MAMA HAVEN 10 FAQs
On Wednesdays at Hope Corner sessions
Are you wondering about coming along to #mamahaven ?
Whether you’re going to make it on time?
Whether you will be judged for having a crying baby?
Whether you will look messy and your baby needs changing?
Whether you will make any friends there?
All your worries are completely understandable and very common. ALL mums have them! I hear how overwhelming new motherhood all is! AND… Mama Haven IS going to be the perfect place for you!
It doesn’t matter if your baby cries. We will help you, bring you drinks, give you smiles and encouragement and not judge you!
It doesn’t matter if you are late. It’s only good to be there from the beginning as 1.5 hrs goes SO quickly, and we want you to make the most of your time with us!
Some mums stay on in the cafe after the session to have a shared lunch!
You don’t need to look perfect, your baby can sleep during the session (many do), mums breastfeed, bottle feed, rock their babies, sling their babies, push their babies around the room in a pushchair to get them to sleep.
I have refreshments for you/everyone to share during sessions so you get fed and watered a bit.
I’m a hugger if you like it, not everyone does, and LOVE holding babies so you get to rest your arms for a bit and get to have a drink or snack without interruptions.
We have a lovely space, comfy seating, clean toys for the babies, soft music and lavender scent…
We read poetry, do mindfulness exercises such as breathing and guided relaxation, sometimes we sing, sometimes we move. I am guided by YOU, the community and the needs in the room.
We discuss everything motherhood, perinatal period and I invite guests to enrich the discussion. In the past we have had postnatal recovery experts, women’s physio, sleep expert, Thula mama singing and matrescence facilitator, baby and child development expert, first aid teacher, C section recovery expert, infant feeding specialist, elimination communication and cloth nappies information session, birth trauma specialist, craniosacral therapist amongst others.
Think again! Your baby is most likely 0-6 months old when you join. What your baby needs right now is a mother who is present, well and confident. You have the best chance of achieving this while you are part of a community that GETS you!
As women, we often find it VERY hard to put ourselves first. Even for an hour at a time. Even for a few minutes at a time. We have been conditioned to put ourselves LAST and serve others at all times. That’s our role in life. Bear with me though:
You are transitioning from your cocoon like state (pregnancy) to the beautiful butterfly you are becoming (a mother). All from your caterpillar state from before (woman) – a complete transition nobody could prepare you for…
You may be wondering if you are still the same person as you were before giving birth?
What is your role now? What is happening to your body? What is your (new) identity? Are your old friendships going to last? What about your partner? Is your relationship changing? What about sleep deprivation? How are you going to cope with keeping your baby alive and well?
Come and MELT INTO MOTHERHOOD with Mama Haven. No right answers here. Messiness is welcome inside and out!
So doing this for yourself IS indeed doing it for your baby. Your well-being = your baby’s well-being. And they make great pals there during the sessions while they play alongside each other!
Nope, it is not. All welcome, regardless of your mode of feeding!
You may have noticed I am a lactation consultant with my ‘other hat on’.
Here, in this space, I am your mother guide, matrescence specialist and mothers’ circle facilitator.
However, you are welcome to take me to the side at the beginning or end of the session for a quick question or check in with your feeding journey and I’ll be more than happy to help!
100% yes.
If you feel well, brilliant! You can be a huge source of support to those around you who are down in the dumps and struggling. Who wouldn’t want to give back? Who hasn’t been there before? Hands up if you never struggled with lack of support after a sleepless night or trying to negotiate public transport. Own up if you never had any mental health challenges.
Together we are more than the sums of the parts.
So come for the community, because mothering is NOT MEANT TO BE DONE ALONE! We all need a community, so we can support each other during the ups as well as the downs.
You will gain COMMUNITY. We are social creatures. While you’re transitioning into motherhood, it is vital for you to build a support network around you. You gain by taking and by giving. You need holding, so you can go and hold others. There is no end to this cycle. Motherhood is the SINGLE HARDEST THING YOU WILL EVER DO. For you to do it well, learn to receive, on an ongoing basis. Because you will have to give out on an ongoing basis too.
I have designed a pricing structure to suit all, and to make it accessible for all. If you don’t find a price point that works for you, get in touch and we make sure you get to come along! Nobody will be turned away due to finance.
You will find my pricing super competitive in Barnet context, this has been commented on amongst my participants.
Definitely! I came to England with very little spoken English many many years ago. I get it! We have a variety of nationalities amongst ourselves, I think I attract foreigners, being one myself!
We use a lot of body language during these sessions. Gestures, facial expression, tears and laughter, food and scents, visuals (posters and books) are all very much part of communication. We can adjust our language and slow down, wait and support as needed, so nobody feels isolated or left out!
Come and feel the space for yourself.
In the words of one of our very recent participants:
“I wanted to personally thank you for Mama Haven the other day. I was feeling overwhelmed before I came and the moment I entered the space everything stressful melted away. It honestly felt like heaven! It truly felt like it saved me and since Wednesday I’ve just felt so much better knowing I’m not alone and there’s a little ‘sanctuary’ that I can go to.”
I try and offer as much flexibility to attendees as humanly possible for a small business owner. You are welcome to postpone one of your sessions if you booked a block of 3, and 2 of your sessions if you booked a block of 6.
I appreciate as much notice as possible, but I also realise ‘life happens’ with young babies (nappy explosions, last minute endless feeds and that much sought after nap you don’t want to interrupt at any cost!
Just drop me a message and we find a solution! Last minute bookings are also OK, though I prefer if you can possibly give me some notice (at least 24 hrs if possible).
Until your baby starts to walk. This is a mindful and tranquil space, and you and your fellow participants will benefit most if you are able to sit in the space without the need for running around chasing little ones. It’s on my mind to set up a toddler group in future, so watch this space! Because mothers need support at ALL stages of motherhood.
