LactoMomma paves the way for delectable milk booster options in Malaysia
When one of three co-founders of LactoMomma, NurAisyah Abdul Wahab, adopted her first daughter, she searched high and low for a palatable milk booster so she can lactate and breastfeed her baby.
She was stunned to find that there were many milk boosters available in the market, but none tasted good.
“They functioned well enough but I was convinced that there must be a way for something that’s beneficial for your health to taste great at the same time,” she said.
She then enlisted the help of two of her friends, Hazwani Mohd Mokhtazar and NorLenny Farah Mohd Nor, to create a delicious milk booster product.
With a mission to help pregnant and lactating mothers accomplish their dreams of breastfeeding their own babies, the three co-founders sat down set up their game plan for what is now known as LactoMomma.
“The founding of LactoMomma was a simple one. Our friend was in trouble, so we set out to help,” said NorLenny.
“There are many benefits to breastfeeding for both the mother and the baby and we did not want to deny both our friend and other mothers in the same predicament as her from that.
Among the benefits for the breastfeeding mother include weight loss, contraction of the uterus post-birth, and a stronger bond between the mother and the baby.
The baby on the other hand, gets all the necessary nutrients they need to grow healthy and develop a stronger immune system.
“We are foodies first and foremost, so we wanted to come up with a product that both tasted good but does what it is supposed to do, which is increase breast milk production,” said Hazwani.
This was back in 2016, when LactoMomma operated from a small corner of a bakery NurAisyah owned called Aisya Bakes in Rawang.
“We had no idea what was in store for us back then. We were just happy to help out mothers who were having trouble breastfeeding,” she added.
Now, LactoMomma has grown exponentially and has become a household name for lactation cookies not just in Malaysia, but in neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia as well.
The three decided to focus on producing lactation cookies because they wanted something that was easy for customers to snack on.
“Mothers are already so preoccupied with their babies, hence we needed to create something that required no preparation on their end.
What sets LactoMomma cookies apart from other milk booster products in the market is the lack of an ingredient widely used for the purpose of increasing breast milk supply - fenugreek.
“Our cookies are mostly organic and contain lactogenic ingredients that help breastfeeding mothers increase the quality and quantity of their breastmilk supply.
“Fenugreek does that very well, but studies have shown that fenugreek causes flatulence issues for both the breastfeeding mother and the baby,” Hazwani shared.
Potential customers will be happy to know that LactoMomma’s cookies are also G6PD friendly.
Another thing to note is that LactoMomma’s cookies aren’t just for breastfeeding mothers but can be consumed by men, women, and children of all ages.
“We have male customers that buy jars of our cookies for energy when they hit the gym,” NurAisyah told Sinar Daily.
Mothers can start eating two cookies daily during their third trimester in preparation. While breastfeeding, they can then begin to consume four every day.
It’s important to stay hydrated while consuming these cookies however. There are also no hard and fast rules regarding the consumption of LactoMomma’s cookies, so breastfeeding mothers may increase or decrease their intake accordingly.
When asked about the challenges the brand faced when they first started out, the three co-founders lamented about having to convince customers to purchase their cookies.
Many thought that cookies weren’t enough to increase breast milk supply and thus, had their own reservations about the product.
“In order for our cookies to have credibility, we needed mothers to speak for us. Getting testimonials was a challenge especially when there are many skeptical customers,” Hazwani explained.
However, through word-of-mouth and social media, LactoMomma was able to gain a footing in the milk booster arena.
The brand, which started out with no agents and little to no budget for a grand launch, slowly grew to where it is now.
“We are happy to say we now have many agents and stockists who carry our products.
“We are also available at all the leading baby products stores and the only local product available for purchase at Mothercare Malaysia,” she proudly shared.
The future seems to be bright for LactoMomma, as the brand heads towards expanding the sort of products they sell.
The three co-founders recently started another brand called SmolToTs, which focuses on premium baby baos.
They also aim to collaborate with government bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and hospitals to educate the masses on the benefits of breastfeeding as well as spread awareness about LactoMomma’s cookies.
Recalling how LactoMomma’s journey was full of ups and downs since 2016, Hazwani gave budding entrepreneurs her two cents, “We did our research, and it paid off. Our only advice is to not go into entrepreneurship blindly.
“Business is always going to be full of risks but acquire enough knowledge before you jump into anything,” she said.
LactoMomma's milk booster cookies are priced upwards from RM40. To purchase, head on over to their website.
