We are pleased to announce that the co-chair of the Cardiff Amnesty group, Lauren, has given birth to beautiful twin boys. Before their birth, the boys were involved in a fundraiser for a local Cardiff charity that trains and provides volunteer birth partners to women who would otherwise birth alone; aptly named The Birth Partner Project. We’re confident this makes them the youngest activists in Cardiff!

For several years now Amnesty International have encouraged people to get involved with their ‘I Welcome’ campaign by finding creative ways to be a friendly and welcoming presence for refugees and asylum seekers in their local community. The Birth Partner Project absolutely do this for pregnant women seeking asylum here in Cardiff.

The project is built on the ethos that ‘No Woman Need Birth Alone’ and has supported dozens of women in Cardiff through late pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. Although their support is available to any woman who needs it, a large number of referrals to the project come from the specialist midwife for women seeking asylum. Mums-to-be who have been given initial accommodation in Cardiff have often moved to the city during pregnancy and find themselves without the wider support networks that can be so beneficial at this time. Having someone who is able to support them to understand their choices in preparing for birth and having 24hour support during labour is not only a huge relief for many women but has been shown to improve outcomes for both baby and mum.

The volunteers with the project are there as a friendly face and advocate throughout this time and continue to visit mum and baby after birth when they have returned home. They provide a much-needed welcome to women new to the city in a time that is already full of change.

Lauren said:

“I first heard about The Birth Partner Project (TBPP) through a friend who was training to be a midwife alongside one of the founders. It’s a wonderful group of women standing in solidarity with other women. We’re so lucky to have the NHS and all the other support available to mums, but there can also be a huge amount of information and uncertainty. Volunteer birth partners are there to prioritise mum’s wellbeing and ensure she has the time and space she needs to understand her options at each stage.”

“After volunteering with the project for a year I had a change of job and was no longer able to stay involved as a birth partner. However, TBPP stayed close to my heart and when we found out I was pregnant in January we thought this would be a great opportunity to raise some funds. I’d have felt so overwhelmed without the support of my partner – every mum should have someone who is there to make them a priority, whether it’s to ask the medical team to repeat the options available when you’re feeling exhausted and not able to process during labour or to get people to leave the room when you need to rest. No woman should give birth alone unless it is their choice to do so. Keep up the great work TBPP!”

The twins have raised over a thousand pounds for The Birth Partner Project to help them keep welcoming women to Cardiff. So, welcome to the world and to Amnesty, boys!

You can find out more about The Birth Partner Project on their website: www.birthpartnerproject.org

If you would like to get involved with Cardiff Amnesty or hear more about our work please email amnesty.cardiff@btinternet.com