Are you currently breastfeeding? Sign up to test Munchkin’s Milkmakers Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breastfeeding Cookie Bites

[GraceEMumsnet]

We are looking for UK Mumsnet users who are currently breastfeeding to test out Munchkin’s Milkmakers Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breastfeeding Cookie bites.

Here’s what Munchkin has to say: “Munchkin’s no.1 bestselling breastfeeding cookie in the US is now coming to the UK! Recommended by lactation consultants and with over 16,500 positive reviews on Amazon US, the Munchkin Milkmakers® Breastfeeding Cookie Bites conveniently fit into your busy breastfeeding life.

Available in delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Milkmakers® -Breastfeeding Cookie Bites are preservative-free, and made with natural organic ingredients traditionally used to support breast milk supply. Delicious AND nutritious – what’s not to love?

Fenugreek: the most popular, well-known and researched ingredient to boost milk supply.
Oats: a delicious comfort food and a nutritional powerhouse, providing whole grains, fibre, iron, and lots of healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Brewer’s Yeast: a traditional ingredient used to increase milk supply, rich in B-vitamins, proteins, and minerals essential for nursing mums.
Flaxseed: provides omega-3 fatty acids necessary for baby’s brain development which can be passed from mother to baby through breast milk.

We hope you enjoy these cookies, and we can’t wait to hear what you think!’’


Selected testers will be sent 3 x 6 packs of the cookies and will be asked to test the product over the course of two weeks.

Following testing the product, selected testers will need to give their feedback via a thread on Mumsnet and a short survey.

All testers who give the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

If you’re interested in taking part, please sign up here

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

[Springquartet]

Even the name of this product sounds like a joke! Munchkin and Milkmakers!!!!

The more serious point is why has MN agreed to market this unnecessary and expensive product and by doing so, make anyone feel that they should be buying this?

[SummerHouse]

Next product for marketing: magic beans.

[borntobequiet]

This has made me remember how ravenous I got when breastfeeding in the 80s, little money so ate bread, butter and jam. It was delicious. I actually used to look forward to night feeds all cosy and snuggly with the baby suckling away and me eating away, and a good book to read. I got through the whole Poldark series like this. It was one of the happiest times of my life.

[SummerHouse]

@borntobequiet

This has made me remember how ravenous I got when breastfeeding in the 80s, little money so ate bread, butter and jam. It was delicious. I actually used to look forward to night feeds all cosy and snuggly with the baby suckling away and me eating away, and a good book to read. I got through the whole Poldark series like this. It was one of the happiest times of my life.

This is such a lovely image. I used to make whole trays of flapjack then eat more flapjack than should be humanly possible. I have never in my life had such a sweet tooth!

My DS never did latch but I got through much of I'm a celebrity while pumping milk in the small hour. So not the same but I can still hear the buzz of the pump like it was yesterday!!

[ShrinkingViolet9]

Springquartet wrote: "Even the name of this product sounds like a joke! Munchkin and Milkmakers!!!!"

The MN thread in which jewellery incorporating (amongst other bodily material) breastmilk, umbilical chord and placenta was mentioned prompted me to Google, since I wasn't aware this was a thing. I came across a site that makes incorporation jewellery under the cringemaking name - "Precious Mammaries".

I'm disappointed, too, that MN has agreed to give a platform to a very expensive food item for which little evidence appears to exist for the claims being made by the peddlers of "Munchkin and Milkmakers" biscuits.

[JulesJules]

I'm very disappointed in Mumsnet. This is blatantly monetising breastfeeding, we can breastfeed all on our own, no ridiculously expensive 'cookie' needed.

[MysteriousAffairAtStyles]

@ShrinkingViolet9

£11.99 for a 342g box and 31% sugar .

An absolute abomination.

I’m disgusted that MN are promoting an overpriced, unhealthy scam product that is targeted at fleecing desperate mothers at a vulnerable time of their life.

Indefensible.

[FredAstairesShoeLaces]

The twee name really annoyed me too.

Still, a small company baking cookies for breastfeeding women would have a cutesy name, wouldn’t it?

It’s not like it’s a multinational company that operates out of 7 countries and patents an average of one new product a month, is it?

www.munchkin.co.uk/who

And it’s definitely not headed-up by men. No siree.

[firstimemamma]

Well this thread's going well...

[JulesJules]

Yeah @BIWI

[ChocolateHelps]

@SnowAllSpring

I clicked on this because I was infuriated to see MN going along with this horrendous attempt to turn breastfeeding into a marketing opportunity, with a hefty dose of pseudoscience.

I am very heartened to see the good work done by previous posters on this thread. And I absolutely agree that this is a very poor choice of product for MN to promote.

All you need for breastfeeding is a healthy, well-balanced diet. If you have problems with breastfeeding, they are not going to be solved by a bloody 'cookie'.

Absolutely bloody well.said

[Peasbewithyou]

This is terrible.

Firstly it perpetuates the myth that you need to eat certain things to breastfeed. Which is utter rubbish. Women have breastfed their babies on all kinds of diets throughout human history. I actually know someone who didn’t breastfeed because they didn’t think they milk would be “good enough” because they were a fussy eater. Just awful.

Secondly it encourages women to believe that low supply or issues with feeding can be solved by biscuits. As mentioned up thread, to reliably establish and maintain supply milk must be removed frequently. The more you remove, the more breasts will make. It’s literally supply and demand. If there is an issue then it’s far better that women spend time and resources getting proper, evidenced based support (which is sorely lacking) rather than being fleeced for overpriced cookies.

We all know new parents are a cash cow when it comes to marketing but this could actually help to undermine breastfeeding. It really takes the biscuit

[plinkplinkfizzer]

Bucket of cold sick .

[SchrodingersMother]

Disgraceful.
More like money makers
Don’t sell out for an easy buk mn

[sarahbanshee]

There’s already so much pressure on women over how babies get fed - fuelled by misinformation, lack of support and dismissal of women’s needs. Shame on you Mumsnet for undermining the good work you do in this area by making a commercial agreement with this particular crock of overpriced sweet crap masquerading as help.

I’m all for eating what you like while you have a new baby, however that baby is being fed. But this feels more like fleecing desperate new parents.

My first baby didn’t grow and I was in tears daily over feeding. I would have bought these cookies and they wouldn’t have helped a bit.

[Monstamio]

What the hell is going on, Mumsnet? I thought you were signed up to the UNICEF charter, but you keep throwing things at new mothers which directly undermine breastfeeding. Remember the ask the expert thread about infant feeding with someone sponsored by Mam (and who also worked for formula companies)?

As others have said, these lactation cookies just prey on mothers' own insecurities. Breast milk is made from blood not stomach contents. And the only way to increase supply is to increase demand... ie remove more milk. If babies aren't putting on weight then mums need proper support, not expensive biscuits.

To anyone reading this who is worried they might have low supply, please please contact La Lèche League, the National Breastfeeding Helpline or an infant feeding specialist if your local hospital has one. But feel free to eat some hobnobs whilst you're waiting.

[ShrinkingViolet9]

Just noticed the logo for the "Milkmakers Lactation Cookie Bites" range (there is also a 10 x 57g pack for a staggering £17.50). The lowercase "m" graphic is a pair of fulsome breasts and nipples. These biscuits are more expensive per 100g than Waitrose Duchy Originals (which at least are a decent size and a bit lower in sugar).

[ThatLibraryMiss]

I can see the advantage of cookies like this TBF: a source of sugar, oats for sustained release, some fats, all easy to keep handy for being stuck with a cluster-feeding baby... If only there were recipes out there on the interwebs that were easy to make at home.

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

To be fair LibraryMiss you could say that of practically any convenience food. And the newborn period is probably the time in your life when you most value convenience over a cheaper DIY option. I read a baby book which suggested getting in a stock of paper plates so so you didn’t have to wash up!

Baking them would be a nice, if hippyish, present for a pp friend though.

[ShrinkingViolet9]

@ThatLibraryMiss

I can see the advantage of cookies like this TBF: a source of sugar, oats for sustained release, some fats, all easy to keep handy for being stuck with a cluster-feeding baby... If only there were recipes out there on the interwebs that were easy to make at home.

women.texaschildrens.org/blog/2017/10/here’s-how-“lactation”-cookie-crumbles

Here’s how the “lactation” cookie crumbles

"...To date, there have been no studies on lactation cookies, nor on the three ingredients described above [flaxseed, brewers yeast, oats] and their effect on breast milk volume."

[ShrinkingViolet9]

Don't flaxseed need to be ground in order for the body to extract the nutrients?

[SummerHouse]

The "bring on the milk!" strap line is making me pretty angry. I had a low supply and was setting alarms to get up through the night to express milk on top of being woken up by my baby. It's a difficult time when you are sleep deprived and vulnerable. I would have done or purchased anything if I thought it would help. These expensive and unesessary biscuits are shamefully exploiting that.

[BIWI]

Quite apart from anything else, look at the price!

You could buy these from Sainsbury's for £1.40

Probably just as beneficial.

[Hobnobswantshernameback]

Well it does completely confirm what we've all known for ages
It's all about the clicks
Mumsnet will sell their soul to pretty much anything for a quick buck
Ethics as far as MN are concerned is a county in England
At least we're straight on that now and just enjoy the forums for the froth they are