When Women Come Together, It's A Powerful Thing

Tuesday 28 March 2017

“Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing… magic happens”.

I love these words from Phylicia Rashad and they are never truer to me than through the course of my work.  Of course, The Baby Room is a commercial venture but primarily it is a labour of love. (If only that were enough to pay the bills!) My motivation has always been to provide a safe, supportive space for families, but particularly women, to come together, to share experiences, to build each other up, to laugh and to love and to recognise their incredible strengths as women, as mothers, as friends. 

Our recent information evenings gave me the opportunity to invite lots of women and their partners into studio, and to gather experts in a range of different areas to impart their wisdom and to offer guidance, support and hope to local families.  There’s a huge amount of organisation for these type of events and it’s always a nervous time, wondering if people will turn up on the night but happily, both our Fertility and Pregnancy and Birth Information evenings were really well attended.  But more than that, they were of major benefit to the families who came.  Our invited speakers shared freely and happily.  People engaged with each other and with the material.  They asked questions, shared a little of their stories and they left with a renewed sense of direction and focus.  I’m immensely honoured to have been a small part of that.

Sometimes sharing is not an easy thing to do, especially around fertility difficulties.  I saw that from the private messages I received from people, expressing their concern that they might bump into someone they knew.  That highlighted the huge need for more of these type of events, to challenge the secrecy, the silence and to impart the message that it’s OK not to feel OK.  There should be no shame or embarrassment attached to difficulties, in fertility, or indeed in any area of life.  We all need some help and support from time to time, and it’s a brave thing to accept that hand of friendship. 

The beauty of a group information evening is in knowing that everyone present has, is or will walk your path.  When I teach a “Loving Kindness” mindfulness exercise, one of the things we focus on is that just like ourselves, others also experience pain and suffering, and that just like ourselves, they want and deserve happiness. I always think it’s a lovely way of accepting the challenges we all share.  By imparting that mindset of “I wish you love, I wish you happiness”, it helps to frame our view of ourselves and others in a positive light.  And particularly around conception, pregnancy and birth, that positive mindset is so beneficial.  It’s great to gather information and I really feel that old adage of strength in numbers is so true. Leaning on others, drawing from their experiences can offer so much and maybe help create some magic too!