Baby Mindful Harrogate is a local, not-for-profit, social enterprise that supports maternal mental health. We're working on raising funds to provide some classes for free to parents with babies who've been born during the pandemic.

To get started we need £323 and we'd be so very grateful for whatever support you can give us to get to this figure. That might be a donation if you can, or sharing the fundraising link on your social media, or telling any new parents you know about the project (we'll be sharing how to apply for a place on the free classes soon too).  We're also working on securing long term funding for this project because, as we all know, the impact of the pandemic will be felt for some time.

Covid restrictions have been particularly hard for are pregnant people and new parents.

The emotional toll of restrictions is pretty huge. From needing to self-isolate in pregnancy to no birth partners allowed to scans to restrictions on when partners are allowed to support during labour and vastly reduced visiting during hospital stays, there's been many things that have impacted the pregnancy and birth experience. Then after birth too, life with a newborn is intense and isolating in normal times, but add in the restrictions of a global pandemic, perhaps meaning even immediate family can't support you, it's made for an unprecedented, and at times scary experience, as a result, evidence suggests that rates of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) have risen. 

Our classes introduce mindful tools for parents that can be beneficial throughout parenthood for years to come. From March we'd love to be able to provide some free blocks of classes to new parents who have been adversely affected by the pandemic, those who will really benefit from the mindfulness tools that are introduced in class. Hopefully, we'll be able to offer in-person classes but online offering is possible and just as beneficial.

Please, if you're able to support and help raise the funds for this initiative we would be incredibly grateful for any donations you're able to make.