Earlier this Spring I decided to embark on a project to honor the mothers around my area. I love taking photos and I love taking photos for mummies, because sometimes, it's just nice to be nice.  To start my season of free photo sessions, I decided to choose something close to my heart - breastfeeding photography.  

I didn't breastfeed my first son and that's OK, because he's happy, healthy and totally idolised by both myself and his father! Second time round I was stubborn, more educated and more determined that even with my history of problems and big babies, I would make it work, and if I did, I would breastfeed until he decided he didn't want to breastfeed any more! Coming up on 30 months later, I'm starting to regret that decision... 

Anyway, breastfeeding can be hard, painful, exhausting and all-consuming in those early months, but it can also be so rewarding and fulfilling, so easy, amazing and beautiful. As the months progress it just becomes second nature and we hardly pause to take in the beauty of those nursing sessions. No-one thinks to take photos. Why would we take photos? Well, it's my aim to provide all nursing mothers with at least one photo to cherish. Babies grow up so quick and this fleeting relationship is gone before we even realise it (as least that's what I'm telling myself 30 months in).  Our children won't remember when they breastfed, and mothers move on to other things and can reminisce but seldom have the images to show what a beautiful, natural relationship they once had.

On May 9th 2014 I invited local nursing mothers to join me at a local lake where I would take their photos and provide them with an image from that session. No hidden agendas, just me and my love of nursing photos.  29 mothers turned up.  Five tandem nurslings, two donor milk mamas, one SNS feeding system, 22 single nurslings... It was beautiful and amazing and overwhelming.  Thank you to everyone who turned up. The lake was alive with children and babies and mums and dads that warm May evening and I will cherish the memory of it for a long long time...