Auden's story - a non-binary nursing journey

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by Auden Krauska, a non-binary parent of two originally from Wisconsin now living near Copenhagen, to talk about their nursing journeys and the complexities of lactation alongside gender dysphoria and healthcare systems. Auden describes binding, being misgendered, considering top surgery but delaying it to lactate, and stopping testosterone to conceive. Their first pregnancy involved hyperemesis, followed by a home birth, sidelying nursing, a newborn hospitalisation for enterovirus meningitis, and recurrent mastitis linked to oversupply and outdated advice, which improved with the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s updated protocol and ibuprofen. Auden shares experience of parent-led weaning at 14 weeks pregnant, using a personalised storybook, and discusses nursing-friendly and pregnancy clothing, working remotely, Denmark’s health care, and evidence and monitoring around resuming testosterone while lactating. If Auden does return to taking testosterone, they will do blood testing to check their daughter’s liver function and hormone levels, and that decision is a way off.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. In the UK, you can also buy it from The Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London. Other book shops and libraries can source a copy from Ingram Spark 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 https://bit.ly/JKPbooks and using the code MMPE10 at checkout.Follow me on Instagram  @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com Find out more about Auden on their blog https://thepregnantpapa.wordpress.com/Resources mentioned -Where’s the Mother? - a book by Trevor MacDonald  https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/wheres-the-mother?srsltid=AfmBOorXJK6ekxR3phw_y4N2NWXZ4vKNfrwshyJ9XpzXWTcom_fQCunfTrevor’s Facebook group - Birthing and Breast or Chestfeeding Trans People and Allies https://www.facebook.com/share/g/183Qi5ryX9/Angela Marchant in Madison, WI https://www.tallgrassosteopathy.com/Trans Fertility Co https://transfertility.co/Trystan Reese https://www.trystanreese.com/Being You: A First Conversation About Gender – Early Pride Matters  https://earlypridematters.org/teaching-guide/being-you-a-first-conversation-about-gender/ This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.