Who is a mama?
Any person who is becoming a mama for the first time or again through birth, surrogate, adoption, or as a step-parent. We welcome all genders and sexual identifications and choose to use the term mama to include all incarnations of loving caretakers.
What is a nurturing circle?
A nurturing circle is organized emotional and practical support for mamas.
When a friend becomes a mama. everyone asks “What can I do to help?" When friends and family members organize to reach out, encourage the mama and provide her with a place to share her authentic feelings, this is a nurturing circle. Mothership Rising also helps the mama let her community know specifically about how they can support her practically.
Who can create a nurturing circle?
A friend or family member may create a circle and invite the mama to join. The mama always has admin privileges and in this scenario the friend will also have admin privileges. Admin privileges allow the person to edit the circle and invite members.
The mama can create a circle for herself. She can promote a friend to admin to support her with sending circle invitations.
When you add a member to the circle it automatically sends your contact a text invitation to join the circle.
Who is a circle member?
Circle members are friends and family members who desire to support the mama. They sign up on the circle calendar for dates to support the mama.
What is a Support Wish List?
The support wish list is a short questionnaire that prompts the mama to share what type of thing she finds supportive. Some of the categories include food preferences, visitors, advice, errand at home, errands outside home, etc.
What is a Self-Care Registry?
The self-care registry is a place to create a list of items focused on the mama’s self care as opposed to baby items. This list can be anything the mama finds supportive and can include things such as: company for a neighborhood walk, bath salts for a soak in the tub, gift certificate for a massage, etc.
The mama can list the items and/or create a shopping list on using website such as behervillage.com, amazon,myregistry.com, thingstogetme.com, dreamlist.com/, etc
After the shopping list is created there is a place to share the link with the circle.
What type of support do circle members provide for the mama?
The circle members can offer words of encouragement, a place for the mama to share her authentic feelings, and offer hands-on support. If the circle member is offering hands-on support we recommend looking at the mama’s support wish list for ideas. If you are supporting from a distance ideas could include doing research for the mama on an important topic, sending food delivery, cleaning, or laundry service, or sending a service like a lactation consultant or postpartum doula.
How long is a nurturing circle?
Each circle is 100 days. It is inspired by the 3 months after birth called the fourth trimester.
The traditional fourth trimester starts from the moment a baby is born and lasts until she is three months old. This is a time of deep growth, change, and learning for the mama. And a time of bonding between the mama and the child.
What time and when do people get texts?
On the day of support, Mothership Rising will connect the mama and the appropriate circle member with a text. Even if there is not a member signed up to support the mama will still receive supportive text. These texts are sent at 10 AM in the timezone of the mama.
The circle member will receive a reminder text the day before their support date. This text will arrive at 10 AM in their own timezone.
Are texts customizable?
Not yet but it’s on the features list. Let us know how you like us to customize them by emailing us at mothershiprising@gmai.com
Is there an age requirement for Mothership Rising?
Yes, the age requirement is 18 years old.