Strong Mama’s, Thriving Babies (SMTB) is a program that will change the world, one mom at a time. There is no harder job than motherhood. Just when you think you have the job figured out, the requirements change, the human being you are taking care of changes, and you start all over again trying to “re-invent” how you will take care of this human being. When things change rapidly, it is sometimes very difficult to adjust, pivot and figure out how to proceed. With support from other moms who are going through the same things at the same time, motherhood becomes more of a “village” activity instead of an individual one. Without a village of support, being a mom is lonely, overwhelming, frustrating and all-encompassing. With SMTB, EVERY mom, no matter what their economic status, background, or location, will have the ability to be a part of a support system of their peers. The SMTB program will include:

• One-to-one visits
• In-person weekly gatherings
• Online portal
• 3, 6, 9, 12 check-ins
• Evaluation and data reporting

One-on-one Visit

Every new mom will receive a personal visit from an SMTB program representative to welcome them into the village of support, explain the program, and provide registration information. Moms will have the opportunity to ask questions, read through the information and make the choice of whether to participate or not. The program is open to them if they come to the conclusion later that they want to participate but didn’t from the beginning. This village of support is not a one-size-fits-all program, so it is important that all moms have the choice to opt into the program later in their motherhood journey. The SMTB program information will be available through www.yanam2m.org as well as on the hospital’s postpartum support website.

In-person SMTB Weekly Gathering Program

The program is designed to allow every mom to have a support system of other moms who give birth within the same calendar month. For example, all of the moms who give birth in the month of January will return to the hospital (to a conference room, not the admitted area) where they will sit in a big circle with baby on a blanket in front of them or in a stroller behind them and the support will begin. These gatherings will normalize the conversation about how hard motherhood is. It will create a bond among moms where every one of them will hear that there are other moms going through the same things as they are. They will see that they are not alone and that they are supported. Peer-to-peer support is powerful when you are in a room full of people who are going through the same things and can truly feel your pain. These gatherings will be encouraged to be in person but a zoom option will also be available.
Each of the four weeks of the SMTB program will have a specific “curriculum.”

Week 1: We will focus on getting to know one another, discussing motherhood, discussing common motherhood struggles, and normalizing the fact that you will NOT love every second of motherhood and that’s ok. Every mom will be allowed to speak and connect. We will discuss how the program will proceed and everyone will be given the information on how to proceed with the online portion of the program (Microsoft Teams for the time being).

Week 2 &3: After we have an opening connection time, we will have guest speakers come speak about different topics (10-15 minutes) for weeks two- and three of the four-week program. We will have speakers who will educate moms on sleep and its importance to mental health, mindfulness and how positive mental health goals are important for all moms, the importance of moms staying true to themselves, and whatever goals and aspirations they might have had before they were a mom. We will discuss identity crises’ and how they can derail motherhood and contribute to negative mental health. Mental health will be discussed with the purpose to normalize how the mental health of moms needs to be addressed, given the attention it deserves and the consequences that could become dire if and when it is not monitored.

Week 4’s topic will be “what’s next” for the group of moms. SMTB has created a village of moms who are all going through the same thing at the same time and can be peer-to-peer support for each other. There is always a natural leader in each group and that leader will be addressed and asked if they would like to be the “leader” of that month’s group. That person will help monitor the group on Teams, they will help ensure the group is planning gatherings, playdates, and other events as well as utilizing Teams appropriately.

Online Portal

With the need for things to be both in-person and online, we will also have an online portion of the program. An app has been developed for the program to allow the moms to chat with one another online, create a calendar of events, have side groups with conversations about topics like cloth vs. disposable diapers or breast vs. bottle feeding or co-sleeping opinions and thoughts. These conversations will help moms to understand that motherhood can be a “team sport” and with the support, advice, and a peer-to-peer system, having a village can truly change the motherhood journey. Our online portion of our program will make the support accessible for all moms. In uncertain times, having both online and in-person programs is essential.

3,6,9,12 Check-ins

Another portion of the program will begin when moms are in their third month of motherhood. The 3,6,9,12 program is a mental health phone call for every mom in their third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth month of motherhood. These phone calls will be a mental health check-in for every mom. After giving birth, babies are given an APGAR score to assess how well they are doing outside the mother’s womb. This APGAR score is the first time the baby’s health is assessed. Babies are constantly assessed after birth. This attention is necessary for the health and well-being of the baby but no one is taking the time to assess the health of moms. Moms are assessed while in the hospital, after giving birth, and then one more time at their six-week postpartum OBGYN/Midwife visit. Often moms are still in the euphoria of becoming a new mom at their six-week postpartum visit and don’t know that what they are going through could be more than just the “baby blues.” These phone calls will just be a mental health check-in with each mom so that they know that 1) someone cares about THEM and 2) after talking through their symptoms and feelings they will be advised whether or not what they are going through is normal. The caller will have lists of resources available to give to moms (local mental health professionals who will are accepting new patients, suicide hotlines, other mental health resources if needed). These calls will be recorded and notes will be taken by the caller so that every mom’s progress will be followed. After giving birth, moms are not allowed to say, “what about me” or “no one wants to talk about me, it’s all about the baby.” Being a good mom doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing for moms. Moms are still human beings with feelings, and needs, and therefore deserve someone to ask about THEM. These phone calls will be a screening tool to ensure the needs of the moms are addressed. The 3,6,9,12 program will change how moms are supported after changing their entire identity. After giving birth, women often lose their own identity, and when they feel as though no one is checking in on them or that they are allowed to say, “what about me”, their chances of experiencing postpartum depression are much higher. According to the Mayo Clinic, Postpartum depression can be a combination of physical changes as well as emotional issues. “You may feel less attractive, struggle with your sense of identity or feel that you’ve lost control over your life. Any of these issues can contribute to postpartum depression.” (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postpartum-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20376617). This portion of Strong Mamas, Thriving Babies will change how moms are supported after giving birth. These phone calls will be another form of mental health wellness protocol with better screening of more serious postpartum depressive episodes and further mental health interventions.
There will be an online database kept for each phone call made so that all discussions are documented for further scrutiny and/or interventions if needed. These will be kept in a confidential database for callers to have the opportunity to review previously made phone calls. This will allow the callers to have topics to discuss with each mom from their history. This will also allow moms to feel more comfortable with their phone calls because the caller will have prior knowledge regarding their background. Their progress, concerns, and any further resources provided will be recorded and followed up in their next call. Every phone call will have a specific protocol of leading questions to allow moms to chat about how they are feeling and discover if what they are experiencing is normal or within normal ranges. These conversations will NOT be considered a diagnostic tool but instead a check-in on moms who may or may not have the support they deserve after giving birth. These calls will change how postpartum care is defined and how moms are cared for in the first year postpartum.