Emily's story - 'bainne', allergies and an unplanned separation

This week I’m talking to the lovely Emily from Glasgow about breastfeeding her two-year-old son Finn alongside multiple IgE food allergies and an unplanned separation. Emily and Finn call breastfeeding “bainne” (Gaelic for milk) to avoid confusion because Finn is allergic to cow’s milk. We discuss Finn’s allergy protocols, EpiPen use, contact reactions, and attempts at the milk ladder that caused hives, plus ongoing plans around night weaning. Emily shares a difficult birth, severe early breastfeeding pain linked to a posterior tongue tie that improved after division, the later development of eczema and escalating symptoms leading to allergy diagnosis, a nursing strike at 12 months, and a five-night hospital separation after Emily’s postoperative infection where advocacy and accurate medication guidance helped preserve 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 (amzn.eu/d/iI3pQGo). In the UK, you can also buy it fromThe Children’s Bookshop (childrensbookshoplondon.com/product-page/jessi…) in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark (ingramspark.com) 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 (instagram.com/emmapickettibclc) or find out more on my website emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com
Resources mentioned -
Drugs in Breastmilk Service - The Breastfeeding Network breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-in-breastmilk
Breastfeeding Medicines Advice service – NHS SPS sps.nhs.uk/home/about-sps/get-in-touch/medicin…
Breastfeeding and Food Allergies – La Leche League GB (laleche.org.uk/allergies)
Allergy in Childhood | Allergy UK | National Charity (allergyuk.org/information-and-support/support-…)
bsaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Choosing-…
This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC (emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com), and produced by Emily Crosby Media (emilycrosbymedia.com).