Holding Hope: Young Mums, Mental Health and Connection
The young mums MAS project is a peer support group, designed for young mums aged 16-25years old.
Many of the young woman who come to young mums MAS group have high levels of maternal mental health needs. Most of the young mums have Adverse Childhood Experiences and also encountered stressful and traumatic life experiences as young women. Research tells us that young mothers aged 25 and under have been identified as being at particularly high risk of experiencing mental illness in the perinatal period, with postnatal depression up to twice as prevalent in teenage mothers compared to those over 20. The MBRRACE report has also very sadly highlighted an increase in teenage maternal suicide in recent years. Understanding the needs of young mothers requires an intersectional approach. Without it, we risk flattening the experiences of young mothers and reinforcing the very systems that marginalize them.
Our groups are a safe place located in women’s centres with wrap around support. Free child care is on site, young women can connect, breathe, focus on their own needs. We know Peer Support doesn’t just create a warm and fuzzy feeling for participants, it is an effective Trauma Informed Approach in supporting young women because at the heart of this model is connection, safety and co-regulation and key therapeutic relationships.
We know that early intervention is key when it comes to maternal mental health and we know the link between maternal mental health and infant mental health. Therefore, for young women with social complexities who are fearful of reaching out for support, Young Mums MAS is vital in supporting these young women in their motherhood journey. The project provides opportunities for social connections with peers, to reduce isolation and loneliness and activities and workshops that improve mental health, promote emotional wellbeing and encourage personal development….and of course, get a cup of tea!
A few months ago, a young mum, attending one of our groups, looked me in the eye and said “yes” when I asked if they were feeling suicidal.
I did everything you’re trained to do.
But if I’m honest, it felt like I stepped into that darkness for a moment too.
The pain is always deeper for the person living it. However, for those of us who support, listen, hold & help we can feel the weight as well.
So I wrote this:
“When work feels heavy and close to the bone, I practice the words I’ve so often known:
Self-care is real, not just something you say, it’s something you choose at the end of the day.
So I cooked up a storm, let the chopping begin, Following recipes, grounding within.
I kneaded the dough, let my worries unwind, Flour on my hands, some peace in my mind.
I walked in the rain, the hail and the sun, Lifted weights in the gym, even went for a run.
I stared at the sky, the grass & flowers too— Nature reminding me: new things come through.
Hot baths. Sweet family. Small, steady care.
Still all week she lingered
in my heart and my head,
a quiet companion wherever I tread.
For her, I hope blooming comes gently and soon, that life gently shifts to a happier tune.
And maybe these words, now set free to roam, help me — help you — feel a little less alone”
By: Jennifer Wright, Young Mums Mas project worker
If this touches something tender for you, please reach out to someone you trust or a support service. You don’t have to hold it alone.
Find out more about support services here.