Organisation provides newborn starter packs for pregnant women
Postnatal Mental Health Society of Botswana is running a campaign across the country to buy maternity and newborn starter packages for pregnant women and new mothers who are in need.
Postnatal Mental Health Society of Botswana Director Portia Keatametse has realised that one of the factors leading to postnatal depression and other maternal Mental Health issues is the lack of resources to go through pregnancy and childbirth in the form of money and clothing.
Keatametse said the campaign started on 1st April 2021 and that they have only covered Gaborone but plan to roll out the programme to other parts of the country. According to Keatametse, so far they have donated 10 hampers to pregnant and new mothers of ages ranging from 16 to early 30s. Postnatal depression is a mental health disorder that affects women after the birth of a child. It is caused by a lot of things such as family history of having mental health issues, childhood traumas, traumatic birth experiences and brain chemical imbalances. Some of its symptoms include hatred towards the child, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, feelings of deep sadness without reason, always feeling tired and being very obsessed with the child. “In relation to Covid-19, one finds that mothers tend to be in isolation alone with the child, and with no one to confide in thus leading to post natal depression. “We are really hoping to see a decrease in the number of cases of post natal depression specifically caused by lack of, and not being able to get the necessary resources in the first days of childbirth,” Keatametse said.
Keatametse noted that many women lament that they are not working and cannot afford to buy maternity starter packs and newborn items. They also complain that fathers to their kids abandon them. She urged government to appoint volunteers around Botswana to ensure that those in need are identified and registered with the relevant social workers for continued help especially of pregnant women.
Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries, Bakang Ranku, 28, received clothing for her newborn and maternity toiletry and has been offered counselling for free.
Ranku experienced post-natal depression throughout her pregnancy as she had no money. Ranku observed that expecting mothers need financial and emotional support because one may think of committing suicide when things are not adding up, like she did on the 6th December 2020 by overdosing on pills but was thankfully, unsuccessful.