You could be the difference between a new mom surviving her pregnancy and thriving in it! The MMF exists to help you help her. And gain professional accreditation in the process.
The courses are designed to provide mentors with the current policies and up-to-date practices surrounding pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Experts also provide advice and guidelines for proactive communication. Upon completion of the program, mentors receive national certification that enables them to extend the same training to new volunteers.
(We recommend these classes in this order, but it is not required).
This two hour introduction course lays it out. Whether you’re a veteran parent or have only seen babies on tv, you have valuable life experience that will benefit a first time mom. You’ll receive guidelines to direct a conversation, learn to bridge generational gaps, and gain a basic overview of modern pregnancy and birth practices.
Life suddenly looks different when you see yourself as a mom. decisions surround the moment a woman finds out she’s pregnant. She needs empathy, resources, and a listening ear. Learn strategies and offer support that can set the tone for the whole pregnancy. This is a time for calm reassurance. Mentors provide a safe place to seek advice and reassurance that they don’t have to navigate this alone.
That’s why we recommend studying the third trimester from a mentor’s perspective. At this point in pregnancy, a woman’s body has changed significantly. As she prepares for labor and the life shift of a new baby, a mom will have a lot of questions and concerns. This class prepares mentors to work through her worries and help her prepare for birth confidently.
When push comes to shove (literally), what do you do? First time moms have a lot of concerns about the challenges of birth, and not all of them are medical. This class offers tips on how to handle family members and medical providers at birth, the best ways to actually help, different options and birth practices, and how to advocate for her when life doesn’t follow her plans.
They don’t send babies home with manuals, so first time moms have a lot to learn. And they have to do it while healing from birth, on little sleep, with big new responsibilities. While they deal with major hormone fluctuations, navigate days and nights that blur together, and learn to interact with family and friends in new ways, conversations with an compassionate mentor can help immensely. Birth isn’t the end, it’s the beginning where you can make a huge impact.
Motherhood itself is a great learning experience, but science, testing, and even “common knowledge” change over time, and we want to ensure that even the most experienced moms are up-to-date so they can be the best support possible for their mentees.
You don’t have to have experienced motherhood to support someone through it. Life is a great teacher, and your wisdom, patience, and willingness to help is invaluable. The life skills you’ve learned make you a fantastic resource to younger women.
This course is designed for older women, retired or mostly retired, who aren’t currently raising children and have time to devote to their mentee. It isn’t a comprehensive birth class.
Each class is designed to be about two hours with an experienced Mentor or Mentoring Coach guiding it.
No, there is no need to take every class offered, but before starting to mentor, we strongly advise that you take the Third Trimester and Birth classes, and also recommend the First Trimester and Second Trimester, and Postpartum classes. There will be more classes for those who wish to specialize in a particular area or with moms with a special need.
There are no prerequisites to taking this course except a desire to help women and a phone.
The MMF is a non-profit initiative led by a diverse array of experts in the field of maternal wellbeing. Our mission is to make world-class mentorship training accessible to all who wish to serve their communities through the power of personal mentorship during this crucial life season.