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

This week, I’m honoured to be joined by Nicole from South London, the host and founder of the Squiggly Motherhood podcast. Nicole started the podcast because she couldn’t find motherhood content that reflected her experience as an exclusively breastfeeding Black mother working in a senior corporate role, and she wanted space for the two truths that motherhood can be both hard and loved at the same time, with practical, values-led gentle parenting reflections.

Nicole shares her feeding journeys with her two children who are just 18 months apart. She exclusively breastfed and delayed introducing bottles and dummies out of fear of disrupting breastfeeding, but later faced severe sleep deprivation with frequent night waking and significant pressure from others to stop breastfeeding or use formula, especially because her baby was small. She describes feeling isolated by exclusive breastfeeding and struggling to leave her baby, and explains how nights improved when her husband took over settling and they added other comfort methods.

Nicole’s second birth was an unplanned, very rapid home birth on the living room floor. With her son, early breastfeeding was harder due to a shallow latch and limited postnatal support because staff assumed she already knew what to do. She stayed in hospital longer specifically to get breastfeeding help, used different positions like the rugby hold, and took weeks to feel settled. She describes being more confident and accepting a second time, choosing co-sleeping from day one and not pursuing bottles or pumping. She later returned to work when her son was one. Nicole is still breastfeeding her two-year-old, who feeds frequently, and discusses managing boundaries within gentle parenting. She ends by advising parents breastfeeding past infancy not to justify their choices: it’s enough to say it works for their family right now.

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 

Listen to Nicole’s podcast, Squiggly Motherhood, wherever you get your podcasts.

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

I’ve got two amazing mums for you this week in a bumper episode about feeding five year olds.

Natalie, in Cornwall, breastfeeds her 5-year-old daughter Georgia mainly at bedtime (and occasionally in the morning or when ill), and describes how continuing breastfeeding helped with starting school, bedtime regulation, co-sleeping, and meeting Georgia’s high attachment needs. She discusses societal pressure, comments Georgia received from her classmates, her own feelings about reclaiming her body (supported by returning to exercise), and managing mixed reactions from family and professionals while staying confident in her choices. 

Dana, originally from the Czech Republic and living in Cambridgeshire, breastfeeds her 5-year-old son Alex every couple of days (around her evening work schedule) and tandem feeds him with her 3-year-old daughter River. She shares how tandem feeding worked after River’s birth, how feeds fit around school and very early bedtimes, and how breastfeeding has been largely straightforward for her, supported by family.

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, that's uk.jkp.com 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, I’m pleased to be joined by Dr. Kelsey Bianca, an academic researcher and certified lactation counselor from Maryland, USA. Dr. Bianca shares her personal experience with breastfeeding and exclusive pumping, which inspired her PhD thesis - a qualitative study of women who exclusively expressed milk. She discusses her research work involving pumping, the decisions parents face, and her studies on children’s literature about breastfeeding. The conversation delves into practical aspects of exclusive pumping, attitudes of society and statutory protections in the US and UK. Dr. Bianca's insights shed light on the importance of understanding and supporting parents on their exclusive pumping journey.

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 

Find out more about Dr Bianca on her website https://drkelseybianca.com/

And read her research here https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-023-01666-2 

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

My guest this week is an impressive mother of four, Philippa Lomas. She is a single parent. She homeschools her two older children. She trained as an ABM breastfeeding counsellor. She volunteers to support new parents, and she does all this without sight, having been born blind. We’ll be talking about all that, but also her struggles with Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT). Philippa shares her experiences with breast augmentation surgery, multiple miscarriages, mental health challenges, supplementary feeding systems and coping with her children's food allergies. She also talks about her work with Blind Parents UK and the invaluable support she received from her family and lactation support teams. 

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 

Resources mentioned - 

Blind Parents UK https://www.facebook.com/BlindParentsUK/?locale=en_GB

Philippa’s article on IGT https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/igt 

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

This week’s guest is the amazing Lorah, from Leeds. Lorah is a mother of four, who found herself pregnant with her son, Luca, during her treatment for thyroid cancer. She shares her journey of breastfeeding her four children, who all had different challenges, and the emotional rollercoaster tied to her cancer treatment and weaning. She discusses her support systems and the difficult decision to delay treatment so that she could breastfeed Luca. Lorah highlights the emotional and physical struggles, the process of treatment, and the importance of support groups and communities for those going through similar experiences.

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com

Resources mentioned - 

Macmillan Cancer Support https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

Maggie's, Yorkshire https://www.maggies.org/our-centres/maggies-yorkshire/

Mummy's Star https://www.mummysstar.org/

Leeds Bosom Buddies https://northleeds.mumbler.co.uk/leeds-bosom-buddies-support-groups/

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

Today’s guest is Emilia Kalyvides, a graphic designer and mum of two from North London. Emilia faced a lot of challenges with feeding her first child, including a tongue tie, extreme pain from her milk coming in, and a postnatal mental health crisis, which led her to choosing to bottle feed. She found out that she was pregnant with her daughter very quickly (they are just 16 months apart) and vowed that she would do things differently the second time around. After a lot of research and preparation, this time she established breastfeeding despite her daughter’s low birth weight and sleepiness. They persevered through those early weeks of pumping, and she breastfed for 18 months. 

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 

Resources mentioned - 

Milly Godwin @‌milkystarts 

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

This week I’m talking to the brilliant Emily, a farm vet from Bath, about her breastfeeding journey. Emily, who returned to work when her son Arty was six months old, shares the challenges and strategies she used to manage breastfeeding while on call and working with farm animals.  We discuss the logistics of expressing milk, handling emergencies, and the adaptability of both mother and child. Emily also talks about her initial breastfeeding difficulties, and the support from her husband and family in continuing her career during Arty’s early years.

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, that's uk.jkp.com 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, I’m speaking to the brilliant Madeleine from Leeds about her experience breastfeeding her 4-year-old son, Peter. We discuss how Madeleine managed night weaning and setting boundaries, and how their day to day feeding is going now that Peter is at school. Madeleine shares her personal experiences, including the challenges of breastfeeding while working night shifts as a doctor and the essential support from her husband and online communities. Since starting their journey together, she has trained as a peer supporter, worked with her colleagues at MiLC and changed her career to focus on public health - all due to her experience of breastfeeding!

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com

Resources mentioned - 

MiLC - https://www.facebook.com/groups/480916214609440/ 

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

Not sure where to begin? Start here for a quick guide to the show and the episodes that will suit you. 

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

This week I’m talking to two nursing mothers about their experience of nipple twiddling and broader 'nursing manners' issues that can arise during breastfeeding. Victoria shares her experience of overcoming twiddling with her son Arran, employing strategies like verbal communication, using alternatives, and creating a dedicated storybook to help him understand. Hannah, in the middle of similar challenges with her daughter Callie-Mae, has things to learn from Victoria’s experience. We emphasise the importance of setting boundaries and recognising that accommodating a child's wants is different from addressing their needs. 

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, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com 

Resources mentioned - 

Caroline Harrower IBCLC https://www.milkandnurture.co.uk/

Cherubs breastfeeding support in Cheshire  https://www.facebook.com/groups/cherubsofcheshire/

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