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Mum hopes to normalise extended breastfeeding with stunning photography project

Women tell their story in a series of beautiful pictures.

By Livia Gamble

January 27 2017

A US mum is hoping to normalise extended breastfeeding.

Photographer Natalie McCain made a name for herself with her Honest Body Project, now the mum is back with another photo series titled: Breastfeeding Our Toddlers: A Full Term Nursing Series.

Speaking to Popsugar, McCain, who nursed both of her children until they were toddlers, said: "I decided to create a new series on extended nursing so that I could help normalise it even more.

“The more images that are put out there, the more stories, the more it will become the norm. Normalising breastfeeding is extremely important, especially for future generations."

For McCain, she wants to change the way people talk about nursing; she wasn’t "still" nursing her toddlers, she was “just nursing” them.

McCain added: "When I put a call out for the breastfeeding series, I had many women contact me wanting to be a part ofNormalisingizing breastfeeding is a huge passion of many women in my community. I am lucky to have such amazing women who want to participate!"

Some of the images have been shared on the Honest Body Project Instagram page.

The Honest Body Project book is now available for pre order on amazon! Sooo exciting!! #thehonestbodyproject #pinchmethiscantbereal #bodypositive #books #book #skyhorsepublishing

41+3 days pregnant. #trusttheprocess #normalizebreastfeeding #thehonestbodyproject

"My parents taught me there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to your body. My friends in high school thought I was crazy when I mentioned we went from the laundry room to the shower naked in front of each other. I used to sit in the tub and play while my mom would shave her legs. It's a body. Men have penises. Women have breasts and vaginas. Even your mother and father. I didn't think it was strange. I still don't. It's definitely something I feel is important to do with my daughter." #thehonestbodyproject #bodypositivity #selflove #beautiful #instagood #love #bodypositive

I will keep sharing portraits of nursing mamas until nursing mamas stop being shamed for nursing! <3 #normalizebreastfeeding "My step daughter started attending a local gymnastic class before she started Kindergarten and right away developed a love for gymnastics. She began to have confidence in herself and was constantly practicing her moves with no fear. She never wanted to miss a class, even when she was sick, and her brother & I loved watching her try new things. Quinten began to walk & loved to mimic her cartwheels and somersaults, so I decided to enroll him into his own class. During my conversation with the receptionist about the class structure, I was told I was offending other patrons by breastfeeding my almost 17 months old. When you're a new breastfeeding mom and you read horror stories about mothers being shamed for nourishing their child you can only hope it never happens to you. In the beginning there were several times I would give myself a mental pep talk when he began getting fussy & I could feel my let down coming, but all I'd ever gotten were smiles & encouragement. I was stunned when she told me to nurse Q in the play room or the secluded party room in the back. "No, I am protected by the law to nurse where ever I am comfortable" is the only thing I could think to say. "No I don't want you to go into the bathroom, just somewhere private, or maybe use a cover" she said, trying to reason with me. My feelings are so hurt for a number of reasons. I have been taking my daughter here for almost a year and it has never been brought to my attention that anyone was upset with me nursing my son. For nearly a year, every Monday at 4:30. Was it because he was an infant and now that he's a toddler it's "unacceptable"? Is it a new gymnasts parent who is furious that I'd do such a normal thing in public? I have paid a lot of money into this company, meaning I support it. How can I continue to come and support an establishment that doesn't support me? "Use a cover", "go to a different room", "be more discreet"... These are all suggestions I was given. You can't support something and use a but, which is what this company was telling me today...(continued)..

"From the outside breastfeeding a child who isn't a "baby" anymore may seem strange. But as the mom nursing a child "this long" I can tell you it just feels like another stage of nursing following the one before it. I've held this child and nursed her day after day since the day she was born and though over time she has gotten bigger and heavier and nursing has changed she is still my baby girl and it still feels just as right as it did the first time I nursed her." #thehonestbodyproject #normalizebreastfeeding #breastfeeding #wearenotstillnursing #wearejustnursing

"To the gentleman ahead of us in line at Wal-Mart, Yes, they are twins. No, they're not identical. Yes, please bless my heart. Yes, pray for my sanity. Yes, better me than you. Yes, it's "double trouble" but it's also double the love, double the fun, double the laughs and double the awesomeness. I don't know how I do it either; I just DO. And no, my life doesn't suck because I'm a mother of twin toddlers. Please, people. If you see a mother of multiples or a mother with a bunch of kids in public, stop and tell us how beautiful they are. Tell us what a blessing they are. Tell us we're doing an awesome job as a parent. Don't pry into private aspects of our lives. Don't ask their names. Don't tell us how tired we look. Don't give us some back-handed compliment to imply that we are somehow unfortunate to be raising these wonderful miracles. Don't act like you pity us as mothers because we "have our hands full." Say something to boost our confidence. Say something to lift us up. And if you don't want to say anything at all, just smile and go along on your merry way." #twins

"Much to my surprise, I've never felt more satisfied with my body than I do now as a mother. I've created the most amazing human I've ever met. I feel more feminine than I ever have and I absolutely love it. It's allowed me to finally conquer traumatic events in my past and feel like I belong to myself again. I never imagined becoming a mother would so easily heal damage done to me by others when I was so young and the damage I caused myself to try to deal with it."

To find out more about the project, visit the Honest Body Project website.