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project mama in the press

14/04/2020 https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/supporting-mothers-in-difficult-circumstances-through-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

10/3/2020 https://www.bristol247.com/lifestyle/family/the-charity-supporting-bristols-migrant-mothers/

06/06/2019 https://thebristolcable.org/2019/06/communities-standing-up-college-students-skaters-and-migrant-mums-warmley-forest-skatepark-mama-project-plastic-free/

12/3/2019 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-bristol-47539726/migrant-women-given-maternity-support-by-project-mama

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The Fourth Trimester. The first three months aft

The Fourth Trimester.

The first three months after the birth of a baby has been given the term ‘fourth trimester’ - giving a nod to the fact that both baby and parent are learning what their new life outside of the womb looks like. There are 9 (ish) months of growing, followed by 3 months (and more) of learning.

There are lots of things to support the baby’s womb to world experience, as well as the mothers transition to parenthood. Understanding the biological norms for babies, having access to evidence based information about baby care and the baby and mother’s health are things that aren’t always readily available for new parents, particularly within the demographic of those we support.

Our Mother Companions do an incredible job to make this information accessible to them, respecting cultural preferences or practices and helping them to find empowerment from trusting their own intuition.

Painting by @naavaonline

#fourthtrimester #postnatalperiod #postpartum #newbaby #motherhood #accesstosupport #supportingwomen #mothers #projectmama #mothercompanions #postnataldoula #equalcareforeverymama

We need your help! Please nominate Project MAMA fo

We need your help! Please nominate Project MAMA for a £1000 grant to support mamas throughout pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

Head to our Facebook page for the link to the 12 days of giving nominations. Or go to www.movementforgood.com/12days

Just search Project Mama in the first box or add our Charity number: 118 2112.

We will be so grateful if you can take a couple of minutes out of your day to do this.

🎁 THANK YOU! 🎁

With another lockdown approaching here in the UK,

With another lockdown approaching here in the UK, we recognise that this a challenging time for so many people, and especially all those working within and using the maternity services.

With so much change and uncertainty, it’s vital that pregnant people have some continuity. We are so fortunate to have an amazing team of Mother Companions to support our pregnant mamas.

They each bring different skills and together provide such a rich balance of expertise and energy.

Some use Rebozos (this beautiful image shows a Rebozo in action!), some have a background in midwifery, some are doulas, some have additional breastfeeding knowledge and some are mothers themselves.

Our Mother Companions have finely tuned listening skills and are intuitive to the individual needs of those they support. They fully understand the wishes of the mother and help to hold space for her to share concerns, be heard and listened to.

Having a Mother Companion provides continuity which may be lacking in other areas of their life. This unconditional support helps the mother feels safe, supported and informed and this enables them to advocate for themselves as they make choices for themselves and their baby. For some, this can be a healing experience and a discovery of their own resilience.

Big thanks to all our Mother Companion volunteers, especially supporting through these strange times.

Illustration @cosmic.birth

#birthsupport #mothercompanion #givingbirthduringapandemic #bristolcharity #mothers #supportingwomen #rebozo #birth #labour #womensupportingwomen #equalrightsforwomen #continuityofcare #midwives #doulasupport

• Our Guiding Principles • Welcome to our ne

• Our Guiding Principles •

Welcome to our new followers ! At Project MAMA our Guiding Principles shape and inform the work that we do and how we support each other. Swipe to see them all ➡️

SOLIDARITY
We show active solidarity with marginalised migrant women through recognising that, though our struggles are not the same struggles, we share the same hope for the future. Through our commitment, work and compassion we meet the diverse needs of those we serve.

RADICAL NURTURING
Our trauma-informed practice is built on the fundamental belief that all mothers-to-be need compassion, support, care, and space leading up to the birth of their children. It is our belief that women have the right to be supported through their pregnancy and beyond in order to harness their power and to give birth safely, in spite of political barriers.

REINFORCING RESILIENCE
Despite the serious challenges that mamas face, women often exhibit tremendous strength and resilience. Mamas accessing our service come from incredibly diverse cultural backgrounds which hold knowledge of valuable birthing practices. We honour their rich lived experiences, culture and knowledge and promote this in the work we do.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY
Project MAMA is informed by the community it serves. Connecting women in a safe space allows for peer support and supportive friendships to thrive. It supports the building of an interdependent community where bonds are made through the shared experience of being and becoming mothers.

CHAMPIONING CULTURAL SAFETY
We practice in a way that promotes shared respect and a women’s unique identity, with a focus on trust, transparency and what they need to feel both emotionally and physically safe. We examine our own cultural identities and attitudes and are open-minded and flexible in our attitudes towards all people.

#guidingprinciples #solidarity #radicalnurturing #culturalsafety #cultivatingcommunity #reinforcingresilience #resilience #projectmama #charity

As Black History Month begins to wrap up, we wante

As Black History Month begins to wrap up, we wanted to share the story of this inspirational African-American Midwife, Margaret Charles Smith (aka Miss Margaret 1906-2004) who supported and saved the lives of thousands of mothers and babies.

At the time Miss Margaret was supporting women, African-American midwives were referred to as “Granny Midwives”. Although they were not officially recognised, they were crucial to the lives of American black women because most hospitals would not admit them as patients.

Miss Margaret’s primary income was made from farming and sharecropping, but she prioritised Midwifery in order to save her sisters and their children. She knew that she was their only hope in having a safe delivery.

In 1949, she was issued a permit to practice midwifery, making her one of the country’s first official Midwives. She continued as a Midwife until 1981 (even though midwifery was outlawed in Alabama in 1976).

She attended to the poorest, sickest, and most vulnerable women, wading through thick waters, and sometimes dangerous terrains. Miss Margaret saved a one and a half pound baby after creating an incubator with fire wood and water bottles.

She caught 3500 babies, the first being when she was five years old! Some nights she attended 4 births.

She was given a lifetime achievement award at the Black Midwife and Healers Conference, 2004, and described by Ina May Gaskin as a national treasure.

References:
margarethemidwife.blogspot.com/2013/10/margaret-charles-smith.html & midwiferytoday.com

#blackhistorymonth #bhm2020 #blackhistory #missmargaret #margaretcharlessmith #blackmidwife

As our online community grows, we thought we would

@refugeecouncil have put together a great resource

@refugeecouncil have put together a great resource for those navigating low mood, anxiety and uncertainty amidst displacement. Refugee mamas are significantly more likely to suffer poor mental health during pregnancy and during the postpartum period. It’s ok to ask for help. At Project MAMA we do all we can to provide consistent, nurturing support to see mamas through safely. Head over to https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/information/moments-for-mindfulness-guide 👩🏻‍🎨: @jessxsnow

Love you to the moon and back - a really special c

Love you to the moon and back - a really special campaign run by @sandscharity - creating a legacy of hope and comfort for every bereaved family. “Together we can take thousands of small steps to show the world how much every baby is loved”.

There are various challenges to sign up to - check out sands.org.uk/onamission

#onamission #sandscharity #loveyoutothemoonandback #babylossawareness #blaw2020

Illustration @mamamoonmuse 🌙

Remembrance, raising awareness and driving change.

Remembrance, raising awareness and driving change. Thank you @babyloss for leading #babylossawarenessweek

Here at Project MAMA the amazing @sandscharity facilitates a training day to help prepare our Mother Companions with the tools to support through baby loss. We were grateful for such in-depth training, tailored for the demographic we support. Thank you SANDS.

Our thoughts go out to all those affected by baby loss.

#babyloss #blaw2020 #training #remembrance #raisingawarneess #drivingchange #supportingthroughloss #mothercompanion

Our minds They bloom like flowers They shed their

Our minds
They bloom like flowers
They shed their leaves
Like trees
They go through moments of madness
They become a place of peace

Our minds are with us always
They govern our day to day
So what do you say, about opening it up
To make sure they stay okay?

It’s #blackmentalmaternalhealthweek this week. Another week to raise awareness for black women who statistically suffer the most.

Poem and words by @chaneensaliee

Illustration by @guadypleskacz

#blackmaternalhealthweek #raiseawareness #bmmhw2020 #amplifymelanatedvoices #supportingwomen #maternalmentalhealth #perinatalmentalhealth

Congrats Mama! Last night a mother brought a life

Congrats Mama! Last night a mother brought a life into this world with a Project MAMA Mother Companion by her side and excellent care from Bristol midwives. Mother and baby are blissed out and doing well. ✨The full moon holds much significance around the globe, notably that that the moon can effect the pull on a mother’s amniotic fluid. Do you know any full moon birthing beliefs or traditions? 👩🏼‍🎨@cosmicbirth
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#fullmoonbirth #refugeeswelcome #birth #doula #standwithwomen #maternalmentalhealth #maternalhealthmatters #newbaby #newbeginnings

The brutal and dystopic idea of off-shore detentio

The brutal and dystopic idea of off-shore detention for those seeking safety is gaining traction in the UK. Proposals from the government plan to send asylum seekers (many already experiencing significant mental health challenges) to disused oil rigs, abandoned ships or remote UK-governed outposts to be ‘processed’. We know this is inhumane and draconian. Feeling safe is an essential need. The #hostileenvoronment is getting worse, we must pay attention. Screenshot: @guardian

‘Blessings and thanks to this body This heart, t

‘Blessings and thanks to this body
This heart, this mind, these bones.
Blessings and thanks to this womb
Which served as a beautiful home
Blessings and thanks to my little one(s)
And all the teachings they bring
For lessons in love, joy and patience
For strengthening my roots and wings’

“I met Project MAMA 3 months before I had my daughter. They really prepared me well and I think that’s why my body was already prepared and it was ready when I gave birth. I felt very strong because I had somebody to keep on encouraging me. My Mother Companion who was with me that time after I gave birth was very proud and said ‘wow you did it!”

Special words from one of the women we’ve supported at Project MAMA. The poem extract is from ‘Closing the Bones’ by Paula Cleary and seems to fit so beautifully with this mother’s experience.

Illustration @spiritysol

#birthcompanion #mothercompanion #poem #motherhood #mother #supportingwomen #closingthebones #fourthtrimester #projectmama

Since inception, @chooselove have supported Projec

Since inception, @chooselove have supported Project MAMA to grow, not only supporting our Mother Companions project but more recently enabling us to continue delivering our Solidarity Care Packages to mamas experiencing vulnerability in Bristol. Thank you to all of the Help Refugees team for believing so so strongly in the work we do as a grassroots project, we’re excited to continue our collaboration ❤️✊🏼

Oxytocin is an incredible hormone that enables a p

Oxytocin is an incredible hormone that enables a pregnant person's body to labour. Oxytocin is referred to as the hormone of love but it is also a shy hormone, so will only release when the person in labour feels safe. For the women we support, feeling safe for them might mean something very different to someone else. During their antenatal sessions, their Mother Companion will listen to the mother and learn what makes her feel calm, what smells she likes, what food she will want to eat in labour, what sort of lighting will be just right and what music makes her smile. All of this helps them to create a birth environment that is calm and optimal for Oxytocin to release. This is the power of having one-to-one specialist support.

Illustration by @oliviaherrickdesign

#oxytocin #birthsupport #labour #givingbirth #antenatalsupport #equalrightsforwoman #mothercompanion #birthrights

Compassion, space, care and support leading up to

Compassion, space, care and support leading up to the birth of a baby is a right that we believe all women should have in order to harness their own power and give birth safely.

Many of our clients are survivors of sexual exploitation or violence meaning that there are many potential triggers in the birth room which can impact their experience, such as language, medical procedures, touch, eye contact, spacing in the room and gender of practitioners. We support to recognise potential triggers, unpack thoughts and ensure culturally safe, trauma informed care.

Illustration @sacree_frangine

#birthtraumaawarenessweek #birthtrauma #supportingwomen #butnotmaternity #equalrightsforeveryone #birthsupport #mothercompanion

This autumn, alongside our birth work we will cont

This autumn, alongside our birth work we will continue to deliver essential items to mamas and their wee ones. Our clients have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic both practically and financially and we're doing what we can to ensure no mama goes without.

We are recruiting volunteer delivery drivers to begin mid October in Bristol for 3 hours on Monday afternoons in Bristol. These roles are not merely delivering items; you'll be on the front line, conducting welfare checks and making sure mamas have everything they need. Owing to the nature of the work, we require female identified people. Training and DBS checks will be provided and expenses paid. Car use essential. Please email support@projectmama.org for more information ✊🏼❤️

No one should be facing giving birth alone or be l

No one should be facing giving birth alone or be left alone within hours of having their baby.
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At Project MAMA, our Mother Companions are vital in giving support to those who may otherwise be alone. Mother Companions give the continuity of care, unconditional and constant support that they may not otherwise have. They fully understand their needs and wishes and support them at every stage of pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards.
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Many of the women we support have complex health considerations, pre existing mental health issues, are survivors of sexual violence, have language barriers and culture preferences that already make giving birth a hugely isolating and daunting experience.
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We desperately need to see change so that no one is left birthing alone. We are following and supporting the
#butnotmaternity campaign.
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Illustration @simplysophiedesigns
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#enoughisenough #lockedoutofbirth #supportingwomen #birthpartner #birthrights #humanrightsinchildbirth

Like many, we've been shocked in the rise in numbe

Like many, we've been shocked in the rise in numbers of people attempting dangerous crossings to the UK, estimated to have doubled in 2020 compared to last year. We speak to mothers every day at Project MAMA who are the human side of this 'refugee crisis', mothers and mothers-to-be who are escaping war, political unrest, exploitation, genocide and poverty. What these women go through to ensure them and their families are safe is unfathomable, and words like 'brave', 'courageous' or 'resilient' seem to fall short when imagining what it takes to make choices to leave your home, family & community. Yet, the struggle does not stop when people arrive on British soil. According to the UNHCR, the UK takes in just 0.5% of the global refugee population, yet is ranked amongst the wealthiest 25 countries in terms of GDP (Turkey, in comparison, takes in 15% of the global refugee population, and Pakistan 5%). We understand that we have a huge amount of work to do and are now undertaking crucial advocacy work alongside the support and companionship we offer to speak women's experience to power. We know that the Home Office in the UK is consistently making (or not making) decisions that cost lives. They continue to fall short of their responsibilities and are failing the more vulnerable amongst us. The #hostileenvironment continues to thrive and we will continue to work for a more just society for refugee mamas, raising the next generation against adversity. Please, support your local refugee support organisations, write to your MP and demand an end to indefinite detention, protest chargeable NHS care, join your local refugee Welcome Centre. La luta continua- we have the responsibility to do more.

Earlier in the year, mamas attending our Bumps & B

Earlier in the year, mamas attending our Bumps & Babes Without Borders hub workshopped ideas for protests against the hostile environment. One attending mama came up with this encompassing statement, adamant that the children of asylum-seeking mamas should have the same rights & entitlements as their British counterparts. @rachelnosignwriting has done an awesome job bringing this to life! We can’t wait to take to the streets and march together in solidarity now we’re all suited & booted ✊🏼
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#endthehostileenvironment #asylumseekerrights #refugeeswelcome #ibelieveher #refugeemamas #strongwomen #stronggirls #solidarity #doula #radicalnurturing #refugeechildren

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