About

I'm Ann, a home educating mum to a 5 year old boy & a 9 year old girl. I'm also a documentary photographer based in Dorset but travel all over the UK focusing on birth & the postpartum period and social issues. You can see more of my work here www.annowenfoto.com. I am also the Home Ed Columnist for Juno Magazine.

I first began my Milk project in the spring of 2020 purely as a way to connect with other mamas who were breastfeeding past infancy and who also believed in allowing their children to decide when to stop as I felt quite alone in my own journey. I never anticipated that my breastfeeding journey with my eldest daughter would last until a week before she turned 6 and my youngest until just before he turned 5.

I have received so many beautiful messages from mothers who have told me that seeing images of other mothers breastfeeding older children has empowered them and really helped them feel a part of a larger community. This is something that is so desperately needed which is why I have decided to turn this project into a book. 

This project has already been featured in Juno Magazine & The Green Parent Magazine. 

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The UK has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world so it is not surprising that breastfeeding beyond infancy isn't something we are used to seeing all the time. Although it is something that could and should be seen as absolutely normal! Awareness and knowledge of the biological norm is severely lacking. 

check out my blog post about the history of breastfeeding in the UK here

It is my hope that through this book we will help normalise natural term breastfeeding and empower others who are on a similar path to keep going.

If you have a nursling aged 4 or over I would love for you to take part and be a part of this really special project with me.

What is needed of you?

  • You will need to be available for a portrait session with you and your nursling feeding either at your home or at a location of my choice.
  • You will need to sign a model release giving me permission to publish your image in a book, possible magazines, social media and potential photography competitions.
  • You will need to fill out a questionnaire about your breastfeeding journey where some of your words will be featured next to your portrait. 

As a thank you for taking part in my project you will receive any edited high-res digital copies via a private online gallery. However you will need to agree that you will not share these images unless I have given you permission or until the publication of the book. 

I'm looking for people all over the UK but if you live far from Dorset I will just need to get several people from your area to make it work so please feel free to share in your local groups! 

If you'd like to take part head over to this page and fill in the form!