Can you imagine going completely blind overnight? Now imagine your baby is just six weeks old... Well, that's exactly the situation I was in.
As a photographer, that was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.
After 6 months of rest and recovery, and enjoying my baby, (whom has always been a terrible sleeper and wouldn't ever take a bottle), I decided to undertake a project close to my heart. A breastfeeding project.
I decided to photograph 100 women, breastfeeding their babies, and write a book about personal journeys - to understand the challenges (and benefits) that new mums, and their babies, are faced with in the 21st Century.
I want to share the journey of breastfeeding in the community because I want ALL women, no matter their background, to feel supported and understood throughout those beautiful, yet challenging moments.
A short piece of prose accompanies each womens' image, evoking a feeling of connection between these women and the reader..
There is no order, that a reader of the book must follow. It does not require reading from front to back; ''Where's My Village' will envoke feelings of hope, and reassurance to new mums, that they are not alone. - Enjoy reading as many or as few stories, to escape from a hectic day or moment.
'Where's My Village' would be a perfect gift for any new mum or mum to be.. A must you're your coffee table - or why not buy a few and gift them to your friends, local doctors' surgery, hospital, lactation consultant's office and/or mothers' group?!
On a personal level, this book is a huge step for me. I'm sharing a side of me, which people most likely wouldn't know about. I may always look or seem happy and/or positive, but sometimes it's just not the case.
Does this scare me? You bet it does! But I LOVE being able to meet other women and see their eyes light up when they tell me their story.
