Imagine the joy of having a baby. After many months of anticipation, parents are excited and relieved to finally see their child. Friends and relatives visit the hospital and home and celebrate the birth. The baby gets held. Photos are taken. People are smiling, and it's generally a cheerful time.
Now imagine a short time later when the mother is home alone with her child. She may start to feel overly tired, overwhelmed by the responsibilities, or simply not confident enough on how to be a mom. In some cases, that mom may experience a perinatal mood disorder (PMD) such as postpartum depression. PMD affects one out of seven new moms and even some dads.
Sara Binkley-Tow, the co-founder and executive director of MomsBloom, understands PMD first hand as she experienced it after her children were born. She says she felt anxious, behaved in an obsessive-compulsive way, and was having intrusive thoughts.
At the time, Binkley-Tow wondered if this was normal until she learned more about PMD. She says new mothers often "feel like we can do it all and we should do it all" and that creates stress.
Five years ago, this mother of two co-founded an organization to provide free physical and emotional support to new mothers. MomsBloom relies on around 40 active volunteers to be able to offer this type of care to nearly 250 families each year.
As part of the Flourishing Families program, the carefully-screened volunteers take care of babies so mothers can rest, help with household chores, provide nurturing and reassuring emotional support, and offer assistance in a variety of other ways. When necessary, they’ll connect women with resources in the community for additional help.
After going through a background check and the initial training, most volunteers average 2-6 hours a week. Binkley-Tow says they’re all "passionate about moms and babies" and most say they get more out of it than the families. Usually, the volunteer will work with the same family for 2-3 months and sometimes even longer.
By providing nonjudgmental social support, volunteers at MomsBloom are able to alleviate or prevent PMDs and help a mother bond with her child. If PMD is left untreated, it can change the life of the child and the family forever.
"Children are sponges and they take everything in," says Binkley-Tow.
Since MomsBloom began, they've helped more than 700 families "bloom" after giving birth. To celebrate five years of providing this support to new mothers (and a few dads), they’re having a "BloomBash" at the Richard App Gallery on March 7. The event is open to moms and dads, and more information about tickets can be found online. Binkley-Tow says they're currently seeking more sponsors and silent auction items if you'd like to get involved.
If you're a new parent who could use some additional support, or if you'd like to volunteer with the organization or attend BloomBash, here is some information to get you started:
- The BloomBash celebration is on March 7 at the Richard App Gallery in East Hills. Tickets are $35 or $60 for a couple and
available online or by sending a check to PO Box 522, Cannonsburg, MI 49317.
Source: Sara Binkley-Tow, Co-Founder and Executive Director at MomsBloom, Inc.
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Images provided by MomsBloom.
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