The Holding Time Podcast

Lisa Creagh
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Welcome to the Holding Time Podcast. Here we discuss breastfeeding in all it’s complexity - the ups and down, the challenges, the triumphs. Whether you are expectant, a new mother or simply interested, I hope you’ll appreciate the incredible warrior women who are managing to breastfeed babies across the country. This podcast is part of the Holding Time Project, an experimental intervention in chronically low breastfeeding statistics. Through music, art and writing, we’re looking at the reality of breastfeeding and listening to mothers who know a thing or two about how things could be better.

  1. Holding Time Featuring Rachel

    05/26/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Rachel

    “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 Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

    19 min
  2. Holding Time Featuring Hannah

    05/26/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Hannah

    "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 Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

    25 min
  3. Holding Time Featuring Sinead

    05/25/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Sinead

    "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/⁠⁠

    28 min
  4. Holding Time Featuring Alison

    05/25/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Alison

    "It’s about having choices, being informed, and feeling in control of my body and birth. That’s what I wanted." "I think it's really lovely to be able to, you know, enjoy breastfeeding, which was never something I felt would ever happen with my first journey." Alison’s journey through birth and breastfeeding was marked by resilience and adaptation. Initially unprepared, she faced painful breastfeeding struggles, complications during her first home birth, and a hospital readmission due to her baby’s weight loss. Diagnosed with insufficient breast tissue, she turned to donor milk, aligning with her ethical vegan beliefs. For her second child, she chose an empowering freebirth and successfully supplemented her milk supply with donor milk. In this interview, Alison highlights the power of community, informed choices, and perseverance, encouraging new mothers to seek support and reminding them that challenges are temporary. 00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast 00:41 Alison's Breastfeeding Journey Begins 01:23 Challenges and Misconceptions 02:40 Birth Experiences and Their Impact 06:05 Finding Confidence and Control 08:52 The Role of Donor Milk 12:53 Community Support and Empowerment 23:46 Reflections and Advice for New Mothers 25:53 Conclusion and Gratitude Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

    27 min
  5. Holding Time Featuring Rana

    05/24/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Rana

    "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 Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

    26 min

  6. 05/24/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Madeleine

    "Breastfeeding isn’t just about feeding—it’s about connection, comfort, and transformation." Maddie, a medical doctor and mother to a three-year-old, describes breastfeeding as a transformative experience that led her to switch careers from Obstetrics and Gynecology to public health. Initially, she saw breastfeeding as a casual choice but soon realised its deep emotional significance, especially after overcoming early challenges like weight loss and jaundice. Her journey inspired her to co-found MILC, a support network for breastfeeding doctors. She highlights systemic gaps in medical education, emphasizing the lack of lactation training for healthcare professionals. Passionate about change, she advocates for better breastfeeding support and hopes to establish lactation medicine as a recognized specialty. "We need to do better. We need to change the system so that women get the support they deserve." 00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast 00:41 Meet Maddy: A Journey of Breastfeeding 01:56 The Impact of Breastfeeding on Career Choices 02:36 Challenges and Triumphs in Breastfeeding 07:12 The Role of Medical Professionals in Breastfeeding 10:59 Cultural and Structural Barriers to Breastfeeding 23:45 Future Goals and Aspirations for Breastfeeding Support 25:43 Conclusion and Acknowledgements Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠⁠

    27 min
  7. Holding Time Featuring Alexandra

    05/23/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Alexandra

    "I was really determined to breastfeed. I just knew I’d power through it no matter what." "The reality of motherhood and birth and all of that is very, like, dirty and it’s grizzly and it’s just very primal... No one can tell you what that’s like until you go through it." Alexandra’s breastfeeding journey was far more challenging than she expected. She initially believed it would be natural and easy, but quickly realised the reality was much harder. She struggled with positioning and attachment, lacked proper guidance, and felt unprepared despite attending an antenatal class. The experience was emotionally and physically draining, contributing to her postnatal depression. She also faced intense sleep deprivation and frustration. Over time, things improved, but she deeply regretted not knowing more beforehand. Looking back, she gained immense respect for mothers who struggle with breastfeeding and now understands why some choose not to continue. 00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast 00:41 Birth Stories and Experiences 08:18 Challenges and Triumphs of Breastfeeding 12:47 Reflections on Motherhood 15:56 The Reality of Postnatal Depression 19:13 The Raw and Primal Side of Motherhood 23:29 The Misconceptions About Breastfeeding 25:41 Conclusion and Acknowledgements Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠ ⁠https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/⁠

    27 min
  8. Holding Time Featuring Reena

    05/23/2025

    Holding Time Featuring Reena

    "I wholeheartedly appreciate what my body went through in order to give me two beautiful children. I cherish that." "I think my biggest hurdle after pregnancy was being told, ‘Oh, you’ll just know what to do.’ But when your baby is crying, and you’re crying, you think, ‘I’m supposed to know... but I don’t.’" Reena shares her journey of motherhood, highlighting both the joys and challenges. She describes her first pregnancy as a mostly positive experience but was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  This diagnosis impacted her birth plan, leading her to opt for a hospital birth instead of a planned home water birth. She talks about how she struggled with the reality of newborn care, feeling overwhelmed despite having a strong family support system. She describes feeling lost in early motherhood and candidly shares the physical changes after birth, including prolonged postpartum bleeding and the emotional shift of seeing herself in a new body.  00:00 Introduction to the Holding Time Podcast 00:41 Meet Gwena: A Mother from Bradford 00:50 First Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes 02:48 Birth Experience During COVID-19 05:37 Postpartum Challenges and Support 20:29 Breastfeeding Journey and Public Perception 26:10 Conclusion and Gratitude Support the project by becoming a Patreon member⁠ https://holdingtime.org/portfolio/i-wholeheartedly-appreciate-what-my-body-went-through/

    27 min
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About

Welcome to the Holding Time Podcast. Here we discuss breastfeeding in all it’s complexity - the ups and down, the challenges, the triumphs. Whether you are expectant, a new mother or simply interested, I hope you’ll appreciate the incredible warrior women who are managing to breastfeed babies across the country. This podcast is part of the Holding Time Project, an experimental intervention in chronically low breastfeeding statistics. Through music, art and writing, we’re looking at the reality of breastfeeding and listening to mothers who know a thing or two about how things could be better.

Information

  • Creator
    Lisa Creagh
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lisa Creagh
  • Show Website
    The Holding Time Podcast