This week we’re talking about all things childcare and I’m delighted to be joined by Molly Morgan, a holistic sleep coach & maternity nurse.

Molly and I discuss choosing between a nursery, childminder or nanny, what to look out for when making your decision, how a setting can support your breastfeeding journey and some of the practicalities of breastfeeding a child around nursery schedules.

Find Molly on Instagram at @molly_foxandthemoon

or on www.foxandthemoon.co.uk/

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Twitter @MakesMilk and 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 honoured to have a true legend of UK breastfeeding support for you - Sarah Oakley, IBCLC, Registered Nurse and Health Visitor and Tongue-Tie Practitioner.

Sarah and I discuss how and why tongue-ties happen, what you can expect from a tongue-tie division, if it’s right for your child, how to find a practitioner and what after-care is needed. We also dive into the ethics and history of tongue-tie diagnosis, whether divisions are always helpful, and Sarah’s involvement with the Association of Tongue-Tie Practitioners.

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

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

Find out more about Sarah on her website www.sarahoakleylactation.co.uk/tongue-tie-assessment-and-division-services

Sarah’s book is called Why Tongue-tie Matters www.pinterandmartin.com/products/why-tongue-tie-matters

Find a practitioner at The Association of Tongue Tie Practitioners www.tongue-tie.org.uk

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

Katie had a difficult route to pregnancy, going through two rounds of IVF and several transfers, as well as multiple surgeries to prepare her for conception. Her story is one of struggle, but also of trusting her instincts to continue. Did her route to conception give her more determination to make breastfeeding work? After a c-section delivery, her daughter, Ava, struggled to latch with a high palate, but with the help of nipple shields and pumping, they made it through. Now a year on, Ava feeds well and Katie has no plans to stop soon.

You can follow Katie on Instagram at @k_comer82

She recommends these instagram accounts on endometriosis:

@gynaegeek

@endometriosis.surgeon.uk

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Twitter @MakesMilk and 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.

Breastfeeding and perimenopause both suffer from a lack of research and investment. When you put the two together, mothers in their 40s and 50s are often met with a lack of understanding and no clear path to follow. So this week, I’ve got together two women who know as much as anyone can do about these tricky subjects, Dr Claire Phipps, the Menopause GP, and Tamzin West IBCLC, to help me untangle the truth and the rumours.

We talk about the symptoms of perimenopause and why blood testing doesn’t always help, how HRT and other treatments interact with lactation, and we answer your questions about sleep, bone health, rage and fertility while breastfeeding during perimenopause.

You can follow Tamzin on Instagram @‌seedsofloveibclc and @‌breastfeedingandmenopause

and Claire @‌themenopauseGP

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

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

Resources mentioned -

British Menopause Society https://thebms.org.uk/

Understanding Menopause Booklet from Diane Danzebrink https://menopausesupport.co.uk/?page_id=17128

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

Few people who practise mostly child-led weaning know when their last feed is. Feeds tend to get few and far between until one day, you realise that it’s probably over. When that happened for today’s guest, Lucy, she chose to mark the occasion by writing a beautiful letter to her daughter, Ivy, which she shares here.

However, Ivy had other plans! She returned to breastfeeding, alongside her younger sister, Erin. Lucy continues to then tandem feed both girls, now 5 and 2 but Ivy is very close to the end of her journey. Lucy also shares her struggles with aversion and tongue tie.

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

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

Resources mentioned -

Hearts Milk Bank - Human Milk Foundation https://humanmilkfoundation.org/hearts-milk-bank/

When Breastfeeding Sucks: What you need to know about nursing aversion and agitation (lllgbbooks.co.uk) https://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/store/p237/WhenBreastfeedingSucks.html

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

This week it’s the return of your questions - this time on the topic of natural term breastfeeding.

Questions answered -
2:28How does self weaning happen?
8:57Is there evidence of calories needed to not affect milk supply while pursuing weight loss?
12:47My baby is 13 months old and my health visitor recently said she only needs two feeds a day at this age, so not to feel guilty if I want to impose limitations. Is this rooted in any evidence?
15:03Breastfeeding and travel - I need to go away for three to four days. This is the first time I've had more than six hours separation from my son since his birth. I'm not sure how to go about it.
22:51I would like to know what you can do if you were tandem feeding, and suddenly start to have strong nursing aversions with the older nursling but don't want to wean, especially if the older one is a Boobie Monster and demands boob for nap and multiple times in the night.
27:40I would love to know what natural term feeding looks like?
29:50I don't want to wean, but I need to be away from my 18 month old for an indeterminate amount of nights. I know breastfeeding can re-start after a break, but is there a length of time where being away could force weaning?
33:24Excuse my new mom ignorance, natural term breastfeeding - does that mean that it ends on baby's terms or when milk dries up?
38:27 How do I overcome the feelings of guilt for schedule feeding my firstborn from four months, and then he lost interest in breastfeeding around one year. And now I'm feeding and comfort feeding my now one-year-old all through the night and sometimes in the day? It seems so unfair.
42:05I'd love to know more about uni boobing, and how common this is when natural term breastfeeding? Does your supply increase on that side? Or does it cap at whatever you've been doing for so long?
45:10Something about dealing with judgement would be helpful. I do plan to carry on but I'm a bit worried about other people's judgement when I'm out and about and I'm starting to feel a bit uncomfortable at 12 months.
49:38 Can I get some information on the benefits of breastfeeding older children?
51:08Could you discuss natural term breastfeeding when feeding a younger sibling, so a four year old and a two year old, for example?
52:24It's common advice to not offer a child alternatives if they're being a picky eater, especially something they previously liked. How do I weigh this up against responsive feeding?
56:42I'm at 20 months. I'm not planning to wean anytime soon, but I'm trying to put some boundaries in place. Do I just keep trying? Or does she need more time to get used to the idea of breastfeeding not always being there on demand?
1:00:15Okay, this might be TMI, but I really want to know if my nipples are ever going to shrink back. Is there anything I can do to change my nipple shape?
1:01:25I'd love to know if using a dummy as a toddler, and if mom getting pregnant can affect natural term breastfeeding?



My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.
You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

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

Resources mentioned -

When Breastfeeding Sucks: What you need to know about nursing aversion and agitation (lllgbbooks.co.uk)
Instagram accounts -
Lucy Upton @childrensdietitian
Stacey Zimmels @feedeatspeak

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

If you’ve been around breastfeeding support for any amount of time in the UK, you will have benefited from the work of my guest this week. There are few people who have made such an impact on the lives of breastfeeding families. Wendy Jones MBE is a founding member of the Breastfeeding Network (BfN). She ran the Drugs in Breastmilk helpline for many years and she is a respected author of many books and countless fact sheets on breastfeeding and medication.

It was a pleasure to have Wendy on the podcast to talk about all of these things, as well as contraception use in early breastfeeding, how she would advise dads/ partners and grannies to best support their loved ones, and breastfeeding and breast cancer.

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

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

You can find more about Wendy at her website - https://breastfeeding-and-medication.co.uk/

And her books here https://breastfeeding-and-medication.co.uk/books

The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk service and the factsheets - https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/

Advice and support for cancer during pregnancy and infancy - https://www.mummysstar.org/

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

This week’s story from Chloe is about not just breastfeeding through pain and discomfort, but also a wound that seemingly would not heal. Chloe dealt with repeated bouts of mastitis, and an infection, before finally being pain free after 8 months of breastfeeding. She is also a nurse, specialising in wound management, so she’s uniquely placed to talk about how infection and pain affected her feeding journey with her daughter, Nova, and how they overcame their challenges to continue feeding for almost two years.

My new book, ‘Supporting the Transition from Breastfeeding: a Guide to Weaning for Professionals, Supporters and Parents’, is out now.

You can get 10% off the book at the Jessica Kingsley press website, that's uk.jkp.com using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Twitter @MakesMilk and 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.