We couldn’t have had a better day today for a Mums in Mind reunion in Clarence Park with some absolutely awesome mums and babies who we’ve had the pleasure to welcome through our doors over the past few months. Walking our way around the park in Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week was a lovely way to hear about all the changes going on for everyone a few weeks or months on from leaving our groups.
Becoming a new mum is such a different experience for everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to approach it, but one thing I’ve always felt is it’s best done in the company of others. After all, if you haven’t heard it before “it takes a village to raise a child”. The load is always lightened when you can share your joys and your challenges with others, all the while gathering new perspectives on one’s state of mind, parenting, relationships and perhaps even the world!
I always felt lucky to have had the antenatal and postnatal groups that I did, thanks to the NHS midwives and health visitors, some years ago now but these days services are squeezed. Free group support to take you through, most likely, the biggest transition of your life is sadly lacking now. This was my reason for joining Home-Start over 5 years ago now and setting up Mums in Mind. Seeing everyone leaving the walk today with plans to meet each other again was exactly what it’s all about.
Having supported around 200 women through those early baby days since I joined, and working alongside three wonderful volunteers (Diane, Alex and Barbara) who have taken turns to be steadfast support to our groups, today was a good end to that journey. It’s with mixed emotions I left the park as I look forward to a new chapter in my life running parenting support courses in Bristol. I do, however, plan to keep my early years supportive toe in the door at Home-Start too, helping to manage the ever increasing number of referrals that arrive in our inbox each week and with the induction of new staff to our thankfully expanding team.
Supporting maternal mental health is as much about preventative measures as it is about reacting to a crisis. We’ve done and seen it all at Mums in Mind and one thing that never ceases to amaze me is how much life can change for new mums when they just talk, let their troubles rise up and out of them and accept their feelings as normal. Ultimately we see mother after mother realise that the power for change actually lies within, that life can be difficult but you can make the best of what you have, you can reframe how you think and build a new and fulfilling life for the most important job there ever was – being a parent!
by Karen, Perinatal Mental Health Group Coordinator