Why breastfeeding doesn't need to suck, postpartum depression, placental encapsulation and ACE (adverse childhood experiences) - An interview with Dr Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and the CEO of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Psychological Trauma and was Founding Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Lactation. 

Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in women's-health research including breastfeeding, depression, trauma, and health psychology, and has won many awards for her work including the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 490 articles or chapters and is author or editor of 41 books. Her most recent books include Breastfeeding Doesn’t Need to Suck (2022) and Women’s Mental Health Across the Lifespan (2017). Her 41st book, Depression in New Mothers, 4th Edition is in press.

Dr Kendall Tackett discusses with us not only a vast range of topics specific to her work and new book but also some big and confronting topics in this episode.  

 A warning: Dr Kendall-Tackett discusses early in the podcast about her research and work with women who have experienced sexual assault. 

In this episode we delve in to:

• Postnatal anxiety and guilt 
• The power of oxytocin, a mother’s “Spidey senses” and the vulnerability during the early days
• Sleep, mental health and breastfeeding
• Postpartum depression 
• Placenta encapsulation and it’s potential effects on milk supply. 
• Secondary trauma in midwives and doulas and birth partners 
• Burn out in midwives - shift based vs continuity of carer model 
• How Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) affects adult health 
• How women who have experienced sexual abuse prefer to engage with breastfeeding and what the research is showing.  

LINKS :

Course Burnout among perinatal workers 

Book Breastfeeding doesn’t need to suck: how to nurture your baby and your mental health  

Dr Kendall-Tackett website  

 Dr Kendall-Tackett mentions her work with Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg  

Secondary Traumatic Stress and Moral Injury in Maternity Care Providers: A

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The information shared in this podcast is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified professional regarding individual health concerns.

The Midwives’ Cauldron podcast does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information provided and accepts no liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content.