Mahum’s story offers a deeply personal look at breastfeeding through the lens of culture, family support, and raising a neurodiverse child. A Bradford mother of two, Mahum breastfed her eldest son for 20 months, reflecting on both the struggles and rewards of extended feeding. Later, her son was diagnosed with autism, leading her to view their long breastfeeding relationship as an important foundation for his health and development. Mahum speaks candidly about generational differences, as her own mother had not breastfed due to lack of support, and how attitudes within Pakistani families vary widely. Her narrative highlights how cultural inheritance, maternal choice, and perseverance intersect in shaping breastfeeding outcomes. Part of the Holding Time Bradford collection, Mahum’s voice adds depth to conversations about neurodiversity, maternal health, and the value of extended breastfeeding.
Audio
Transcript
My name’s Mahum and I’ve got two little ones. So I breastfed my eldest, who’s now five, for about 20 months. It was a journey, yeah. I wanted to exclusively breastfeed, and I was like, I don’t want to do bottle feeding, I want to just put in everything and all that I fit into that. It wasn’t as easy as I thought because, you know, you read about it and then you’re given like Shirley’s techniques with antenatal classes… read more