It is true that it takes a village to raise a child. However, in that equation, the mother is often forgotten. In an effort to reignite the consistent support and empowerment of mothers, Cradle of Life Limited (CoL), a local organisation focused on empowering mothers and supporting their postnatal bond with their child through breastfeeding support, hosted its first intimate event dubbed, “It Takes a Village” for newborn and postpartum mothers on Sunday, May 26, in Kingston.

“A mother’s work is never done, yet we take for granted all the things she does, as she seems to execute her tasks so effortlessly. It still takes a village. However, our village is so disbursed, with family members no longer in proximity; that the help we once had from grandparents, is now outsourced from nannies and babysitters. A mother’s mental load is comparable to countless jobs including cook, maid, driver, doctor/nurse, counsellor, just to name a few, on the clock 24/7. And because mothers do the job so well, they continue to play the role, not asking for help, because it is assumed that she should do it all by herself,” Simeca Alexander-Williamson, managing director of Cradle of Life Limited, said in a release.

“We’ve heard the saying all too often that ‘you cannot fill from an empty cup’ and it is with this in mind that mothers should be reminded that in their mission to grow and nurture their little ones, that they too indulge in self-care, nurturing relationships with themselves and their partners,” she continued, further noting that “Balance is key. It is always amazing, the emphasis that is placed on a woman when she is pregnant; after all, she has set out on a nine-month journey to build a human from scratch and bring that being into the world.”

Participants listen attentively during a breast feeding holding session at ‘It takes a Village’, an event for newborn and postpartum mothers on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Emphasising the importance of a village for mother and child, Alexander-Williamson said: “During the nine months, there are at least six visits with your healthcare provider, and that frequency increases to at least once a week in the last four weeks of pregnancy. In comparison, after delivery, you may see your provider maybe once or twice and after that it’s back to regular programming… A woman’s mind and body undergo so many changes during and after birth, what support is there for this transition? I must highlight that it isn’t that the support isn’t available, but rather that the awareness and accessibility to the support is lacking.”

The event boasted a mixture of interactive baby and mother-friendly presentations with subject matter experts as well as soothing and feel-good therapy-like sessions with ‘villagers’ who specialise in skincare, haircare, and babycare products and services, as well with some that are nutrition-based, and jewellery-based.

Alexander-Williamson emphasised the importance of breastfeeding, encouraging mothers to have confidence in their ability to provide all the necessary nutrients and support for their babies including hand expressing their milk and the varied breastfeeding holds.

Dr Carolyn Jackson engages participants in a discussion about newborn gender issues at ‘It takes a Village’, an event for newborn and postpartum mothers on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Meanwhile, Dr Kimberly Hoffman-Reid addressed postpartum expectations, offering practical advice and demonstrations. Dr Carolyn Jackson engaged participants in discussions about newborn gender issues, emphasising the holistic care parents and their village should provide.

The event, which doubled as the launch of CoL’s product line, Cradled, was rounded with personal stories from one of the Cradle of Life’s clients, Mishka Prendergast, about her journey into motherhood and the benefits garnered from breastfeeding support services and products. Launched, as well, was the CoL Instagram filter game called “CoL feed the baby” which saw mothers and villagers alike bobbing and weaving as they sought to capture the breastmilk to feed the baby on screen. The ‘Village’ welcomed by all in attendance seemed to have met its goal in fostering well-needed support for pregnant and postpartum mothers.

Dr Jackson expressed that the CoL event, “is necessary and important for mothers and their babies as not many events and communities like the ‘Village’ exist. I really love the concept and I hope to see much more from this event in the future.”

Participants enjoy a foot soak at ‘It takes a Village’, an event for newborn and postpartum mothers on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Dr Hoffman-Reid shared similar sentiments and said that she serves “many mommies who would greatly benefit” from a supportive ‘village’. Some of the postpartum mothers shared that they wished this event existed before they gave birth but expressed their gratitude, alongside the pregnant mothers for the event and its nurturing feel.

“I would encourage all newborn and postpartum mothers to engage with Cradle of Life for support with their journey,” said Michelle Blake-McKenzie, one of the participating mothers. Alexander-Williamson highlighted that CoL intends to host another ‘Village’ in November.