Mama Bear & Baby Cubs Support Group
Kent District Library
Innovation Synopsis
Mama Bear and Baby Cubs is a unique program at KDL that provides maternal support and resources for mothers with young children. This is a holistic approach to maternal wellness, but the most important aspect of the program is providing a safe space for mothers to spend time with other mothers while their children are occupied.
Challenge/Opportunity
One recent study found that one in seven women may experience postpartum depression after giving birth. With 4 million live births annually in the U.S., this equates to almost 600,000 PPD diagnoses. Sadly, many women don't know where to go for support. Often maternal wellness support groups are found in hospitals or churches – but those spaces can carry expectations and sometimes trauma. The library can be a safe space for women entering into the tumultuous beginnings of motherhood.
Key Elements of Innovation
This is trauma-informed programming: creating a psychologically safe space for people using restorative practices. For example, this mom support group uses “the way of the circle,” an emerging social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals and social connections in communities. Partnerships:
- Kent Country Health Department
- Women Infant Children
- Feeding America of West Michigan
- Kent ISD Nutrition Program
- Gold Coast Doulas
- Amber Kilpatrick
- Cascade Yoga Studios
- Open Circle Community
Achieved Outcomes
We wanted to explore how librarians can support mothers and babies with community partnerships and support group programs. Abby has now gone through training on restorative practices through the International Institute of Restorative Practices and on how to properly run “the way of the circle” practice. Abby has also connected with the Kent County Health Department to provide mothers with essential resources such as WIC benefits, Safe sleep advisory and swaddles, new mama packs for every new mom, food pantries and more.
