We are excited to announce a three month pilot of a free Listening Service run by Breastfeeding Counsellors with additional training in perinatal mental health. Our practitioners are available to listen with kindness and compassion in a safe and confidential space on Zoom.
The service is open to all parents in West Kent who are finding things challenging, or who experienced any challenges around pregnancy, birth and the early months of parenting.
Examples might include:
Pregnancy
Giving birth
Feeding your baby
Adjusting to parenthood/ family life
Relationship struggles
High needs/ unsettled babies
Loss
Medical/ health complications
Feeling overwhelmed/ tearful/ anxious
Our service offers parents a confidential space to talk about their experience and the impact it has had on them. Each session is up to 75 minutes long and includes an optional guided relaxation at the end to enable any feelings that have come up to settle. Parents are welcome to attend on their own, or with a partner or supporter. Some may prefer to arrange help/ care for their baby during the session, but we are happy to welcome babies to the session if that is easier.
As part of this service, our practitioners can signpost parents to sources of further support, which could include NHS, affordable or private sector counselling services, health professionals, support groups, infant feeding services, etc. Parents are welcome to book for a further session if it feels useful, but this is not a regular weekly counselling service and is not appropriate for long term support.
If you know anyone who might benefit from this service, please do share this information. We anticipate this pilot will run until the end of May and if the pilot is successful we hope this will become a regular Baby Umbrella service.
You can book for a Listening Service session at babyumbrella.as.me.