
Befriending
Bromley Mindful Mums Befriending service provides pregnant women and new mums with regular practical, social and listening support on a one-to-one basis.
Having a baby isn’t easy at the best of times, especially with the modern day demands of work, health and relationships, and traditional family support networks not always being an option. Challenges and struggles are normal during pregnancy and after birth.
To support women through this period and help them to stay well, Mindful Mums Befriending matches a pregnant woman or new mother with a trained volunteer Befriender to help with things such as:
- Accompanying the mum to a local group or out and about in the community
- Providing non-judgemental space for them to talk about the highs and lows of pregnancy, giving birth and motherhood
- Assisting with tasks in the home
- Finding out about and using other local services that can help.
All volunteer Befrienders are interviewed, background checked and trained, and have experience of the pressures and emotional difficulties that pregnant women and new mums can go through. Volunteers receive ongoing training and support as part of their role.
How to access the service
Pregnant women and new mums need to be referred to this service by a health visitor, midwife or Oxleas NHS professional. Please speak to your health visitor or midwife if you would like to be referred.
Refer someone to this service
Healthcare and support professionals can refer someone to this service. Please email Mindful Mums for a referral form.
Example of support
Jackie recently had her third child with her husband and the family lived in a third floor flat, in a building with no lift. Jackie’s husband worked long days during the week, and Jackie literally could not get out of the home until her husband was free at the weekend. Getting herself, two toddlers, a baby, their pushchairs and vital accessories down three flights of stairs, without assistance, was impossible. Jackie started to feel increasingly upset, stressed and depressed, and this was affecting her health and ability to look after her family.
A Mindful Mums Befriender helped Jackie get out of the flat more regularly and found groups for the toddlers to attend, giving Jackie some time to care for herself and her newborn baby.
What a mum said about Bromley Mindful Mums Befriending:
"My Befriender had her own previous personal experience of battling mental health. She visited me on Fridays and we quickly developed a good friendship. We planned to try and get out into the community which was something I was really struggling with outside of my routine of taking my daughter to school or visiting my parents. When we did, she constantly reassured me and was very understanding about my feelings and concerns. She always offered a reassuring ear and a sense of warmth in what at times felt very difficult, and was easy to talk to and friendly towards my household members.
"I always looked forward to our visits and after she left I felt a sense of positivity. I would recommend the Befriender scheme to other mums who are struggling.”
Who can use this service?
Bromley Mindful Mums Befriending is for pregnant women and new mothers (with babies under one-year-old) who are registered with a Bromley GP and may be experiencing stress, emotional difficulties or low to moderate level mental health problems. This service helps pregnant women and new mothers stay well and look after themselves.
How to access the service
Pregnant women and new mothers need to be referred to Bromley Mindful Mums Befriending by a health visitor, midwife or Oxleas NHS professional.
If you are pregnant or a new mum, you can ask your health visitor or midwife to refer you to this service for support.
Professionals will need a referral form that can be requested using the contact details below.
Mindful Mums Befriending will then assess a woman’s particular needs and match them with a Befriender, if the service is a good fit.
Find out more about Bromley Mindful Mums.
Contact
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Fiona Newman
Mindful Mums Project Worker
Tel: 07885 975129

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