Being a new mom can be an overwhelming and challenging experience. Many new mothers struggle with exhaustion, weakness, fear, and shame, and may feel a need to appear invincible. The reality is that no one is invincible and no one should feel the need to pretend otherwise. Every new mom deserves the village of support they need.
Care For Women meets new moms’ needs
Care For Women is the first charitable organization in Canada, developed by mothers for mothers in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The organization provides support to new moms during the complex and challenging first month of motherhood. They pair a new mother with a dedicated and trained mentor who emotionally supports her through the first month postpartum and provides practical support such as holding the baby, playing with other children, and doing light household duties.
The need for this program is demonstrated by research indicating that 15-20% of women, pregnant or postpartum, experience some form of postpartum mood disorder, including postpartum depression and anxiety, OCD or PTSD (Byrnes, 2018). Comprehensive support around the mother and child, including social support, reducing fatigue, and providing meals, are important and effective ways to prevent postpartum depression.
The first step in creating a caring child, a future good citizen, is to care for his mother. Pregnant women need to be safe, nourished and nurtured. They need to be surrounded by loving people who support them and ease their stress. ~ Dr. Bruce Perry
What Care For Women does
Care For Women’s program includes one-to-one mentorships and professionally prepared meals to promote the physical health of new mothers and their babies during those tiring first weeks of motherhood. Additionally, cleaning services are offered to alleviate physical stressors around healing mothers during postpartum recovery.
In 2022, Care For Women had the privilege of providing support to 51 mothers in the Fraser Valley. Within the first quarter alone of 2023, they have already supported 28 mothers and presently have a queue of 63 mothers waiting to receive care.
Care For Women recently had a mother apply for support through Care For Women for a second time! She is preparing to welcome another child into her family and she wants Care For Women to be there, walking alongside her, again. They also recently had a mother apply to volunteer with Care For Women while she is pregnant and awaiting the birth of her own child so that she can support other mothers, knowing first hand how important it is as she will soon be in their shoes. These stories are so meaningful and continue to be the driving force behind Care For Women’s “why.”
About the Founders
Care For Women Foundation has been a service that has been growing in its founders’ hearts for a long time. Ideas were first scribbled in a notebook, then shared with other women. Together, Renae Regehr, Amanda Adamson and Kenzi Dirks began the process of bringing Care For Women Foundation to existence.
With 10 kids between them through home births, hospital deliveries and adoption, they understand it truly “takes a village” to raise kids and do life well. All three of them are clinical counsellors, so they understand that supporting mothers means supported babies.
Support mothers through Care For Women
Every new mother deserves support during postpartum, and organizations like Care For Women are crucial in providing that support. If you or someone you know could benefit from the support provided by Care For Women, visit their website. As a registered charity, Care For Women will provide a charitable tax receipt. Donations can be made as a one time contribution or as an automatic monthly payment.
Let’s work together to build a village of support for new mothers, so they don’t have to do it alone.
You can also find Care For Women on Facebook and Instagram.
Cover photo credit: Depositphotos. Reference: Byrnes, L. (2018). Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The Journal for Nurse Practitioner, 14(7), 507-513.
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