Parenting an unsettled baby can be distressing and frustrating, especially when you feel like your concerns are not being heard. My guest this week, Shel Banks IBCLC, is working to help parents to address their worries, calm their babies and ultimately calm them. In our conversation, we touch on colic, reflux and faltering growth, looking at what each term really means and how they can be addressed. We also talk supplements, exclusion diets and probiotics.  Find out more about Shel at...

Can I still breastfeed with type 1 diabetes? What will happen to my baby now that I have gestational diabetes? In this episode, I’m talking to Lucy Lowe, an IBCLC specialising in working with diabetes in pregnancy. We talk about how gestational diabetes is diagnosed and treated, what steps you can take to prepare for breastfeeding a baby if you have any type of diabetes, and how to get more support. Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book...

Happy Christmas. I hope you’re having a lovely time, whether you’re celebrating with family and friends or tucked up at home.  In this short episode, I want to offer you a few words of encouragement if you’re having a challenging time, and to answer a few common questions about food and alcohol consumption. If you need more support with your breastfeeding at this time of year, you can call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212. They’re open everyday from 9.30am to...

There aren’t many things in a little person’s life that they have control over. When you start to impose boundaries or limit their autonomy over breastfeeding, you can often find that some big feelings come out in response. This week, I’m joined by parenting mentor Shelley Clarke, to talk about how we can help our little people experience those big feelings safely, what learning we may need to do about ourselves, and how you can strengthen your relationship as you negotiate change. Find out...

Many parents worry that they won’t make enough milk for their child to thrive, but oversupply is much less talked about. For families who experience it though, it can cause pain, worry and lots of stress. This week I’m joined by fellow IBCLC Alice Lucken to identify the signs of oversupply, its causes, and what you can do to ease it. We talk about pumping, positioning, block nursing and supplements, as well as well-meaning advice to avoid. Follow Alice on Instagram @babyetaluk or go to her...

Deborah’s story is a long one and it deserves to be. The story of her multiple losses helps us to understand why her breastfeeding journey with her son had the impact that it still does today. This may not be an easy listen for anyone who has experienced baby loss themselves but it’s also a story of hope and repair. It’s a valuable listen for anyone who works with new families and needs to better understand the rainbow baby journey. Breastfeeding can do a lot of very special things, including...

‘You’re not feeding him again are you?’ ‘I’m only saying this because I’m worried about you’ ‘Don’t you think she’s a bit old for that now?’  Unsupportive comments from family members can be hurtful and stressful for you and your child. In this episode, Raksha and Lauren share their stories of difficult relatives, and we share some tips for dealing with them. You can find more from me on this topic in A first Christmas - The Natural Parent Magazine And support from other parents here...

Returning to work and continuing to feed your little one can feel daunting. My guest this week, historian Genova Messiah, has been listening to the experiences of women returning to work from the 1950s onwards, and coupled with her own experience and training as a peer supporter, she couldn’t be a better person to talk to about how to work with your employer to get the best for them and your family. What are your legal rights in the UK? How can you make your return to work as easy as...

This week, I have the honour of talking to Dr Vicky Thomas, consultant paediatrician and gastroenterologist. She’s here to talk about how paediatricians support families in the UK, some of the reasons why somebody might go to see a paediatrician if they're a breastfeeding family, and we talk about lots of things doctory and infant feeding. Resources mentioned -  Breastfeeding for Doctors BOOKS | Dr Pamela Douglas Breastfeeding the Brave - Lyndsey Hookway Some of Melissa Bartick’s work:...

This week we’re talking weaning as in starting food, rather than weaning from the breast. I’m joined by Cordelia Uys, an NCT breastfeeding counsellor who supports parents with introducing solids, to answer your questions about all things food.  You can hear more from Cordelia on her website https://www.cordeliauys.co.uk/ and follow here on instagram @‌cordeliauys. Questions answered in this episode -  2:10 Why is the recommendation to introduce solids around six months? 7:22 Do you ever...

Finding a way to effectively and comfortably feed your baby can sometimes feel like a challenge. Luckily, there are wonderful people like my guest, Maddie McMahon, who can help with all things positioning, attachment and so much more. In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk about Maddie’s charity, Maddie’s Miracle, why cross-cradle hold isn’t for everyone, alternative feeding positions, and whether pain is ‘natural’ in breastfeeding. Find out more about Maddie on her website -...

Trigger warning: This episode discusses fertility struggles, miscarriage and early pregnancy loss. Fertility and breastfeeding can be confusing, with conflicting information coming from friends, family and medical practitioners, so in this episode I speak to the knowledgeable Carol Smyth IBCLC to try and make sense of the issue. We talk about what effect breastfeeding has on your hormones, when periods return after birth, nursing and assisted conception, charting and perimenopause. You can...

Catherine’s story touched on a lot of elements: managing with tongue tie, triple feeding, looking after yourself, setting feeding goals and knowing when parent-led weaning and putting in boundaries feels right. We look at managing the big feelings of little people, the aware parenting philosophy, the importance of support and that final breastfeed when the time comes.  You can find Catherine on instagram as @‌stroudgentlesleepsupport, where you can follow her link to learn more about her...

Are there additional challenges to weaning a neurodivergent child? What strategies can we employ to wean with care and kindness when neurodivergence is involved?  In the next two episodes, I’m sharing two different perspectives, from Eleanor and Faith. In this episode, I speak to Eleanor about weaning her first child, Anna. Both Eleanor and Anna have recently been diagnosed with autism. We discuss the prevalence of neurodivergence in the breastfeeding supporter world, the similarities and...

Are there additional challenges to weaning a neurodivergent child? What strategies can we employ to wean with care and kindness when neurodivergence is involved?  In the next two episodes, I’m sharing two different perspectives, from Eleanor and Faith. In this episode, I speak to Faith about weaning her son, Addison. We talk about having a newborn during the Covid lockdown, nursing manners, and leaning into your child’s passions to find alternatives to breastfeeding as you wean. Find out more...

Our weaning topic isn’t over yet, but this week, I wanted to answer some of your questions about weaning. You can find a list of the questions and when they come up below, and if you have a question that I haven’t covered yet, do message me on Instagram @emmapickettibclc and I’ll answer it in a later episode. Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond: A Guide for Professionals and...

Continuing to breastfeed/ chest feed during pregnancy is normal but not always well understood. Many people feel pressure to stop nursing their child when a new baby comes along. They may be told that breastfeeding during pregnancy is the problem or weaning in pregnancy is essential to avoid the ‘nightmare’ of tandem feeding. In this episode, I explore the research about breastfeeding during pregnancy, and the experience of feeding two or more children at once. I answer some concerns and...

Weaning a booby monster can feel like an impossible task. In this episode, I explore your motivations for weaning, and whether a refresh on nursing manners could help. I talk about ways you can upskill to meet your child’s needs without the breast, how to cut down on the number of feeds and how you can talk with your child to wean with kindness and authenticity. Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six...

Night weaning is often the first step in parent-led weaning. In this episode, I explore how you could approach it and I talk about Dr Jay Gordon’s method and Lyndsey Hookway’s habit-stacking approach. I also discuss why I believe leaving your nursling overnight is not an effective strategy for weaning. Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond: A Guide for Professionals and...

In this episode, I ask, when is it natural for a nursling to wean?  We look at the social and biological evidence, and hear from Hannah Barker about her experience as her daughter self-weaned at around 2 years old. I also explore common methods of weaning, including ‘Don’t offer, Don’t refuse’, and partial weaning. Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond: A Guide for Professionals...

In this episode, we explore why you might want to end breastfeeding/chest feeding. I discuss the misleading advice that some parents receive, the societal pressures, and the guilt that you may be feeling, but also the autonomy that you can have to make this decision for yourself and your family. Find out more about the benefits of breastfeeding and chest feeding in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond: A Guide for Professionals and Parents Follow me on...

In this first episode, we take a moment to celebrate your breastfeeding/chest feeding journey so far.  However long you have fed your baby for, you have given them and yourself a wonderful gift. Even if you are not enjoying things right now or considering bringing things to a close, you have done something amazing and that deserves recognition. So let’s think about what you have shared, and say well done, before you take the next step on your journey. Find out more about the benefits of...

Welcome to Makes Milk with Emma Pickett. We'll begin weekly episodes in September, but in the meantime, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow me on Twitter @MakesMilk and on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com