“I always just assumed that I would give birth and just breastfeed, and that would be it. It would be this natural, straightforward thing.”

“It's not just feeding them. If they hurt themselves, you can offer milk and that’s a comfort. It’s their safe place with Mum.”

Rachel shares her breastfeeding journey, reflecting on initial struggles with her first child. Despite her mother’s positive portrayal of breastfeeding, Rachel found it challenging, particularly as a single parent. She sought help from a lactation consultant but still struggled alone. With her second child, she felt more informed and experienced an easier transition. She highlights the importance of support networks and public breastfeeding-friendly spaces. She also shares Luca’s engagement with creative expression, showcasing how breastfeeding shaped their bond beyond infancy.

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

01:00 Meet Rachel: A Mother of four from Bradford

02:00 Breastfeeding journey

15:00 Looking at breastfeeding locations in Bradford

18:00 Conclusion and Gratitude

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⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

"I would see people passing the house and I would just daydream and think, ‘I wonder if they breastfed their baby? I wonder if they found it hard?’ And I was thinking that about people I didn’t even know."

"The idea of baby groups before I had a child was hell to me. Absolute hell… I realise now I've really eaten my words with that massively. The breastfeeding group that I go to—that's for me."

Hannah shares her emotional breastfeeding journey. Desperate for support, she attended a breastfeeding event just two weeks postpartum, where she met the Breastfeed Together group, which became her lifeline. Facing tongue tie issues, painful feeds, and pumping exhaustion, she credits the infant feeding team, for saving her journey.

Despite overwhelming pain and doubts, her determination kept her going. Hannah reflects on the importance of strong female support systems, the lack of preparation for breastfeeding, and how she underestimated the emotional toll of birth interventions.

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:41 Hannah's Breastfeeding Journey

02:40 Challenges and Solutions

06:00 Birth Experiences and Their Impact

09:45 Sharing Breastfeeding Plan with Family

12:22 The subject of Tongue Tie

20:25 Discusses Frustrations

23:29 Conclusion and Acknowledgements

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⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

"I researched so much about it, put so much effort into it and it just still wasn't working."

"My mum was amazed at how much I knew about it, you know, from what I'd researched and how much I'd been taught by the midwives and how much support I was getting for it."

Sinead, a mother from Bradford, shares her emotional breastfeeding journey after an emergency C-section. Initially struggling with latching issues, she felt like she was failing despite extensive research. Encouraged by a lactation consultant, she joined a creative writing workshop to share her experience, despite feeling out of her depth. Through the workshop, she found solace in hearing other mothers' varied birth and feeding stories. Sinead reflects on the lack of breastfeeding support in previous generations and how her mother learned alongside her. Her journey highlights the emotional and physical challenges new mothers face and the importance of shared experiences.

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:41 Meet Sinead and her family

01:06 Breastfeeding Journey with the First Child

11:30 A Tramatic Labour Story

13:45 Reflections on Breastfeeding and Support Systems

26:04 Conclusion and AcknowledgementsSupport the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠