Join chums4mums

Everybody knows the joy that children bring. But there is a dark side to becoming a mother. In thousands of cases the happiness is buried beneath other feelings. Isolation and loneliness. Depression. Guilt and shame. A sense of inadequacy and worthlessness.
After all the hopes and dreams that pregnancy inspires, this can come as a terrible shock. That’s why Take a Break is launching its most important campaign ever — chums4mums.
It’s for mothers of all types and ages. It’s for new ones coping with a baby for the first time. It’s for more experienced ones in the midst of raising a family. And it’s for older ones perhaps learning to live with an empty nest.

All of them will know how motherhood can bring mixed blessings. On the one hand there’s love and laughter. On the other there are fundamental changes to your life that lead to sadness rather than joy.
You spend all day at home. You have no one to talk to. You miss your old job and colleagues. You feel unappreciated. You long to have a bit of fun. You cannot bond. You wonder if you are a bad mother. You start to believe you are worthless…
The list goes on.
In themselves these concerns may not seem very serious. But over time they build up and usher in a form of depression — from mild unhappiness to clinical.
Perinatal Illness UK says 20 per cent of new mothers suffer from postnatal depression — one in five! But the problem is bigger than that. Mothers of all ages may find themselves isolated and harbouring dark feelings.
Here’s how we can combat it.
chums4mums is a scheme that will allow you to contact others in your area who share your problems or want to help. We want to find a chum for every mum.
It’s simple. Send us your details — with postcode — and we will help you make a link with other mums near you.
What you do next is up to you. You can speak on the phone, text, e-mail or meet for a coffee. You can be casual acquaintances — or become best friends. We look forward to hearing from you.
We also want Area Co-ordinators to link up groups of mums in one area. Tick the box on the registration page if you’re interested.
If you'd like to tell your story about being a mum, contact us at tab.chums4mums@bauer.co.uk