New Sculpture in Bradford Addresses Breastfeeding Stigma

A new sculpture has been unveiled in Bradford, marking the culmination of a project designed to confront stigmas and cultural obstacles surrounding breastfeeding. The artwork, which portrays a mother reclining on her side while holding and nursing her infant, has been placed within Bowling Park. The “Holding Time” initiative engaged mothers, inviting them to explore and articulate their personal experiences through a series of poetry workshops, portrait sessions, and interviews. Rachel New, who facilitated these workshops, noted the sculpture’s practical design, describing it as “a chair that women can actually sit on to breastfeed.” She expressed her hope that the sculpture would foster comfort and encourage greater discussion about breastfeeding. New added, “I meet so many women who say ‘no one spoke to me about breastfeeding until I had a baby in my arms, and then I wasn’t sure what to do’.” Lisa Creagh, who directs the Holding Time project, stated that its primary objective was to “overcome the cultural barriers to breastfeeding.” Creagh observed, “Bradford has such diversity of experience. Some families have a rich cultural inheritance, others have no experience at all.” Positioned next to a children’s play area, the sculpture serves as an invitation for mothers to sit, breastfeed their babies, and engage in conversations. Ms. Creagh explained that the concept was to extend the project into an outdoor setting, and she developed the idea for the statue in collaboration with Better Place, an initiative focused on enhancing outdoor spaces for families and children. She elaborated, “You can sit on the chair to feed, or just to hold your child, or someone you love. This project is about honouring motherhood and attachment and the maternal seat gives shape to that.” Dan Jones, the artist responsible for the 2.5-tonne sculpture, indicated that its completion required a year, incorporating substantial input from nursing mothers. He mentioned that the sculpture, partly influenced by African ceramics, was conceived to evoke an “Earth Mother” aesthetic. The Doncaster-based sculptor shared his aspiration: “My hope is that women will feel comfortable using the space to feed their babies in the open, if they want to.” Among the mothers who participated in the Holding Time project was Reena Kler, who is currently breastfeeding her 15-month-old daughter. Kler described her involvement as “an eye-opening journey,” adding, “Mothers often don’t stop to think about themselves, so it’s been really nice to have this creative time to focus on me.” Another participant, Sophie Hughes, found the project to be “healing for so many different reasons,” particularly because it enabled mothers to discuss any breastfeeding trauma they might have experienced. Mahum Fatima, another mother who has breastfed her two children, reflected: “I really wanted to talk about the highs and lows of breastfeeding, to celebrate it, and to share my experiences. It’s about breaking stereotypes and instead addressing the pressures of breastfeeding and focusing on empowering women with the right support.” She further highlighted the cultural pressures some mothers face regarding breastfeeding and voiced her hope that the project would increase general awareness of its benefits. Fatima concluded: “I hope [the sculpture seat] sparks conversations when parents meet at the park. It sends a powerful message.”