Best Protein Shakes for Breastfeeding Moms in 2022 that are Baby-Safe

The Best Protein Powder Shakes that are Safe for Nursing Mothers

What are the best protein shakes for breastfeeding moms? When trying to drop the baby weight and lead a healthy lifestyle protein powders are the secret key!

Whey protein powders and vegan plant based protein powders are wonderful for breastfeeding mothers and all the protein powder shakes on this list are packed with natural galactagogues to increase milk supply and your breast milk’s nutritional content.

These are the top protein shakes for breastfeeding moms no matter your dietary needs or taste preference!

It is very important to be sure your protein shake is safe for breastfeeding!

All protein powders are considered supplements so should be cleared by your trusted physician before adding into your breastfeeding diet plan.

Some of these protein powders are whey, some are vegan, some sweet, and others not as much.

**This post contains affiliate links to products I use and love and am confident you will too! Please read full disclosure here.**

The Best Protein Shakes for Breastfeeding Moms for Losing the Baby Weight

I’m a mother of three and a fitness trainer specializing in prenatal through postpartum nutrition and fitness and my best tip for quickly dropping the baby weight is supplementing your meals or snacks with delicious lactation protein powder smoothies with added galactagogues to boost milk supply.

Check out my other top tips for losing the baby weight in a fast and healthy way here.

I dropped the baby weight by 6 weeks 3 times through diet alone. I know that nourishing your body with the best foods and a high quality nutrient dense protein powder shake is a highly effective way to lose the baby weight postpartum.

When you have a new baby you are exhausted and overwhelmed.

Your body has just accomplished an enormous feat and deserves some rest and recuperation.

As a CPT, I know that abs are made in the kitchen, not at the gym. Yes it’s totally cliche, and it’s also totally true.

Right now your biggest and most important mommy jobs are to supply your baby with health and nutrition through adequate breast milk and to heal to the best of your ability.

But even knowing the monumental task that our bodies just went through, most of us are eager to drop the extra pounds and feel like our normal selves again after a pregnancy. Choosing the right diet and exercise plan is key to keeping that milk supply high while shedding the extra baby weight.

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?

What about losing the baby weight while INCREASING your milky 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 and learning to make more milk!

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!

What are the BEST Protein Shakes for Postpartum for Breastfeeding Mothers in 2022?

The options for protein shakes is seemingly endless these days. Every store has shelves of protein powder shakes all touted as health foods. But are they all really that healthy?

Short answer?

No way.

Lots of protein shakes are loaded with artificial sweeteners, sugar, artificial flavors, and fillers. So how are you to know what actually constitutes a healthy protein powder that is safe while you are breastfeeding?

It is very important to get enough protein so you can keep a high milk supply and produce enough protein in your milk to help baby grow. Every cell in your and your baby’s bodies directly need protein!

Whey, Plant-based, Soy… What You Need in Your Protein Shakes While Nursing.

About Soy Protein Shakes While Breastfeeding

Soy protein powders should not be consumed while breastfeeding. While once promoted as a health food, it has now come to light that soy is not all it’s cracked up to be.

Even if it isn’t genetically modified (which is tough to find), soy is an endocrine disruptor… NOT what you want while breastfeeding!

What that means is that it messes with your hormones… specifically estrogen because soy contains really high levels of isoflavones, which are basically a plant estrogen.

Hormonal balance is important for breastfeeding, so soy protein powders should be avoided.

About Whey Protein Shakes While Breastfeeding

Whey based protein powders are ideal for breastfeeding mothers who are not lactose intolerant (and whose babies are not lactose sensitive).

Postpartum you will have lost a lot of weight, water, and muscle. Whey is wonderful for helping women regain muscle mass. A whey based protein shake can help you regain the strength you lost during pregnancy that you will need to thrive in motherhood.

About Plant-Based (Vegan) Protein Shakes While Breastfeeding

Plant-based protein powders are another phenomenal choice to consume while breastfeeding.

Most plant based or vegan protein powders are free from all common allergens (which is perfect for sensitive moms or babies).

Plant based protein powders often offer protein sources from a variety of foods in order to taste less chalky or “green.” More food sources equal more nutrients, so that’s a good thing!

The Top Protein Shakes for Breastfeeding Moms

1. So Lean and So Clean by Ora Organics

This is my personal favorite plant based protein shake for breastfeeding and happens to be the #1 plant-based protein shake on the market! This USDA organic vegan protein power is made with 20 superfoods!

So Lean and So Clean has only 1 gram of sugar and very low carbs (only 5 grams in 2 scoops). So if you are following a low carb diet, this is the perfect protein shake for you!

What Amazing Things are in This Protein Shake for Breastfeeding Moms?

If you are looking for an outrageously clean and healthy protein shake while breastfeeding this is it. 22 g of vegan plant-based protein in 2 scoops of powder!

Protein is so important after childbirth because it is essential for healing (which you’re doing a lot of right now) and muscle growth (which you will be rebuilding after your body heals!) The first time I followed the Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan to bounce back after baby, this is the protein powder I drank!

Everything in So Lean and So Clean is organic and derived from plants. It is dairy free, gluten-free, non gmo, soy free and vegan.

You can also easily mix this powder with additional nutritionally dense foods, galactagogues to boost milk supply, and extra greens! Though it does already contain 2 servings of greens in 2 scoops! I love this protein powder for breastfeeding moms.

So Lean and So Clean Contains:

Organic Acai
Organic Blueberry
Organic Blackberry
Organic Cocoa
Many more superfoods!
2 servings of greens in every shake
A full spectrum of digestive enzymes: amylase, protease, cellulase, lactase and lipase

(Check out So Lean and So Clean’s full nutritional contents. You can click on each nutrient and find out exactly why it in included in this shake.)

Great! So What Does that Mean for Breastfeeding Moms?

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

It is gluten-free, lactose free, AND soy free so not 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 which are both delicious!

No protein powder gives me the refreshed vibrant feeling that So Lean and So Clean does. This is my new #1 choice for the cleanest protein shake for breastfeeding moms.

2. Shakeology Superfood Shake

I know there is a lot of negative stigma with this shake because it used to be associated with a huge MLM network. It’s no longer part of MLM, and I still suggest giving it a try!

This is the top of the line when it comes to protein powders. Shakeology is loaded with more nutrition and more supplements for optimal health than anything else.

The only time that your nutrition is more important than right now as a breastfeeding mother, is when you were pregnant. Right now your baby still fully relies on you for their nourishment and growth.

What you eat, the nutrition in your diet, the vitamin content of your diet, directly affects the quality of your breast milk and its nutritional content.

What I love about Shakeology, and why I drank it as a breastfeeding mother, is that I know that it is filling in any nutritional gaps that I may have in my diet. Even with the best intentions and a super clean diet, our food is often still lacking in enough nutrition to be seen as optimal.

Shakeology will fill all those gaps, is so nutrient dense it can usually also replace your multi or prenatal vitamin, and still be provides you with tons of additional nutritional supplements as well.

Shakeology’s original formulation is a blend of whey and plant based proteins, but they do offer a vegan option as well and now a sugar free option!

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

70+ superfoods
Enough nutrients to replace your multivitamin or prenatal vitamin (less things to remember)
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 the nutrients your body can actually absorb
Whey protein (the type of protein women need to regain and repair muscle postpartum)
Greens and phytonutrients to boost immune system and fight free radicals

A Shakeology protein shake is expensive though but here’s how I found it worth it for me: 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/postnatal vitamin ($37), my digestive enzymes ($30), my greens drink ($20), and my probiotics ($20.)

Which 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. I also REALLY notice the difference in the way I feel, my gut health, and my sugar cravings when drinking this shake daily.

What Amazing Things Are in This Protein Shake for Breastfeeding Mothers?

The nutrients in this shake are unmatched. Yes, it is by far the most expensive… around $4 a serving. However, instead of just a clean protein powder for that price you are getting a bunch of other supplements too within the single scoop.

In addition to the superfoods, greens, prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens that we already mentioned are in every scoop of this protein shake you will also find:

35%* Vitamin A for brain, heart, respiratory and eye development
300%* Vitamin C
100%* Vitamin D
50%* Vitamin B6
50%* Vitamin B12 (hello energy enhancer!)
50%* Folate
35%* Magnesium (This is going to help fight those inevitable breastfeeding sugar cravings.)
11%* Iron
35%* Zinc
35%* Iodine
25%* Calcium

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

Related: How to Boost Milk Supply With Home Remedies

3. Vega Organic All-in-One Protein Powder

This protein powder is similar to Shakeology in that it has a lot more than just protein. It’s a clean ingredient recipe and has the extra benefit of being organic. Plus it tastes really good and mixes easily.

If you don’t want to spend $100 a month on your protein powder (which I 100% understand, even though drinking Shakeo made me feel really great daily, it’s not always sustainable to buy.)

Vega Organic All-in-One protein powder really does contain a lot of amazing nutrients that makes it more than just a good protein shake.

Vega has a whole lot of great protein powder blends but this one is the most all inclusive (Vega Protein and Greens would be my second choice if I was on a strict budget. It’s about half the price but you’re losing a lot of the added nutrients that you will be spending the money on other ways such as probiotics.)

Why Choose This Protein Shake While Breastfeeding?

I love this protein powder because it’s easy to get on Amazon or even at your local health food store. Many protein powders don’t have much if any fiber but this one has a decent amount at 6 grams!

It is also a good source of 13 vitamins and minerals, not enough to replace your multivitamin (Shakeology will though) but it provides about 50% of your daily requirements. So two shakes and you’ve got those vitamins and minerals covered!

This protein shake contains:

Lots of protein = 20 grams makes it a meal replacement
Great fruit and vegetable blend
Probiotics
Omega-3s
fiber too!

What Makes This Protein Shake Perfect for Breastfeeding?

Any all-in-one protein powder is a great idea to drink postpartum because you need extra nutrients and it’s tough to remember to take them when you are blurry eyed sleepy and taking care of a baby every second.

Having your probiotics, fruits, and veggies already included within that single scoop of protein powder makes like easier and it’s more likely that you will get all those nutrients each day!

Another added benefit is the fiber. Any extra fiber you can get is good right now because your digestion usually struggles a bit postpartum. Most protein powders don’t have any fiber so this is an added benefit.

The final things that makes this protein powder a great choice for postpartum is that it contains Omega-3s. These are great for creating more fatty rich breastmilk.

This is a great all in one protein powder that is safe for pregnancy and postpartum.

Give Vega All-in-One Protein a try today!

4. Vega One Protein and Greens

This is one of my favorite new protein powders to keep on hand at all times as a busy breastfeeding mom. Why?

This protein powder has all clean ingredients, is plant based, has a super high protein amount per scoop (20g), is plant based, and contains extra nutrition by including greens in its formulation. In addition to all those great benefits for breastfeeding mothers (or anyone really) Vega Protein and Greens is also readily available at most health food stores, Amazon, and even grocery stores AND it is very affordable.

What is in this protein shake that makes it great for breastfeeding mothers?

Each scoop contains:

20 g plant based protein (Which is an amazing feature… that is a huge amount of protein for a single scoop and something us super busy breastfeeding moms can use.)
only 1 gram of sugar
it’s super low carb
it contains lots of great greens to help you detoxify
The protein is fully plant based so shouldn’t cause any aversions in the mom or baby

Vega One Organic protein shake is USDA organic, non GMO, and certified vegan. Give Vega One Protein and Greens a try today!

REVIEW of the Best Safe Protein Powder Shakes for Breastfeeding:

So Lean & So Clean wins for the absolute cleanest ingredients ever and the lowest carbs and sugar.
Shakeology Superfood Shake wins hands down for the most nutrition. If you want to fight cravings, fuel your body with nutrients, and enhance your digestion all in a single meal… this is your drink!
Vega One Organic All-in-One Protein Powder wins for being all inclusive and affordable.
Vega One Organic protein shake wins for affordability and protein content.

Find Tips for Using Your New Lactation Protein Shakes and Recipes Below.

Exactly How To Use These Protein Shakes While Breastfeeding

Protein shakes are a perfect breakfast and can even supplement 2 meals a day to lose the baby weight quickly, in a healthy way, with a high milk supply.

The best way to use these shakes is to incorporate them daily and add a few well-known milk-boosting ingredients for even MORE essential nutrients!

The vanilla is always my favorite flavor because I can add in almost anything to create my own delicious milk-boosting smoothie and drop the baby weight. Use either a full or half serving at a time. When combining ingredients I only need half of a serving of protein powder for a satisfying meal.

(TIPS: 1. Using a full serving increases the flavor and sweetness immensely. 2. When using half of a serving of protein powder (as that is often all I really need when enhancing the perfect breastfeeding shake with additional nutritionally rich galactagogues and flavors) I often sweeten with additional stevia.

RECIPES to get the most of your protein shakes while breastfeeding:

These recipes and many more amazing lactation smoothie recipes come in the Milky Mama’s Postpartum diet and exercise plan.

Blueberry Delight Lactation Smoothie

1 serving of vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon quick oats
1 small handful of spinach

(Add all ingredients and blend well to increase milk supply and stay slim and nourished.)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fantasy Lactation Smoothie

1 serving of vanilla protein powder
1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
1 Tbsp. Cacao Powder
1 Tablespoon Quick Oats
1 package Stevia sweetener (or one serving for other forms of stevia)