Capturing the Impact – Project Mama

This year Wesleyan Foundation introduced a new Equality Grant, aimed at driving equality for marginalised groups, and increasing the diversity of the work that Wesleyan Foundation delivers. Project MAMA was one of eight organisations to receive funding and I was excited to visit the project in Bristol, meeting with Claire Smith CEO and Etti Corby Communications Officer to see how they were getting on.

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Project MAMA is the only charity providing specialist pregnancy and birth support to migrant women in Bristol. They’re a hive of midwives, activists, doulas, and birth workers who provide perinatal support. Wesleyan Foundation donated?￡5,000?to support the project in meeting the demand of their service.

Clare explained that Project Mama provides two services which all ‘Mamas’ can access. The Mama Companion service provides 1 to 1 support for migrant woman. It’s made up of a group of volunteer doulas and midwives, who support the Mamas in the run up to the birth and then with their newborn babies for up to 8 weeks. The main aims of companions are for the Mamas to have a positive birthing experience as possible and to provide a holistic service where companions meet the Mamas at their chose location.

Companions provide emotional and physical support, information, and advocacy. The emotional support offered enables Mamas to un-pack ideas, concerns and wishes. They listen, give encouragement, reassurance, and offer a consistent physical and nurturing presence. A lot of the Mamas have come to England to flee traumatic experiences such as war or domestic abuse, so to support these needs the companions help Mamas to access other specialist services. The physical support helps with comfort measures, breath work, massage, relaxation, and guidance with infant feeding and settling. Advocacy and getting Mamas the information, they need is a large part of the companion role. They work to ensure Mamas have access to interpreters for their medical appointments and to ensure they understand how birth works and are aware of their rights and choices ? in their childbirth. The range of information shared could be anything from non-medical advice and guidance on NHS care to signposting to partner agencies.

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During my visit one of the Mama Companions had dropped by to collect a car seat for a newborn baby. It had been a busy evening the night before with three Mamas going into labour and two babies arriving early. Claire explained that Companions work a 3-4 week on call rota around the due date of their Mama to ensure they always have someone available for the birth.

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The second service Project Mama delivers is the MAMA hub which is a weekly drop in for pregnant and new Mamas with children up to 3 years old. The hub provides a social space for Mamas to support one another, as well as different activities such as wellbeing, henna, cooking workshops, and guest speakers including lactation and pelvic health specialists. Etti said “The hub has continued to grow, and often Mamas create great friendships, and end up travelling down together, as many can be living in the same accommodation. To help make the hub truly accessible all travel expenses are paid for Mamas to come.” As migrant women have particularly low incomes this expense is vital to allow access.

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“They consoled, they comforted, they listened, they helped, and they supported me in any way and all ways I needed them to. Made sure my wishes and needs are met and respected. When my baby came, they taught me to support him, to hold him, taught me not to be afraid, told me my best was good enough and my instinct as a mother is 100 perfect. They will educate me but never force any of their knowledge.” Mama who used the service.

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When asked about what Project Mamas plans were for the future, they said they’re advocating hard for more strategic change, because a lot of the issues Mama’s face, come down to institutional issues within the NHS, such as not being offered interpreters to medical appointments. “How can someone consent to treatment if they don’t know what the treatment is”. To help address issues like these, Clare sits on a Health partnership board to create change and drive equality for Mamas. Project Mama are also looking to improve their own governance by introducing a new Lived Experience Advisory Group, made up of Mamas who have used the service. This group will be aligned to the board of trustees but will act as a conduit for all Mamas to feedback and help design services.

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Having experienced my own children’s births last year, I know how complicated and stressful it can be, but adding the context of life experiences migrant women are facing, I can understand how valuable this service is. It was a great to meet with the Project MAMA team, who are truly delivering what we were looking to achieve within our new Equality Grant, and I look forward to seeing how Project MAMA continue to grow and create positive change in childbirths for migrant women in Bristol.

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