Frankie’s Holding Time story offers a moving account of the emotional weight of breastfeeding. With two children under three, she navigated exhaustion, postpartum recovery and the heavy pressure to continue feeding despite her struggles. Her account reveals the link between breastfeeding challenges and postnatal depression, illustrating how lack of sensitive support can deepen maternal distress. Although breastfeeding helplines provided guidance, Frankie found their focus on continuation left little room for mothers who need to stop. Her story highlights the importance of nuanced, non-judgmental support that meets mothers where they are. By speaking openly, Frankie helps to break the silence around postnatal depression, showing the importance of compassion and flexibility in supporting mothers’ wellbeing.
Frankie
I was in my mum’s rental car and nearly gave birth in a car in the car park, and then I actually gave birth on a wheelchair in in the in the reception, and they, they were wheeling me into the assessment little Ward bit. I thought, why are you assessing me? I’m clearly giving birth right now. And then they turned me around and said, she she will take her straight to labour ward. And they started wheeling me to labour ward. And she went, but she’s not going to make it…