While there are numerous communities where women can exchange tips, advice new mothers on how to handle the baby with regard to breastfeeding, diaper changing, what formula to use or not, toilet training, weaning, teething etc. There is an acute shortage of safe space to deal with the emotional turmoil and the toll that a new mother has to undergo while she multitasks to take care of the baby. From coping with the extended family, fulfilling expectations of others/self, transformation in the relationship with her husband, s*x, her own s*xuality, a new identity from a woman to a mother, career and so many other issues. From our own personal experience what we can safely say is that this journey is extremely lonely and it creates a sense of isolation especially in the first 1 year of the mother’s life. She may have an extremely supportive family, spouse, work environment but what truly makes a difference and the job easy is when she meets other mothers who have similar challenges, where they both can share their stories, talk about the various complexities, cry a little, laugh at the irony of their situation and more. This creates a sense of community, solidarity with each other which provides the energy to keep calm and carry on. We are a group of trained therapists and psychologists trying to create a forum for the birth of a mother. Like the saying 'it takes an entire village to raise a child', so eventually everything else gets managed and handled but what is missing is an outlet for the plethora of 'not-so-pleasant' emotions that ‘motherhood’ brings with itself. Jananya is a structured facilitated support group for young mothers where they can come together to talk about their emotional trials and tribulations as they start their journey into their new identity of ‘motherhood’. This will be a formal structured support group for young mothers which will be facilitated/moderated by us (Divya and Nabonita). In this support group mothers will meet each other at a pre-decided venue, for an hour or two once or twice in a month to just talk about themselves for about 5-6 sessions. Keep following this page to get regular information and spread the word to all the young and to be mothers.
