The Holding Time Podcast Lisa Creagh

In this new episode, marking the launch of the Halton Holding Time project, our writing lead, Rachel New introduces poetry by mothers from the Halton Family Hub Storytelling workshops that took place at Halton Lea Library in Spring 2024. Each mother took part in a six-week workshop series. We hear their written work and find out more about the workshops, what we do in them and how and why they help women process their experiences and find their voices. We hear about tongue tie, premature babies, feeding a toddler, advice for a new mother and so much more. None of these mothers are professional writers but we think you’ll agree, they all have a way with words. To find out more about the project, please visit https://holdingtime.org/2024/04/02/halton-family-hubs-network/You can also see a video version of mothers performing their poetry on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/holdingtime

Hannah
You’re told to go away, and buy some formula, and that’s the end
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 D
I Breastfed her in Secret
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 G
We’re sold an idea that it’s this beautiful, natural, instinctive thing. It isn’t.
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 B
Having a child with a milk allergy is really, really difficult
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
“I can’t do this anymore. Get the formula out”
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/