%20(2).png)
MBB's Community Care Fund (CCFund) was born simply out of the need we witnessed in our support groups. Giving caregivers a space to be real about perinatal struggles and connect with other who understand where they are coming from is immensely valuable. However, for many it's only part of what they need to process, heal and be their new infant require of them for healthy development.
In the US needing mental health support does not give you access - financially or functionally. Mental health is not part of the traditional standard of maternity care in the US, despite the mental wellbeing of the primary caregivers being so vital to the health development of an infant's brain.
- Obstetricians are not trained or paid to support their patients mental health concerns. The single diagnostic survey required in the US does not ask about perinatal anxiety, OCD, rage, or bipolar symptoms, and action based on results are not required. We have a pronounced mental health support shortage in the US with many moving to private practice do to unreasonable compensation from insurance companies. BIPOC and low income families are effected by these obstacles at significantly higher rates.
The CCFund is our effort to bridge the gap that exists in access to needed perinatal mental health services when cost, transportation or childcare is the obstacle. Below is a mother we are grateful to have been able to support. Our CCFund is completely dependent on our sustaining advocate donors - choose to be the change we need to see in community care by donating here.
Case #1080 - "K"
Case details:
K, an employed mother of one living in Charlotte, came to us pregnant with her second child.
Father decided to not be involved in the child's life, physically or financially.
While K is gainfully employed, being a single parent is financially straining. Her employer provides an insurance option, however its coverage does not include maternity care - prenatal, birthing or postpartum care.
- The average cost of delivery in NC is $11,050 (birth only), more for c-sections or any complications.
K was connected with MBB through the therapist she was hoping to see for her growing prenatal anxiety. She was unable to afford the mental health care she knew was needed, as her deductible was so high and was saving for her birth and leave from work.
K experienced a practitioner/facility induced traumatic birth with her first child and struggled immensely with postpartum feeding and sleep, as well. Her presenting prenatal anxiety was compounded by those past experiences and lack of support. None of K's family lives in state and did not have the physical and financial means to help her.
- One in three births are considered traumatic. Those with such birth experiences are at significant risk of also having a mood disorder. Additionally, 10% of trauma cases result in ongoing PTSD symptoms. One in four birth cause physical damage to the birthing person. Prenatal mood disorders significantly increases likelihood of postpartum mood disorders that increasingly affect baby in addition to the parent.
With the Community Care Fund:
Mind Body Baby was grateful to be able to support K with services to help her get through her birth and postpartum period as healthfully as possible.
1) We provided eight in-person sessions with a therapist trained in the nuances of perinatal mental health to help her manage her current anxiety.
2) We helped provide 20 hours of postpartum doula support for the early days of her postpartum period to ease the feeding, sleep and sibling care transitions.
3) Other MBB's services K utilized include -
a) free postpartum support groups
b) local perinatal professional directory
c) perinatal community calendar of other local classes & events
In the end, K felt the therapeutic counseling and newborn care support was incredibly helpful. "Thank you so much for supporting me through this very difficult time and making me feel like I was not alone." - K
We can't fill in the gaps of standard perinatal care without our sustaining donors. You can become a recurring donors today.