Stories

“It takes a village to raise a child” - African Proverb

We’re all familiar with the saying. Even if you didn’t know its origins, you’ve likely heard it said. The proverb is based on the premise that the responsibility of caring for a child extends beyond parents to the community in which they live.  

It’s this mentality that Mind Body Baby NC takes to heart. Raising a child is hard enough as it is, not to mention navigating the complexities of pre-and-postpartum struggles like postpartum depression, anxiety and birth trauma.

Founded by four independent perinatal practitioners, who are also mothers with their own postpartum experiences, Mind Body Baby NC was created to fill the gaps in community care and support that they felt were lacking. Fueled by this passion, these mamas built a local village of perinatal support, free of cost and judgement, in the Charlotte Metro area that new parents can rely on for educational resources and support. 

Mind Body Baby NC, like many organizations, relies on the support of generous volunteers who have special skill sets that are aligned with the services they offer. Many of their volunteers have supported their work for years both in the maternal mental health specialities and perinatal education. One remarkable volunteer is trained in maternal mental health and has given their time for over two years providing free counseling for those suffering miscarriage and loss, and another, a sleep specialist, give their time monthly to help moms troubleshoot their infant/toddler sleep issues. Additionally, many of the practitioners on their board also volunteer perinatal education to improve parenting confidence and reduce anxiety / stressors. 

With Black Maternal Health Week from April 11-17 and Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week following on May 3-8, they’re excited about providing some upcoming events that aim to address the mental health gap for new mamas. In conjunction with Maternal Mental Health Awareness week, they’re hosting a Mama’s Minds Matter event that will bring awareness of how much maternal mental health impacts the development of a baby and raise funds for their Community Care Fund (more on that later, so keep reading!).  

During the week-long event, Mind Body Baby NC will host activities like Laughter and Charcuterie, which will provide participants the opportunity to take a break for themselves, build a charcuterie board, and laugh with a comedian (after all, laughter truly is the best medicine, providing both short-and-long-term effects, according to Mayo Clinic). The Take Care of Yourself 0K is another fun opportunity to register and be incentivised to do GOOD and raise awareness by doing something that new parents rarely get to do - take care of themselves!   

Register for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week Activities now!

Whatever the barrier is for people to get mental health care, Mind Body Baby NC wants to be a part of the solution to remove it and get families the help they need to be mentally-healthy and raise healthy babies. That’s where the Community Care Fund, the benefactor of their Mama’s Minds Matter event, comes in. Medicaid in NC generally offers mental health care for mothers for only two months post delivery, and the average therapeutic session costs between $120-$200 depending on insurance, co-pays & therapist. With baby bills and costs to pay (right now, delivery costs are at an all time high for even the healthiest of deliveries), this can be a major barrier for women experiencing maternal mental health challenges. The Community Care Fund was created to help local mama’s pay the costs of needed mental health treatment, whether that be for childcare during the sessions, transportation, or the sessions themselves. 

The mental wellbeing of the mother, or primary caregiver, in utero and after delivery has lasting impacts on the infant's ability to form a secure attachment which influences cognitive and behavioral development. The science is clear. Maternal mental health is infant mental health. 

Join the village and support Mind Body Baby NC by donating to their Community Care Fund today and be an advocate for maternal mental health. Dig deeper into the how and why behind the Community Care Fund and SHARE this valuable resource for mama’s with your networks so no new mama in the Charlotte Metro area has to feel alone.