Mum and Baby Groups with a Difference in Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and The Forest of Dean
The arrival of a new baby is a major life event, often accompanied by a whirlwind of mixed emotions, sleepless nights, adjustment, and potential for isolation and self-doubt. But alongside caring for their little one, mums are advised to remember their own well-being. It is not always straightforward to maintain good mental health whilst putting so much of your energy and focus into a baby’s first weeks and months. Mothers in Mind is here to help.
At Home-Start North & West Gloucestershire, we understand that supporting a mother’s mental health is vital, not only for her own well-being but also for the healthy development of her child and the strength of the family unit. That’s why we offer Mothers in Mind (MiM), a 10-week peer support programme designed specifically for mothers experiencing mental health challenges during early motherhood.
What Makes Mothers in Mind Different?
You might be familiar with baby and toddler groups – there are wonderful spaces for little ones to play and parents to connect all over the county. But Mothers in Mind offers something more focused and intentionally supportive:
- A Focus on Maternal Wellbeing: While babies are always welcome with on-site support from our lovely volunteers, the primary focus of each 2-hour session is on nourishing the mums’ mental health and building their emotional strength.
- Structured and Therapeutic Activities: Each session features carefully planned activities, including mindfulness exercises, art therapy, and journaling, all designed to give positive resilience and increase well-being. The session structure provides a consistent and supportive framework:
- Welcome/Recap
- Main activity/focus
- Craft/journaling
- Songs/bubbles/stories (to bring the session to a close and include some parent-child interaction each week).
- Peer Support with Lived Experience: Our coordinators and volunteers all have lived experience of raising little ones, and the maternal mental health challenges that often come with it. This means we can provide a unique level of understanding, empathy, and non-judgemental support that can be incredibly impactful for mums, especially those who have felt daunted or even fearful about attending a group.
- Professional Oversight and Signposting: While rooted in peer support, MiM benefits from the involvement of health professionals, including health visitors, midwives, perinatal mental health nurses, social prescribers, and representatives from maternity voices and healthy lifestyles. We also provide signposting to other relevant services in the local community.
- A More Formal Referral Process: Unlike drop-in baby groups, mothers are typically referred to MiM by health professionals or can self-refer by visiting the Make a Referral pages if they are experiencing mental health challenges. This ensures that the group is a safe and supportive space for those who need it most.
The Benefits of Mothers in Mind:
Attending the Mothers in Mind course offers a multitude of benefits for mothers, their babies, and the wider community:
- Empowering Mums: By providing tools and techniques for managing their mental health, MiM empowers mothers to navigate early parenthood with greater confidence and resilience.
- Building Connections and Reducing Isolation: The peer support model builds strong connections and friendships among attendees. Knowing they are not alone in the feelings they are experiencing can be incredibly validating and reduce feelings of isolation. We believe in the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, and many of our services are based on this principal. We always encourage friendships made in group to continue beyond the 10-week course so that mums have one another to reach out, on both good days and bad.
- Supporting Healthy Child Development: When mums feel supported and mentally well, they are in a great position to nurture and care for their babies, building healthy attachment and development and having the freedom to bond and experience joyful moments, together.
- Strengthening Communities: By supporting mothers, we are strengthening families and building more resilient communities where parents feel connected and supported, reducing isolation.
- A Voice of Expertise: Through the Mothers in Mind programme, Home-Start North & West Gloucestershire is developing a deep understanding of the needs of new mothers experiencing mental health challenges in the Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Forest of Deans areas. We are committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating with other organisations to improve support for families in our region.
Join Us in Supporting Mothers in Mind
Whether you are a health professional looking for a valuable referral pathway, a mother seeking support, or an organisation interested in collaboration, we invite you to learn more about the Mothers in Mind programme. By investing in the well-being of mothers, we are investing in the future of our families and communities.
To find out more about the Mothers in Mind course, including referral information and how you can get involved, please visit Group Support