"I felt incomplete at times, but I kept going. Because motherhood isn’t about perfection—it’s about perseverance."

"It’s not just about feeding; it’s about connection, about learning, and about standing up for what your baby needs."

Rana recounts how she planned to breastfeed her first child for two years but became pregnant again when her daughter turned one. She struggled with guilt over weaning early, especially due to her high-risk pregnancy. She discusses her experience with the NICU, where her baby needed observation but was physically far from the postnatal ward. She was determined to breastfeed and asked nurses to call her whenever her baby cried, making frequent trips in a wheelchair despite the pain of her C-section recovery. She reflects on how a maternity ward painting of a mother breastfeeding two babies inspired her during pregnancy, making her believe she could do the same.

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:41 Personal Breastfeeding Journey Begins

01:20 Navigating High-Risk Pregnancy

01:35 Challenges of Stopping Breastfeeding

02:52 Reflecting on Guilt and Relationships

03:36 Traumatic Birth Experience

04:06 Induction and C-Section Decision

06:24 NICU Experience and Breastfeeding Struggles

10:53 Support Systems and Self-Advocacy

14:54 Community Resources and Activities

24:45 Concluding Thoughts and Gratitude

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