A new, innovative peer support service for birthing families. By Stefanie Poole
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Peer support can help people to:
uilt on the values of community, camaraderie and connection, Mumma Bees ™ aim is to provide every birthing person • Feel accepted and validated access to a Mumma Bees Peer Ambassador who has walked • Better understand their experiences a similar mental health journey and can provide guidance, • Find coping strategies and tools to manage their mental and empathy, support and hope to other birthing people. emotional health
Vision
• Increase their knowledge and awareness of their experiences
Mumma Bees ™ is revolutionising peer support by creating and sustaining a well-trained and well supported international Mumma Bees workforce that is accessible for birthing families and their communities.
• Improve social skills
Our mission
• Access resources and support
• Increase their self-esteem • Find a sense of connection and belonging
• Use our collective wisdom, knowledge, and experience of mental health challenges in motherhood/parenthood to support other birthing families on their journey.
• Feel a sense of hope and optimism
• Create an innovative program that fills a gap in maternal mental health care by forming a peer-based hive for birthing people and their families to thrive.
• Create mutual understanding, shared identity and experiences
• Provide access to peer ambassadors who offer guidance, empathy, support and hope while delivering mental health education and resources to health professionals and the local community.
What is Peer Support and How Can It Help?
Peer support involves people drawing on lived experience or shared characteristics to provide knowledge, experience, emotional assistance, practical help and social interactions to help each other. It’s different from other types of support because the source of support is a person with lived experience. Peer support is one way that individuals, families and communities can manage their own health and wellbeing. (NESTA, 2016). Peer support is an evidence based practice which has proven positive results for individuals and communities. 68 Peninsula Kids – Spring 2021
• Find, and use, their voice
Why Mumma Bees are needed in our community.
• Suicide: suicide is the second leading cause of death for birthing people with 1 in 5 women having thoughts to harm themselves. (Seleni.org) • Birth Trauma : research shows that 1 in 3 Australian women have experienced birth trauma and 1 in 10 women emerge with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). • Isolation and Loneliness: Loneliness and isolation are reported as a major factor in new motherhood. This can lead to other problems such as; anxiety and depression. • Gaps in the System: Many birthing people are falling through the gaps with inadequate follow up, screening and assessment from care providers. More awareness, support and timely identification and treatment is needed to improve the mental health of birthing families.