New Mums
The experience of giving birth or taking a baby home has changed significantly as a result of COVID19. Home births are much harder to organise, ante natal classes have been cancelled, occasionally some partners may have trouble attending the birth, post-natal care has changed to phone contact and occasional weighing appointments and social distancing is restricting support by family and friends. Some pregnant people and new mums are feeling forgotten at a time when the research shows they are experiencing complex change and family adjustment. On the plus side, this time is giving new parents a unique chance to get to know their baby and spend some quiet time, lots of babies are thriving from all the attention....but Mums need support too.
The #NewMums campaign aims to promote Acts of Kindness that support pregnant people and new mums. The Campaign is inclusive of migrant and refugee women, indigenous women, women of all sexualities, trans, gender diverse and non-binary people, women living with a disability. The Campaign is being co-led by The Kindness Pandemic and our partner Drummond Street services. The Campaign includes: stories from new mums about what they are experiencing and how we can help; care pack ideas for new mums, and a Commemorative Birth Certificate.
A very big thank you to graphic designer Carla Innes, from Light and Shine Design for suggesting this campaign and for designing the Commemorative Birth Certificate.
The #NewMums campaign aims to promote Acts of Kindness that support pregnant people and new mums. The Campaign is inclusive of migrant and refugee women, indigenous women, women of all sexualities, trans, gender diverse and non-binary people, women living with a disability. The Campaign is being co-led by The Kindness Pandemic and our partner Drummond Street services. The Campaign includes: stories from new mums about what they are experiencing and how we can help; care pack ideas for new mums, and a Commemorative Birth Certificate.
A very big thank you to graphic designer Carla Innes, from Light and Shine Design for suggesting this campaign and for designing the Commemorative Birth Certificate.
How to participate
- Stories: If you are a new mum would love to hear your story about what you are experiencing and how people have helped. Share your story to our Facebook page with a photo (or send us an email, details below) and please use the hashtag #NewMums (see Story Gallery below)
- Care Packs: information about care packs to send to new mums is coming soon
- Commemorative Birth Certificate: to remind children they were born in a time of kindness.
Care packs
It's hard to ask for help. Care Packs can help new mums to communicate to their family and friends what they can do to help them. The image below provides a list of things that the new mum might want help with. Pregnant women and new mums are invited to check off the items on the list that they need help with and then post it on their social media or share by email or text with family and friends.
|
|
Commemorative Birth Certificate
At key points in our history commemorative birth certificates have been produced (see here for example). The Certificates are not legal documents and can't be used for official purposes. They are decorative mementos. There are likely to be few people who want to remind their child they were born during the extraordinary challenges of COVID19. However, there is an opportunity to remind children born now that they came into the world at a time where we were forced to rethink the way we live; and at a time where people reached out to support each other with unprecedented kindness. Thankyou Carla Innes from Light and Shine Design for the certificate. Download pdf here or jpeg here
Gallery of stories
We asked a number of mums to share their stories with us about: what they are experiencing (what has changed as result of COVID19) and how have they been supported.
Jessica Mushoul
Hi all - I just had my baby on the 22nd May. I was pregnant during the crazy summer bushfires and Covid19. What I can say - there were pros and cons during the difficult time. I will start with the cons - I didn’t get to celebrate my baby shower with family and friends, no maternity photography shoot, no visitors at the hospital when baby arrived, my work finished early at 30.5 weeks of my pregnancy .. which I had to use other leave during the 4 weeks I was supposed to work .. It didn’t feel much excitement and hype for my maternity leave as we were already at home self isolating .. so there was no hype! Lastly my doctor's appointment was limited towards the end after 35 weeks. When you should be seeing your doctor weekly I only saw him every 3 weeks !! So you had to self monitor all the time! Pros / I got to be with my son and give him my 💯 attention for year 5 home schooling .. saved travelling time for school pick up and drop off , clean and cook and save money. I had help from my in-laws with the cleaning and setting up baby room nursery ..I also liked the fact there were not many people in the hospital at the time I was giving birth .. so it was comforting not many people chose to stay after birth delivery.
Hi all - I just had my baby on the 22nd May. I was pregnant during the crazy summer bushfires and Covid19. What I can say - there were pros and cons during the difficult time. I will start with the cons - I didn’t get to celebrate my baby shower with family and friends, no maternity photography shoot, no visitors at the hospital when baby arrived, my work finished early at 30.5 weeks of my pregnancy .. which I had to use other leave during the 4 weeks I was supposed to work .. It didn’t feel much excitement and hype for my maternity leave as we were already at home self isolating .. so there was no hype! Lastly my doctor's appointment was limited towards the end after 35 weeks. When you should be seeing your doctor weekly I only saw him every 3 weeks !! So you had to self monitor all the time! Pros / I got to be with my son and give him my 💯 attention for year 5 home schooling .. saved travelling time for school pick up and drop off , clean and cook and save money. I had help from my in-laws with the cleaning and setting up baby room nursery ..I also liked the fact there were not many people in the hospital at the time I was giving birth .. so it was comforting not many people chose to stay after birth delivery.
Ani's story (shared by Stella Sun)
It has been hard not having a mother’s group to go to, and having to home school my older son whilst managing the family, baby and house chores. I’ve had a conflicting desire to go out yet I don’t want to put the baby or myself in a situation where we could catch the virus. What has been easier is being able to stay home in PJ’s with the baby (making breastfeeding much more comfortable) and not having to go out for other commitments. Friends have shown kindness by keeping in touch, being available for a chat or dropping by when they can.
It has been hard not having a mother’s group to go to, and having to home school my older son whilst managing the family, baby and house chores. I’ve had a conflicting desire to go out yet I don’t want to put the baby or myself in a situation where we could catch the virus. What has been easier is being able to stay home in PJ’s with the baby (making breastfeeding much more comfortable) and not having to go out for other commitments. Friends have shown kindness by keeping in touch, being available for a chat or dropping by when they can.
Melissa, 28.
One of the most difficult things for me having a baby during covid-19 was coming home from hospital and knowing that my mum and dad weren’t going to come over and see the baby. I had always imagined how beautiful it would be to see my dad, who was sick nearly all 2019 and has just recovered - holding our baby and that couldn't happen. It still hasn't happened and my babies 4 weeks old now. Yes we've done Skype and everything but it really makes me cry that he's missed out on that. Last week my brother drove dad down and we took the baby up to the car window so he could see her, he said she was beautiful. #NewMums |
Melina, 32.
As a sole parent by choice I had all my friends and family lined up to help me and no one's been able to come over to the house or visit me in hospital…. so this is pretty much it. Feels like the worlds turned upside down and the house is chaos. My workmates gave me a voucher for a cleaner which is a great gift for later but I can’t use it!!! On the plus side it feels like it's you and me against the world baby and he's being very good and we're getting to know each other but I can't wait to have people over and just go to sleep! #NewMums |
Sandrya, 30
My husband has been upset that his grandmother hasn’t seen the baby as she is in a Nursing Home. I have been upset that I cant get out and socialise with my Mothers Group. We have only met online. I have wanted to see the maternal nurse more but you cant you have to wait your turn. I had trouble with breastfeeding and someone helped me over the phone but it wasn’t the same. I am keeping fit by walking everyday and a nice neighbour gave me some flowers from her garden when I was on a walk and I introduced the baby, which made me happy. #NewMums |
Contact us
Partners
|
|
