Hannah T

“I think stopping breastfeeding will really affect me mentally I need to keep going”

Hannah shares her experience of pregnancy and breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting both the positives and challenges she faced. Her story reflects the complex interplay between health issues, pandemic restrictions, and the pressures of balancing work and motherhood.

“You want every single time you breastfeed to be… quiet and still and nice because it just has that vibe about it.  There's definitely a feeling of being robbed when I can't do it that way”

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:54 Personal Health Journey: Battling ITP

02:28 Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Challenges

03:59 The Spiritual and Physical Benefits of Breastfeeding

11:32 Scientific Insights into Breast Milk

16:56 Navigating Formula Feeding and Health Visitor Challenges

25:09 Conclusion and Acknowledgements

Support the project by becoming a Patreon member 

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/hannaht/

Hannah C

“It was a huge fumble and not this amazing euphoric experience, but it was amazing to do"

Hannah discusses the challenges and societal pressures surrounding breastfeeding, especially in the context of premature babies. She recognises the pressure from others to breastfeed due to its known benefits but acknowledges that it can be overwhelming, particularly just after giving birth. Here she shares her personal experience of breastfeeding her premature son.

"I was surprised by the negativity and misunderstanding about breastfeeding. There was a lot of misunderstanding about what actually helps a child and what breast milk does"

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:26 Mothers Shaping the Holding Time Project

00:33 Breastfeeding During Lockdown

01:33 Challenges of Premature Birth

01:54 Feeding and Medical Complications

06:03 First Breastfeeding Experience

11:36 Expressing Milk in the NICU

15:23 Support and Challenges in Breastfeeding

21:57 Social Perceptions and Misunderstandings

27:39 Conclusion and Gratitude

Support the project by becoming a Patreon member 

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/hannahc/

Emilie

"The most important thing is your well-being and your child’s well-being”

Initially, Emilie planned to breastfeed for a short time, but as things progressed, she found herself continuing far beyond her original plan because of the bond and closeness it provided. Despite experiencing significant pain and mental health challenges, Emilie discusses how she found breastfeeding to be grounding and empowering.

"I think breastfeeding was much harder than the pregnancy than labour even. It was tough going but also just the most incredible experience... she loves it, I love that time together."

00:00 Introduction to Emily and Her Breastfeeding Journey

01:01 Challenges and Rewards of Breastfeeding

01:24 Understanding Full-Term Breastfeeding

02:45 Support Systems and Role Models

06:44 Breastfeeding in Public and Social Perceptions

16:14 Mental Health and Breastfeeding

22:40 Reflections and Final Thoughts

Support the project by becoming a Patreon member 

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/emilie/

Chloe

"Every single one of the three babies couldn’t have been more different"

Chloe reflects on the support she received, or sometimes lacked, with people suggesting she switched to formula when breastfeeding was challenging. She empathises with new mothers who gave birth during lockdown, recognising the isolation they may feel without mothering groups or social support. For Chloe, meeting other mothers was essential to her well-being during her first maternity leave.

"I didn’t really have the support around me... everyone was just like, 'Oh, just get them on the bottle,' because they could see I was having a really difficult time with it."

00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast

00:55 Meet Chloe: A Mother's Journey

01:25 The Art and Politics of Breastfeeding

01:56 Lockdown Reflections and Mindfulness

04:45 The Transformative Power of Motherhood

07:32 Challenges and Triumphs of Breastfeeding

08:35 Personal Stories and Experiences

15:01 Breastfeeding Support and Advice

24:22 Conclusion and Acknowledgements

Support the project by becoming a Patreon member 

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/chloe/

Hannah is a doctor and so her perspective on how women are treated by the health service is very reflective and she uses her experience as a health practitioner to reflect on the ways new mothers needs are not being met by both the NHS and wider. As a mother, she talks about her struggle to adjust to her birth experience and the mental health struggles she has had post partum. She describes the adjustment to the responsibilities of motherhood as a kind of ‘existential dread.

“We would be doing better if this was a problem that men had. It would be, it would look a lot different. And we wouldn’t be kind of we wouldn’t be we wouldn’t be relying on you know, individual practitioners trying to work hard to do the best that they can, it would be a much more joined up approach to making things better”

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/hannah/

Claire talks about her different experiences of establishing breastfeeding with her two children. She discovered the importance of baby groups with her first child and when the funding for the peer support mentoring in Sefton was axed, she set up Milk Drops, a new peer support service for mothers with her friend Amy.

"And then I attended our breastfeeding group, I remember sitting there looking around at all these women with their boobs out and being like, ‘It’s alright, we all look the same, really. No one’s that bothered’. And it was fine".

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/claire-d/

Claire explores the idea of breastfeeding as a learnt skill and talks about the confidence that comes with experience. She recalls breastfeeding her twins and, previously, an elder sibling who had silent reflux.

"Feeding one child is very, very discreet, generally. Quite often, you don’t notice unless you know what you’re looking for, you’re not going to notice. Feeding two at the same time in public is not discreet at all. And I’ve had to do that a few times".

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/claire-g/

Natalie talks about her experiences of feeding a baby with cow’s milk protein allergy and tongue tie. “I was lucky because I was able to find good support in the community & was able to learn how to use a deeper latch & how to latch her without it being too painful until I was able to get the tongue tie snipped”.

"I knew I wanted to feed her. But having a child with a milk allergy and breastfeeding is really, really difficult. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life".

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/natalie-b/

Vicky talks about the convenience of breastfeeding vs Formula and her surprise at falling pregnant after years of Endometriosis.

“I had a couple of days I was like, Well, I can’t do this anymore. Get the formula out. Then you look at the formula. And you think no, actually like….the amount of different things to worry about there and get prepared. And actually, he’s nice and safe. And he does what he wants here. So then I go back to it. And then like I said, when I thought actually you know what, this is a minefield, just do what you were doing then actually suddenly it’s cracked".

https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/vicky/