Messages for Mothers – M4M – in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a group of organisations that work closely with South Africa’s mothers, our conversations with mothers have indicated high levels of anxiety and distress at the impact of the coronavirus on themselves and their young families. Pregnant mothers, in particular, are feeling anxious about the safety of their unborn babies. There is a lot of incorrect information out there and mothers are feeling more alone than before. Thus Messages for Mothers were born, an initiative that seeks to ensure mothers are supported with credible, evidence based information on COVID19 and its implications for them and their families, but that also provides content that supports and affirms mothers and reminds them that they are not alone.

As mothers ourselves, we understand that the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) represents a time of great uncertainty. Many of us are anxious – for our children, our families, for ourselves and for our future. As we continue the work of mothering, in physical distance from our communities of support, we need to remind each other that we are not alone.

The groups that are involved are Embrace, Perinatal Mental Health Project, Grow Great and Side by Side. Mothers of South Africa have questions and we will fill this gap by providing answers and support for their unique needs. Through the M4M platform, we will provide content that is credible, sensitive, relevant and packaged in a way that makes it accessible to mothers all over South Africa.