Makes Milk with Emma Pickett: breastfeeding from the beginning to the end

This week, I’m joined by the lovely Emily, a Norfolk midwife and mother to Effie (8 months). We’re talking about breastfeeding alongside significant perinatal mental health challenges. Emily describes exclusively breastfeeding, co-sleeping safely, and introducing solids carefully due to anxiety, then shares how pregnancy and early postpartum intensified OCD, contamination fears, and intrusive thoughts, alongside existing anxiety, depression, PTSD and PMDD. She recounts a planned home birth complicated by a postpartum haemorrhage, theatre treatment and a blood transfusion, plus early breastfeeding pain despite an apparently good latch, temporary nipple shield use, and support including craniosacral therapy. Emily also experienced antenatal and postpartum DMER, severe oversupply, and an unsettled baby, eventually using block feeding until supply stabilised around 12 weeks. She explains how NHS talking therapies helped her reframe fears, and discusses plans for returning to work as a midwife and aiming for natural-term weaning.

My picture book on how breastfeeding journeys end, The Story of Jessie’s Milkies, is available from Amazon here -  The Story of Jessie's Milkies. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark publishing.
You can also get 10% off my books on supporting breastfeeding beyond six months and supporting the transition from breastfeeding at the Jessica Kingsley press website, by going to https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 
Resources  mentioned
https://www.lucywebberfeedingsupport.com/workshops 

This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Dating while breastfeeding isn’t often talked about, so this week I’m joined by Frankie (29, Sheffield) and Anna (40, Lancashire) to talk about their experiences. They share candid ‘dating profiles’, then explore their breastfeeding lives and family situations: Anna recently weaned their five-year-old after nursing aversion began when their two-year-old was born, and they co-parent their youngest after two past relationships; Frankie is sole parent to her two-year-old, who breastfeeds frequently at night, with no contact or financial support from his biological father. They compare meeting partners through apps versus friends and in-person, when to disclose breastfeeding, childcare and co-sleeping constraints, and boundaries around introducing partners to children. They discuss partners’ reactions to lactation during intimacy, cultural discomfort with bodily functions, and the challenge of being seen as both a mother and sexy, ending with advice on building support networks, self-confidence, and not rushing dating.
My picture book on how breastfeeding journeys end, The Story of Jessie’s Milkies, is available from Amazon here -  The Story of Jessie's Milkies. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark publishing.
You can also get 10% off my books on supporting breastfeeding beyond six months and supporting the transition from breastfeeding at the Jessica Kingsley press website, by going to https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 
This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.

This week, we have the return of the brilliant Carly Facius, Midwife, IBCLC, Women's Circle Facilitator and Aware Parenting Mentor. She’s joining me to answer your questions about weaning and natural term breastfeeding in two back-to-back episodes. 
In part 2, we delve into question topics ranging from night weaning and bedtime routines to dealing with biting, hitting and kicking. 
To find a list of questions, please consult the transcript of this episode.
You can find out more about Carly at www.seedpodfamilies.com or follow her on Instagram @‌seed_pod_
My picture book on how breastfeeding journeys end, The Story of Jessie’s Milkies, is available from Amazon here -  The Story of Jessie's Milkies. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark publishing.
You can also get 10% off my books on supporting breastfeeding beyond six months and supporting the transition from breastfeeding at the Jessica Kingsley press website, by going to https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 
This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.

This week, we have the return of the brilliant Carly Facius, Midwife, IBCLC, Women's Circle Facilitator and Aware Parenting Mentor. She’s joining me to answer your questions about weaning and natural term breastfeeding in two back-to-back episodes. This is Part 1.
We delve into question topics ranging from weaning a toddler while tandem feeding, coping with a distressed child at night, and what normal sleep even is! 
To find a list of questions, please consult the transcript of this episode.
You can find out more about Carly at www.seedpodfamilies.com or follow her on Instagram @‌seed_pod_
My picture book on how breastfeeding journeys end, The Story of Jessie’s Milkies, is available from Amazon here -  The Story of Jessie's Milkies. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark publishing.
You can also get 10% off my books on supporting breastfeeding beyond six months and supporting the transition from breastfeeding at the Jessica Kingsley press website, by going to https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 
This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Sometimes, our plans for feeding don’t work out. That’s what happened to my guest this week, Jade Feeney from north west London. Jade had hoped to tandem feed, but ended up weaning her eldest daughter during pregnancy due to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). She shares a “dream” first breastfeeding experience with her eldest, later identifying cow’s milk protein intolerance when weaning solids, but when she conceived again when her daughter was 18 months and developed severe HG, she required escalating anti-sickness medication, GP and triage support and months off work. She stopped feeding at around 22 weeks pregnant, after intense breastfeeding aversion, using a gradual countdown/tapering approach, and discusses the grief she felt alongside a feeling of relief. After an emergency caesarean, breastfeeding her younger daughter began well. Now 17‑months‑old, her youngest feeds very frequently, including overnight feeds and co-sleeping, and Jade has no plans to wean at present. 
My picture book on how breastfeeding journeys end, The Story of Jessie’s Milkies, is available from Amazon here -  The Story of Jessie's Milkies. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark publishing.
You can also get 10% off my books on supporting breastfeeding beyond six months and supporting the transition from breastfeeding at the Jessica Kingsley press website, by going to https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 
Resources  mentioned
Pregnancy Sickness Support | UK Charity https://pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/
PANDAS Foundation UK https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/

This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.