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

This week, I’m talking to Bedford-based breastfeeding peer supporter Kat Kennedy about breastfeeding her son Isaac and, in particular, the end of that journey and “weaning blues.” Kat describes early latch and nipple pain that improved with local support groups. Later she faced challenges like biting and disturbed nights which, alongside wanting to focus on her health, led her to the decision to wean gradually. She shares how she dropped feeds over time, used distraction and cuddles, introduced cow’s milk, and managed night waking with comfort and settling. About a week after her last feed, Kat experienced irritability, anger and sadness, which she connected to hormonal shifts, and which lasted around three to four months. She emphasises leaning on support networks, seeking help if needed, and prioritising oxytocin through continued closeness and cuddles.
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 - 
‘Breastfeeding is just like golf! A tiny adjustment makes all the difference’ — Emma Pickett IBCLC https://www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/blog/breastfeeding-is-just-like-golf-a-tiny-adjustment-makes-all-the-difference 
For mental health support: PANDAS Foundation UK https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/ 

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

This episode, I’m delighted to be joined by Louise Corden Burns, a London mum of identical twin girls, to talk about her induced lactation journey. Louise explains how she discovered induced lactation during her wife Meg’s pregnancy, and how hard it was to find relevant, reliable guidance. She describes using a shortened Newman-Goldfarb protocol with the combined pill and domperidone to induce lactation and pumping eight times daily while working. We discuss hospital and community feeding support, exclusionary experiences from professionals, early co-feeding and intense triple feeding with twins, weight-gain concerns prompting more measured bottle feeds and formula top-ups, and how breastfeeding supported bonding, confidence as a non-birthing parent, and eventually weaning as Louise’s medication tapered off.
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 - 
Breastfeeding Without Birthing Book https://www.alyssaschnellibclc.com/book 
Introduction to the Protocols for Induced Lactation -Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/induced/protocols_intro.shtml 
Kathryn Stagg IBCLC https://kathrynstaggibclc.com/ 
We're Here! by B J Woodstein  https://www.waterstones.com/book/were-here/b-j-woodstein/9781946665546 

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

Today, I’m talking to Hayley, a midwife and IBCLC from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in Australia. Hayley’s first baby, Isla was conceived in Scotland in March 2020. Her return to Australia at 30 weeks with her husband Rob involved costly flights, and a two week hotel quarantine stay. After having an induction at 42+2, Hayley describes returning to on-call night work when Isla was 14 months and how Rob settled their breastfeeding toddler without bottles. Breastfeeding Isla was smooth and she later weaned gradually around age three using boundaries like “booby when the sun’s up.” Hayley then recounts an unexpected twin pregnancy, induction at 38 weeks due to growth restriction and preeclampsia. Twins Magnus and Oscar had a difficult early feeding period with pain and weeks of triple feeding, until an IBCLC advised stopping pumping. Breastfeeding then settled, and she is now exclusively breastfeeding the seven-month-old twins alongside solids while balancing family life and planning a part-time return to work.
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 - 
Kathryn Stagg IBCLC  https://kathrynstaggibclc.com/ 
Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets https://breastfeedingtwinsandtriplets.co.uk/ 

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

I’m delighted to be joined by a fellow ABMer today -  Hannah Shaw from Morecambe. She’s a peer supporter and newly qualified probationary breastfeeding counsellor. We talk about ABM training and about Hannah’s two breastfeeding journeys. Hannah describes early struggles feeding her first child, Holly, including sore bleeding nipples, positioning issues and six months of rugby hold, then breastfeeding into toddlerhood despite family comments, bedsharing after a near-miss falling asleep while feeding, episodes of breastfeeding aversion, and postnatal depression treated with talking therapy and antidepressants compatible with breastfeeding. Weaning happened gently as work routines changed. With her second child, Imogen, breastfeeding began easily after an emergency C-section but sleep was difficult, and after the traumatic death of Hannah’s six-year-old niece Millie and a later trial, breastfeeding provided comfort and oxytocin through grief. Imogen, now four, mostly feeds briefly at bedtime from one side, with Hannah emphasising that breastfeeding must work for both parent and child. 
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 - 
ABM Breastfeeding Training https://abm.me.uk/breastfeeding-training/ 
Milk and Cookies, by Emma Rosen https://emmarosenbooks.co.uk/collections/breastfeeding-books 
BASIS https://www.basisonline.org.uk/ 

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

This week, the brilliant Jo from Cheshire, mum to two-year-old Cecilia, is here to talk about breastfeeding beyond infancy alongside Jo’s neurodivergence. Jo shares her long conception journey, pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, a five-day induction ending in an emergency C-section, and subsequent PTSD. Ceci struggled to latch and transfer milk in the early weeks. We discuss how Jo overcame those challenges. We also touch on toddler feeding patterns, co-sleeping, sensory factors, and using boundaries to reduce overwhelm and sustain 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, 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 
You can follow Jo on Instagram @‌cecilias_mama 

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