Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond
Emma Pickett
This thoughtful and comprehensive guide by IBCLC Emma Pickett fills a longstanding gap in breastfeeding resources. While most materials focus on the early weeks and months, this book explores the lived realities and developmental changes involved in breastfeeding older babies and toddlers. With compassion, nuance, and evidence-informed support, Pickett addresses everything from solids to nursing manners, from returning to work to night feeds, and from boundary setting to the emotional shifts in long-term feeding relationships.
Why It’s Included
At SNPN, we advocate for breastfeeding to continue as long as mutually desired, free from cultural pressure to wean prematurely. Emma Pickett’s book aligns perfectly with this philosophy, offering respectful, flexible strategies that honour both the child’s needs and the mother’s autonomy. It affirms what many parents know instinctively but often feel alone in experiencing: breastfeeding doesn’t stop being meaningful after six months—it evolves. This book provides a rare combination of practical advice, emotional validation, and solidarity.
Who It’s For
This book is ideal for parents who are breastfeeding a baby older than six months, whether they’re continuing into toddlerhood or simply seeking support beyond the newborn stage. It’s also a valuable resource for professionals—IBCLCs, doulas, midwives, and breastfeeding counsellors—who want to better support families practicing extended breastfeeding. Grandparents, partners, and others in a support role will also benefit from the insight offered here, especially if they are unfamiliar with the emotional and practical realities of feeding beyond infancy.
Further Reading
Boobin’ All Day, Boobin’ All Night by Meg Nagle
What Doctors Don’t Know About Breastfeeding by Dr Jack Newman
Breastfeeding Uncovered - Amy Brown
