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

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 es...

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 s...

This week, I’m speaking to the wonderful Stella and Michelle, about breastfeeding their 4 year old nurslings. They delve into the challenges, societal perceptions, and personal boundaries set throughout their journeys. Both emphasize the importance of following your instincts, setting limits, and maintaining emotional connections. They highlight the misconceptions around breastfeeding older childr...

If you’re tandem nursing and wondering how your older child will ever wean when you are constantly feeding your baby, this is the episode for you! My guest this week is the lovely Lindsey Bouchard, a nurse from Massachusetts who has two daughters, Ada and Violet. Lindsey talks about her experience of oversupply and returning to work when Ada was just a few months old. She shares her experiences of...

Merry Christmas to you, if you are celebrating this week. I hope you are surrounded by love and joy this holiday season. This episode, I’m speaking to two mums, Lara and Michelle, about their experiences breastfeeding their three year olds. Lara, from South London,  has two children: Noor, aged 3, and Layla, who is a newborn. She is tandem feeding them both. Michelle, from Cumbria, has three boys....

If ever there was someone who ticked all the boxes for breastfeeding challenges, it might be my guest this week.  Florence East’s experience of feeding her son,  Fred, includes a C-section birth, latching issues, nipple pain, and a diagnosis of tongue tie, which led to the use of nipple shields and eventually, exclusive pumping. She discusses her experiences with triple feeding, renting a hospital...

This week, I’m joined by the brilliant Aisha Graham from Bristol. Aisha is mum to a nine-month-old daughter, and a five-year-old son, who her wife Lauren gave birth to. Our conversation delves into the dynamics of a same-sex family, co-nursing decisions, advocating for yourself and the importance of support during complex medical situations, including Aisha’s unexpected appendectomy shortly after...

My guest this week is the fabulous Beatrice Dane, a hypnobirthing instructor and breastfeeding supporter from Melton Mowbray. Bea discusses her early interest in motherhood, and her experiences breastfeeding her first child, Aria, to 4 years and 8 months, and her second child, Sam, who is still feeding today at 2. We touch on the challenges and triumphs of breastfeeding, the impact of family and p...

Today, I’m talking to the brilliant Caprice Fox, an educator and advocate from Bristol, about her experiences and advocacy work related to breastfeeding and inclusivity. We discuss the importance of representation and inclusive practices in breastfeeding campaigns and the damage of micro-agressions. Caprice shares her personal story and talks about her co-parenting journey with her wife, Holly. We...

This week, I’m honoured to be joined by Amy Viniski, a breastfeeding peer supporter and mindful breastfeeding practitioner, to share her personal experiences with pregnancy loss while breastfeeding. Amy candidly shares the emotional and physical challenges she faced through multiple losses, including an ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages. We discuss the misconceptions surrounding breastfeeding and...

This week I’m speaking to the lovely Gabby from Edinburgh about her experiences with tandem breastfeeding her two children, who are three and a half years and 10 months old. Gabby discusses the practicalities and challenges of her tandem feeding journey, including co-sleeping, night weaning, and dealing with her eldest child's sleep apnea. She shares her struggles with breastfeeding her young...

This week, I’m talking to the wonderful Caoimhe Whelan IBCLC, an Irish lactation consultant and author, about her specialist subject, primary low milk supply. Caoimhe shares her research on insufficient glandular tissue and its impact on breastfeeding mothers and families. We talk about antenatal and postnatal support, the complexities of diagnosing low milk supply, and the role of technology and...

This week I’m talking to the fabulous Maryam, a doctor and mother from Manchester, about her breastfeeding journey. Despite initial struggles, including mixed advice, nipple shields, a tongue-tie, and pump issues, Maryam remained determined and successfully transitioned back from triple feeding to exclusive breastfeeding. We explore the emotional and physical challenges she faced, the role of fami...

This week, we have two back-to-back episodes answering your questions about weaning. To do so, I’m joined by the brilliant Carly Facius, Midwife, IBCLC, Women's Circle Facilitator and Aware Parenting Mentor.  We delve into question topics ranging from weaning a toddler while tandem feeding, addressing night-time feeds, and managing breastfeeding with neurodiverse children.  To find a list of...

This week, we have two back-to-back episodes answering your questions about weaning. To do so, I’m joined by the brilliant Carly Facius, Midwife, IBCLC, Women's Circle Facilitator and Aware Parenting Mentor.  We delve into question topics ranging from weaning a toddler while tandem feeding, addressing night-time feeds, and managing breastfeeding with neurodiverse children.  To find a list of...

This week, I’m speaking to Joelle Morgan, an NHS research midwife, about her recent qualitative study on the experiences and challenges of breastfeeding beyond two years in the UK. We start off with Joelle’s own breastfeeding journey and how she came to carry out the research. She shares insights from mothers on social media support, the lack of healthcare guidance on weaning, and the underreprese...

This week, I’m talking to Ruth from Lincolnshire about her experiences breastfeeding her son Rowan, who was diagnosed with craniosynostosis - a condition in which a baby's skull bones fuse too early, leading to an unusually shaped head and potential brain issues. Ruth established breastfeeding despite Rowan's early medical challenges, including a NICU stay with a collapsed lung, and has...

The brilliant Lucy Webber IBCLC returns to talk to me today, and this time about a subject that is personal to her  - PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Lucy shares her personal experiences with PMDD, the importance of recognizing its symptoms, and the need for proper support. We talk about the challenges families face with the impact of returning menstrual cycles on lactation, especially whe...

This week’s story will be a difficult listen for some, but such an important story to share. I’m talking to Claire-Michelle Pearson about being a ‘Snowdrop donor’ at Hearts Milk Bank after the death of her son, Rupert. We’ve split the episode into two parts. Part 2 is about her milk donation journey and the birth of Rory, her five-month old (and we do make a reference to other losses more briefly....

This week’s story will be a difficult listen for some, but such an important story to share. I’m talking to Claire-Michelle Pearson about being a ‘Snowdrop donor’ at Hearts Milk Bank after the death of her son, Rupert. We’ve split the episode into two parts. Part 1 covers Claire’s pregnancy with Rupert and his loss. Part 2 is about her milk donation journey and the birth of Rory, her five-month ol...

This week, I’m joined by two special guests: Hannah Clapham, mum of two and a holistic sleep coach, and Imogen Unger, a seasoned lactation consultant with over 20 years of experience. Hannah has Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT) and struggled with her first breastfeeding experience.  She was better-prepared for her second experience, bolstered by Imogen's support, and continues to breastfee...

Part two of our exploration of solo mums by choice features Becky's breastfeeding journey with her two-year-old son, Struan. Becky shares her experience with day weaning, initially influenced by societal pressures to stop breastfeeding to improve sleep, but ultimately finding a balance that works for her and Struan. The conversation also delves into Becky’s considerations for having a second...

I have a bumper edition of Makes Milk for you today, with not one, not two, but three stories of solo motherhood. In this episode, I’m speaking to Jenny and Kat, and in the next, I’ll be speaking to Becky.  We’re focusing on the concept of 'solo motherhood' by choice, through the personal experiences of Kat and Jenny, who both conceived with donor sperm and faced various challenges along...

 This week I’m talking to Jill Nason from Wicklow, Ireland, who has racked up nearly every parenting experience, or so it seems! Jill discusses her first child, Clodagh's, premature birth, NICU stay, and successful breastfeeding journey. With her second child, Cian, she underwent a home birth but faced challenges with sleep training and medical issues. For her third child Seán, a c-section wa...