Five Years of Baby Umbrella community, connection, and nurture
- Laura Shtaingos
- Jul 15
- 5 min read
This summer, Baby Umbrella is celebrating a huge milestone — five years supporting families through some of the most tender, transformative, and challenging moments of parenthood.
From beginning around a kitchen table with tea and brownies to a thriving, trusted service supporting over 1,000 families every year across West Kent, the Baby Umbrella journey has been fuelled by courage, compassion, and community. Join us in Otford on August 2nd as we celebrate five incredible years, and reflect with us below on all we've achieved, as well as the future we’re building together.
It all Began with a Simple Idea
Baby Umbrella’s story began in 2019, when Jennie, Karen, and Laura — all experienced practitioners — sat down to dream about what support for new families could look like. At that point, they had been delivering groups, training, and support independently. But they were feeling stretched, trying to access funding, and facing the challenge so many in early parenting support know all too well: doing a lot, with very little.
They talked about the families they had supported — and the real difference that specialist support made. They knew how transformative good care could be for parental mental health and how inconsistent access to services left families feeling lost. So, they imagined something better: a joined-up service offering evidence-based, compassionate, and truly accessible support for families from pregnancy through the earliest years.
Turning Vision Into Reality
The spark ignited, and momentum grew quickly. As the team spoke to others in the community, they heard the same message: we need this. Practitioners, volunteers, and parents alike recognised the value of what Baby Umbrella was offering — and wanted to help.
In August 2020, Baby Umbrella officially became a registered charity. Soon after, new services began launching: a website, a growing social media presence and online support, and in the midst of COVID-19, PPE-clad face-to-face appointments across Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, and Tunbridge Wells.
As the lockdowns eased and service restrictions relaxed, our mission remained clear: meet families where they are, with kindness and evidence-based care.
Over time, we deepened the support we could provide to the community, adding a 1-1 confidential listening service and journaling groups to support parents with mental wellbeing, and training practitioners and peer supporters in infant and family sleep. Leading speakers on all sorts of parenting subjects were recruited to record free on-demand video content for the website. Our growth was organic and deeply collaborative — a reflection of the community spirit that defines Baby Umbrella.
A Snapshot of Impact
In just five years, the numbers speak volumes:
4,447 families supported
6,550 specialist appointments delivered
2,313 visits to our social group
98% of visitors would recommend Baby Umbrella to others
96% felt more confident feeding their baby
94% felt less anxious after receiving support
Beyond the numbers are the stories: parents who arrived overwhelmed and left reassured; mothers who found strength in each other during drop-in groups; breastfeeding journeys transformed with trustworthy information and support; thousands of babies growing up in strong and resilient families; and volunteers who discovered meaningful purpose and connection.
As one parent shared, “Life saving, without Baby Umbrella I would be lost and very alone. I know there is somewhere to go for help, support and hugs!”
Built on Community
Baby Umbrella is more than a service — it’s a community. Practitioners, peer supporters, trustees, volunteers, donors, and families all play a role in making it what it is. At the heart of it all is a shared belief: that early parenting deserves dedicated support, and that no one should have to face it alone.
From the outset, Baby Umbrella has received no statutory funding. Every appointment, every group, and every resource has been made possible by generous donations, fundraising, and an incredible team of both paid and volunteer staff.
Our multidisciplinary practitioner team of Lactation Consultants and Breastfeeding Counsellors bring expertise, skill and huge helpings of compassion. Within our high quality service they are able to do what they do best, give the gift of their time and wisdom to the new parents who walk through the door.
Peer supporters — parents with lived experience, trained to support others — are also a cornerstone of our model. Their empathy and expertise bring warmth and depth to every group. As one peer supporter explains, “The breadth and depth of experience on our team is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, and yet, none of us are scared to admit that there are things we don’t know."
And last but not least, our thriving team of Volunteers ensure that every session runs without a hitch, providing a critical warm welcome to parents as they come through the door, and looking after them so they can feel safe and cared for in our service.
We’re Here Throughout the Early Years of Parenthood
Baby Umbrella’s support spans the full spectrum of early parenting. Services include:
Feeding: Breastfeeding, bottle feeding, introducing solids
Sleep: Infant and family sleep support
Wellbeing: Perinatal mental health and emotional support
Community: Drop-ins, WhatsApp groups, social events
Families can access one-to-one appointments in person or via Zoom, join peer-led groups, or attend creative journaling sessions to process the emotional journey of parenthood. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging underpin all service delivery. We aim to be a space where every family feels welcome, heard, and supported.
Looking Ahead
As Baby Umbrella celebrates its fifth year, we aren’t slowing down. In fact, we’re growing stronger — launching new events, expanding our supporter base, and continuing to adapt to the evolving needs of local families.
Upcoming events include:
Our official 5th birthday celebration (August 2025) - you’re invited!
Tonbridge Dragon Boat Fundraiser (September 2025)
Otford Maternal Journal Groups (September 2025)
Our vision remains ambitious and simple: to transform new parenthood by creating a world where families are supported by community, not left to cope alone.
Thank You for Being Part of our Story
The Baby Umbrella journey wouldn’t have been possible without our community — you. Whether you’ve donated, volunteered, fundraised, or attended a session, you have made a real and lasting difference on our charity.
This charity exists because of the incredible generosity, time, and heart of so many people.
And there’s still so much more to come.
If you’d like to get involved — by making a donation, signing up to a challenge, subscribing to the newsletter, or volunteering please follow the links below.
Let’s celebrate five years of support, smiles, connection, and nurture. And here’s to the next five — and beyond.
Thanks to our amazing event sponsors for supporting our 5th birthday event!
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