothies are actually my favorite food. It is easy just to throw a few handfuls of ingredients into a blender, add a little breastfeeding-safe protein powder, and mix up a filling and nutrient-dense meal fast.

It takes under a minute to make a protein shake with one hand, perfect for busy new moms!

There are seemingly endless varieties of smoothies that you can quickly turn into a protein shake by adding one of the protein powders on this list.

• Tropical Lactation Smoothie
• Blueberry Delight Protein Shake (scroll to the bottom of post)
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Fantasy Protein Shake (scroll to the bottom of post)
• Milk Boosting Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie
• Or get The Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan for tons of slimming protein powder lactation recipes for breastfeeding mothers!

Why is protein powder for breastfeeding moms so important?

Protein powder is an important supplement for nursing mothers because it provides the necessary nutrients to support both her and her baby’s health.

Protein is essential for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance, and also helps to create breast milk. A nursing mother needs about 20 grams of extra protein per day, on top of the recommended daily amount for all adults, which is 50-60 grams per day. Aim for at least 70 grams of protein a day wile breastfeeding.

Adding a protein powder supplement to her diet can help her meet her increased protein needs.

Eating Protein While Breastfeeding Helps Repair Your Body from Childbirth

Protein is the primary macronutrient required for muscle growth and body repair.

Postpartum there is a lot of healing and rapid change going on in your body. It is essential to keep your diet high in protein to repair your muscles, connective tissues, organs, and skin.

Getting Enough Protein While Breastfeeding Helps Grow Your Baby Properly

In addition to the importance of protein to repair and rebuild your body every day, your consumption of protein will also ensure an adequate amount of protein in your breast milk to support your babies’ rapid growth!

The adequate protein content of your breast milk is essential to growing babies’ organs, tissues, and muscles too.

Why Protein Powders are a Great Protein Source for Breastfeeding Mothers

As an exhausted and busy new mom (which we all are) it can be difficult to get enough protein into your diet. Protein powder is a fast and simple way to add clean healthy protein into your diet every day.

Always consult your trusted physician when making dietary changes while breastfeeding, including adding supplements like a new protein powder.

RELATED: Is it safe to drink protein powder while pregnant and breastfeeding?

How much protein do you need each day while breastfeeding?

There are multiple studies with varying estimates for exactly how many grams of protein a day a lactating mother needs. However, according to the most current recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans it is suggested that moms need at least 65 grams of protein a day while breastfeeding!

Some other studies show a range between 55 and 70 grams per day depending on your body composition, height, activity levels, etc.

That is quite a bit of protein. So a protein powder for breastfeeding moms is the perfect way to ensure that you are meeting your dietary needs for protein.

Can protein powders help you lose the baby weight while breastfeeding?

Yes, they definitely can! In fact, protein powders are my secret weapon to losing the baby weight fast. I lost it all 3 times in 6 weeks with a healthy clean eating diet and protein powder breakfast smoothies! (Check out how I do that here.)

There are also lots of effective tips and tricks I’ve shared in How to Lose Belly Fat While Breastfeeding and also How to Safely Lose Fat While Breastfeeding: Tips and Tricks to Shed the Baby Weight in addition to eating enough protein that can be a huge help if you are struggling to lose the excess baby weight while breastfeeding.

Protein powders are easily digestible, low in calories while high in nutrition (at least the breastfeeding-safe protein powders from this list are), and simple and fast to add to your diet.

Which is really important as a breastfeeding mom. It feels like you are always breastfeeding! (I’m literally breastfeeding right now.)

All the protein powders on this list are sourced either from plant proteins or whey protein. Both are ideal for breastfeeding moms to lose the baby weight quickly while being completely safe for baby.

RELATED: The Best Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan

What Types of Protein Powders Are Best for Breastfeeding Moms?

There are so many different types of protein powder that you can choose from these days!

• Soy Protein
• Whey Protein
• Plant Proteins (which can be so many including pea protein, hemp protein, and more)
• Casein Protein
• Collagen Protein
• Egg Albumen Protein
• and more!

So what are the best choices of protein powders for breastfeeding moms?

Plant-based Protein Powders for Breastfeeding

Plant-based protein powders are my favorite type of protein powder for nursing mothers. They are easily digestible, low in calories, and high in nutrition. Plus, they are completely safe for baby.

There are so many different plant-based proteins to choose from these days! You can find pea protein, hemp protein, brown rice protein, and more.

I really like using plant-based proteins because they tend to be less processed and contain less fillers than other types of protein powders. Plus they are usually organic.

Some of my favorite brands of plant-based protein powders for breastfeeding moms will be on this list!

Also, don’t fear the taste. When plant-based protein powders first became a popular choice in the health and fitness world they all tasted gross and chalky.

We’ve come a long way since then and now most companies blend multiple plant-based protein sources for a much more appealing taste and texture.

Soy Protein Powders While Breastfeeding

Technically soy is a plant-based protein as well but that is not recommended to drink while breastfeeding.

Soy is a common allergen for many babies. (One of mine was soy sensitive and it caused colic for 4 grueling months before I pinpointed the cause.)

There are many other reasons to avoid soy while breastfeeding, but the most important is that soy is an endocrine disruptor, meaning it messes with your hormones.

Not something you want while breastfeeding and in the postpartum period!

Whey Protein for Breastfeeding Mothers

If baby or mom is lactose intolerant always choose plant-based, not whey.

Other than that, whey protein powder is generally considered safe and a great choice for breastfeeding moms to add into their lactation diet.

Whey protein powder can be a phenomenal choice to consume in the postpartum period because it is the type of protein powder proven to best increase muscle mass in women.

Not to bulk you up, but to rebuild the strength you lost during pregnancy. Rebuilding muscle is an important part of postpartum recovery.

This list of breastfeeding-safe protein powders will contain a couple of nutrient-dense whey options as well.

Postpartum Weight Loss While Breastfeeding

There is one struggle that so many moms have postpartum, knowing how to lose the baby weight safely while breastfeeding. Can you even do that? How can you diet and breastfeed? How can you lose the excess weight and not lose your milk supply?

For years I’ve been asked by my mom clients these same questions in different ways again and again. So as a certified online health coach, fitness trainer, maternal nutrition specialist, and mom of 3, I decided to compile the proven successful postpartum diet and exercise plan that I created for my breastfeeding mom clients into a program that now anyone can have access to!

It’s called the Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan and it is built for you! To teach you everything you need to know to be successful at postpartum weight loss while breastfeeding!

Check out my 28 day plan now to help you regain strength postpartum with short effective workouts, increase your milk supply with loads of delicious recipes, and finally lose that excess baby weight at the same time!

So let’s get to that awesome list of baby-safe protein powders!

RELATED: The Best Supplements and Foods to Increase Milk Supply Naturally

The Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding Moms

1. Shakeology Superfood Protein Powder

This is my number one recommendation for a protein powder for breastfeeding mothers and what I am currently drinking myself as a breastfeeding mom. Shakeology is the true definition of getting all your nutrition in one glass, and that is even before making it into an irresistable lactation smoothie.

Shakeology is more than just a protein shake and the best for postpartum recovery because it also includes:

• 70+ superfoods (no other protein powder will come close to this amount.)
• Enough dense nutrition to literally replace your multivitamin or prenatal vitamin 
• Probiotics and prebiotics to enhance digestion
• Adaptogens to help your body naturally deal with stress better
• More digestive enzymes than any other protein powder to help you break down your food better and enhance the amount of nutrients your body can actually absorb
• Greens and phytonutrients to fight free radicals and boost your immune system

A Shakeology protein shake is my favorite way to start my day. It replaced all of my other supplements, so even though it was more expensive than what I was previously drinking I was able to eliminate my prenatal ($37), my digestive enzymes ($30), my greens drink ($20), and my probiotics ($20.) 

This saves me time and money PLUS now I can actually remember to get all my supplements in every single day because they are all in one scoop. The biggest postpartum mom win!

In this instance, you certainly get what you pay for.

What else about this protein powder is so great for breastfeeding mothers?

Shakeology comes in two forms. The first is a blend of whey and plant based proteins. If you and baby have no lactose intolerance, whey is an ideal choice for postpartum because it helps build lean muscle in women. Which we all need some help regaining after birth.

If you or baby needs to avoid lactose, there is an entirely plant-based vegan formulation as well. So you can STILL reap the benefits of this nutrient loaded protein powder!

I absolutely notice the difference that starting my day with their protein, digestive enzymes, and greens gives me. Only Shakeology makes me feel so vibrant and energized, and all with something I can make with one hand.

Chocolate Whey Shakeology is my favorite! Try it out now!

And of course you will want to know all my best tricks to save big on your Shakeology too! You can save up to $50 using my tips.

Or learn more about everything you ever wanted to know about the pros, cons, nutritional benefits, etc of Shakeology first. Something I found important before choosing to shell out for the cost of this top-notch protein powder.

2. So Lean and So Clean by Ora Organic

This is one of my top protein powders for breastfeeding mamas for so many reasons! So Lean and So Clean is exactly that: lean and clean in that it contains only organic natural foods. This protein powder is:

• USDA Organic
• Dairy Free
• Soy Free
• Gluten Free
• Non GMO
• Soy Free
• Vegan

This outrageously clean protein powder is baby safe and perfect for breastfeeding moms. It contains only 1 gram of sugar, 22 grams of vegan plant-based protein, and only 5 grams of carbohydrates in 2 scoops! (In the vanilla protein powder, the chocolate which is equally delicious, contains 6 grams of carbohydrates.)

So Lean and So Clean by OraOrganic contains more than just super clean plant ingredients. This protein powder is also loaded with

1. 2 servings of greens
2. a full amino acid profile
3. prebiotic and probiotic digestive enzymes

All built right in! I definitely notice the aid of digestive enzymes when I mix this up with my morning lactogenic smoothie.

What else about this protein powder is so great for breastfeeding mothers?

This protein powder is also amazing for breastfeeding moms because it has lots of ingredients that boost milk supply as well as increase its nutritional density. Many of the ingredients in So Lean and So Clean are very high in essential fatty acids which are extremely important to keeping your milk nutritionally dense and rich and satisfying for your baby.

Because this protein powder is gluten-free, lactose free, AND soy free no matter your babies or your own sensitivity, this protein shake will be safe for you while breastfeeding. Plus you have the choice of vanilla or chocolate. This is my new #1 choice for the cleanest protein shake for breastfeeding moms.

3. Milk Dust Breastfeeding Protein Powder

Milk Dust is the newest Lactation protein powder on the market. It is a tiny bit more costly than the previous protein powder, but that is to account for the special lactation blend added right into their formulation!

Milk Dust was created by a mom of 3 specifically for breastfeeding mothers. She has guided hundreds of new moms in losing the baby weight while keeping a high milk supply. She specially designed Milk Dust’s formulation with breastfeeding mothers in mind.

Milk Dust really brings important nutritional elements into their lactation blend that other protein powders designed specifically for breastfeeding mothers failed to address such as sugar cravings (which almost all breastfeeding mothers suffer from) as well as the right form of folate that ALL women can absorb.

Did you know that you should continue taking your prenatal vitamin the entire time you are exclusively breastfeeding to ensure that baby is continuing to get the required nutrition as they were in utero? Did you know that most prenatal vitamins contain “folic acid” which 40% of women can’t even absorb?

If this is taking you by surprise in any way you really need to learn about the difference between folate and folic acid. 

But rest assured Milk Dust contains THE RIGHT form of folate for mom and baby to reap all the nutritional benefits.

Why is this a great protein powder for breastfeeding mothers?

Milk Dust is super low calorie while still containing:

• 16 g plant-based protein
• a greens blend
• digestive enzymes
• a blood sugar support blend

Milk Dust includes a handful of different galactagogues so that it has the best chance of working to increase lactation for most mothers. Milk Dust Breastfeeding Protein Powder contains milk thistle, red raspberry leaf, brewer’s yeast, fennel seed, and organic fenugreek seeds to increase milk supply fast!

Though fennel is a highly effective galactagogue, some people are turned off by the strong black licorice flavor. Most lactation teas include fennel because of how effective it is at increasing breastmilk supply.

Milk Dust now comes in chocolate as well, which is a nice subtle blend of cocoa into the Milk Dust flavor and actually very good.

Milk Dust is wonderful because it’s the first lactation booster that includes cinnamon to complement the fennel. The two flavors together are complete brilliance and taste like a dessert!

4. Majka Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder

Majka is another stellar plant-based protein powder perfect for breastfeeding moms. What makes this protein powder so amazing is that galactagogues are built right into the ingredients! (Galactagogues are foods known to increase breast milk supply.)

You heard that right ladies, no more scooping additional oats and flax meal into all your protein shakes to increase your milk supply. This perfect protein powder has milk boosting ingredients already included!

This is the best protein powder for ease of creating lactation smoothies by far! And in this time of our lives, we all need fast, easy, and healthy.

It should be of no surprise that Majka Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder is created by moms for moms. These ladies took our nutritional needs to heart by including:

• All organic: pea protein, hemp seed protein, sunflower seed protein, quinoa sprout protein, pumpkin seed protein, and chai seed protein
• Milk boosting lactation blend to increase breast milk supply
• Greens blend built right in
• Digestive Enzymes
• Probiotics to aid in digestion and overall health

Why is this a great protein powder for breastfeeding mothers?

Your lactation building ingredients are already included in this tasty protein powder. Also included are your greens and digestive enzymes. This protein powder truly has a broad spectrum of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, protein, and fiber all in one simple scoop.

You can be confident that you are providing yourself and baby with the best nutrition when you scoop out Majkas Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder! Plus this protein powder is gluten-free, soy free, and refined sugar-free.

5. Boobie Body Superfood Shake for Busy Moms

Boobie is already a #1 breastfeeding bar brand that has now created a wonderful vegan plant-based protein powder for breastfeeding moms! Once again this protein powder is absolutely amazing because it comes with your galactagogues built right in!

Boobie has proven they know what breastfeeding moms need with their popular Boobie Bars and their new Boobie Body Superfood Shake for Busy Moms: clean nutritious ingredients, increase in milk supply, and ease!

Some of the most important ingredients and aspects of this protein powder for lactating moms are:

• Milk boosting galactagogues built right in
• No added sugar! It’s sweetened with monkfruit and stevia
• 19 grams of hormone free plant-based protein
• Prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber to support healthy digestion
• Vitamin D3 to support immune and bone health

Why is this protein powder great for breastfeeding moms?

I can’t say enough how phenomenal it is to have lactogenic ingredients built right into your protein powder when breastfeeding. Keeping a high milk supply is essential. When losing the baby weight, including this low-calorie sugar-free protein powder will keep your milk supply high without taking additional time to scoop in galactagogues yourself.

Boobie Body Superfood Shake for Busy Moms is also:

1. Gluten, soy and dairy free
2. Hormone Free
3. Contains a full amino acid profile
4. Organic and Non GMO
5. Vegan, Kosher, and Paleo

Wrapping Up the Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding Women

1. Shakeology Superfood Shake wins for the most nutrition you can possibly pack into one scoop that still tastes great! Aiding in digestion, stress, and overall health for mom and baby.
2. Ora Organics So Lean and So Clean wins for clean ingredients, and inclusion of greens and digestive enzymes.
3. Milk Dust Breastfeeding Protein Powder wins for best fighting breastfeeding sugar cravings and blending the fennel flavor best.
4. Majka Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder wins for ease and speed for mama by including galactogogues.
5. Boobie Body Superfood Shake also wins for ease and speed for mama by including galactogogues.

More Breastfeeding Resources From Vigor it Out:

• Pumpkin Recipes for Every Meal to Pump up Milk
• How to Increase Milk Supply for Going Back to Work
• Morning Lactation Smoothie to Brighten your Day
• Lifesaving Breastfeeding Tips and Tricks for New Mommies
• Breast Milk Boosting and Slimming Lactation Bites
• The Healthiest Delicious Lactation Cookies

The Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding Mothers

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