Our guest this episode once got told off for breastfeeding in a kiddie pool... Join us this week as we talk to Dr. Ellie Syddall, A&E doctor and breastfeeding advocate for her patients and fellow doctors.
Incidentally, where is the weirdest place you have breastfed?
In this lively and heartfelt episode, we dive into what it really looks like to balance medical training with the realities of raising a young family. Dr. Ellie shares candid stories from her years in A&E—sometimes pumping between shifts, sometimes studying for exams with a baby attached—and the resilience it takes to navigate a system that isn’t always designed with parents in mind. We explore how becoming a mother reshaped her identity as a doctor, giving her deeper empathy for patients and a sharper awareness of how healthcare can better support new parents.
From latch struggles to public‑feeding confrontations, we unpack the trials of breastfeeding with warmth and humour, including the myths that stubbornly refuse to disappear—from “you have nipple thrush” to “lanolin is great for sore nipples” Ellie helps debunk each one with evidence, clarity, and the occasional eye‑roll.
We also talk about what genuine support looks like, whether you’re a partner, friend, colleague, or a stranger in the supermarket. Spoiler: unsolicited advice isn’t helpful, but turning up with brownies almost always is.
Finally, we revisit our own early breastfeeding days, sharing the awkward, chaotic, and unexpectedly joyful moments that come with learning how to use your boobs for the purpose they were actually designed for. This episode is equal parts informative and hilarious—a celebration of the messy magic of feeding babies, the communities that lift us up, and the women who manage to do it all while saving lives on the side.
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Content outlined and presented by Brenda Finney and Frances Hall.
Music from audiojungle.net – Konstantin Kasyanov
Links:
1. MiLC – Medics Lactation Community, https://www.facebook.com/groups/480916214609440/
2. IBCLC = International Board of Lactation Consultants
3. The boob remembers! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/616670
4. National Breastfeeding Helpline – (UK) 0300 100 0212, https://www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk/
5. National Women’s Health and Breastfeeding Helpline – (USA) 1-800-994-9662
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