Mothers' support group formed

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 17, 25 September 1984, Page 2

Mothers' support group formed

A 'New Mothers' Support Group' has started up in the Waimarino and members will hold their first gettogether on Monday 8 October at Waimarino Hospital. Noeline Bishop, spokesperson and founder of the group, said she got the idea of starting the meetings locally after reading an article in 'More' magazine. The New Mother Support Groups started with a pilot group in Wellington in March 1979 when a small group of women got together because of personal and professiorial awareness of the isolation that so many women experience after the birth of a child. This isolation, coupled with all the many changes for the mother with a new baby, leads to stress. Social isolation for the mother of a new baby is very real indeed. With present day family and housing structures a woman can literally be left on her own week after week, without

family or friends in the area, often without contact with the neighbours and without a vehicle. Added to this is the sudden, new and demanding job as mother in a society where they receive little training or preparation for such a role. In an effort to help this situation, the New Mother Support Groups were formed offering neighbourhood meetings which are friendly and supportive to any woman who has a child under the age of two. The groups are unique in that they focus on the mother herself, providing a time for the women to develop themselves and one another. The first meeting in the nurses' home day-room, will discuss the format of future sessions. A creche has been organised and the group sessions will be free of charge.

Mary Anne

Gill