Emma's story - breastfeeding and being hospitalised

This week, I’m joined by the brilliant Emma Erskine-Fox, a Bristol-area lawyer, ABM peer supporter, and mother, to talk about breastfeeding her daughter Isabelle to nearly age four, including a gentle self-weaning ending. Emma describes being breastfed herself, antenatal education that helped normalise cluster feeding, an induced birth ending in an emergency caesarean, early latch and weight-loss difficulties resolved with midwife and IBCLC support, and some intense cluster feeding. She also shares navigating planned thyroid surgery while breastfeeding: initially being wrongly told her baby couldn’t stay and that she must pump and dump. Emma postponed surgery when Isabelle wouldn’t take a bottle, then did some research, contacting the trust infant feeding team and PALS, and secured a private room so her husband and baby could stay overnight. Emma continued to breastfeed Isabelle throughout her recovery and return to full time work, until Isabelle finally weaned herself around 3 years and 10 months.
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, by going to bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.

Follow me on Instagram @emmapickettibclc (instagram.com/emmapickettibclc) or find out more on my website emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com
Emma is @‌emma.is.milking.it (emma.is.milking.it) on instagram
Resources mentioned -
ABM Clinical Protocol #35: Supporting Breastfeeding During Maternal or Child Hospitalization bfmed.org/assets/ABM%20protocol%2035%20Nov%202…
Kate Battersbytheperfectstart.org.uk/https://www.theperfects…
Training with the ABMabm.me.uk/breastfeeding-training/https://abm.m…
Olivia Hinge @‌olivia_lactation_consultant (instagram.com/olivia_lactation_consultant) on Instagram
This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC (emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com), and produced by Emily Crosby Media (emilycrosbymedia.com).