Looking for input, toddler group for anxiety/trauma suffering Mums.

Hey all.

I'm guessing this is the best place for a thread like this.

My partner suffered trauma during the birth of our second child. This allowed abuse she suffered as a child to resurface causing her to now suffer with significant amount of PTSD, anxiety and other related mental health problems.

She's well on the way to recovery (with still a long way to go) but she's just passed her DBS checks and has started volunteering at the local daycare centres with a view to going into childcare professionally in the future.

We are currently working with the local health visitor in order to start a local (to our area) toddler/play group that specifically caters to Mum's who suffer with post natal depression, anxiety and those who have also suffered birth trauma and the related psychological issues that go along with that.

The reason for this thread is that I would welcome suggestions from those of you who might find this kind of group beneficial. I know for myself (as a Dad) that going to toddler groups with our first child caused me severe anxiety at the time due to the noise/proximity and type of activities that are usually associated with these groups. She wants to create a group where the atmosphere and interaction between people is welcoming to those of you who'd usually avoid such situations.

We have a few ideas of our own, but as each person experiences their anxiety in different way, I suggested that it would be worth asking here as well as she's not a member of this particular forum.

Thanks all.

I don't have any suggestions but think it's a brilliant idea and hope it goes well!

I was part of a mums group after I had my daughter. We met each other at the clinic where we took the babies for check ups etc, and we got together once a week in a different house. There were only 8 of us so it was much easier to get to know each other and talk about feelings and struggles, and the noise levels of the children wasn't so great as with big groups in church halls etc. I couldn't have coped with that. We met regularly until the children started nursery school, then only in school breaks but those 7 mums were my lifeline for those early years.

I hope you get something sorted out Joe...good luck with it, and best wishes to your wife with her continued recovery.

ISB ☺ x

Thanks ladies, I'll pass on the kind words. :)

We both believe compassion to one's self and to others is part of recovery.