Imagine arriving at York Hospital to give birth without even a toothbrush, shower gel or maternity pads in your bag.
That’s the shocking reality facing as many as ten women every month in York, leaving mums to welcome their newborns without the most basic hygiene essentials.
Now, a group of business leaders have joined forces to make sure no new mum in our city has to face birth empty-handed.
The project was the idea of York life coach Andrea Morrison, after she discovered from The Hygiene Bank York that up to ten women a month went into labour without essential hygiene items like maternity pads, shower gel, toothpaste or disposable pants.
She then recruited a formidable team of business owners including Emily Pickard (York Mumbler), Bernadette Render (Obliviar), Sarah Schiewe (Schiewe Ceramics), and Helen Sargent (Helen Sargent Interiors) to help bring it to fruition.
The team has launched a campaign alongside The Hygiene Bank York to fund and build 100 pre-packed ‘Birth Care Bags’.
Their mission is to raise £2,000 by the end of summer to secure a full year’s supply of essential items for parents arriving at the maternity ward.
Andrea said: “Having had three babies myself, I could not imagine going into labour knowing that afterwards I didn’t have what I needed to clean myself or my baby, knowing that I’d have to face this when I was at my most vulnerable.
“It is something that I didn’t have to think about, and took it for granted that I would be OK.
“We want to create these bags so that every woman who goes into labour doesn’t have to worry about those essential items and can concentrate on being there for their babies.”
Hygiene poverty is a growing crisis across the UK, affecting an estimated 4.2 million people. Local volunteers at The Hygiene Bank York already support over 200 people a week across the city, distributing more than two tonnes of toiletries every year.
What goes into a Birth Care Bag?
Every pack created for York Hospital will give a new mum dignity and relief when they need it most.
For mum:
- Sanitary and maternity pads
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Deodorant
- Shower gel
- 2-in-1 Shampoo and conditioner
- Disposable maternity pants
For baby:
- Nappies and nappy cream
- Baby bath products
- Baby talc
- Cotton wool balls
How you can help
If the fundraising target of £2,000 is reached by the end of summer, the team plans to hold a massive community bag-packing event in September to get all 100 bags ready for local families.
Every little bit helps to fill a bag:
- £1 buys a single essential item
- £5 buys 3 to 5 items
- £20 funds a full Birth Care Bag for one parent
- £40 covers complete bags for two parents
You can back the campaign and make a direct donation online via their JustGiving page.