For this mother – and many of the moms we serve at Brigid’s Path – the journey to motherhood is filled with deep uncertainty. These mothers often lack safe and steady housing, transportation, support of their families and other basic human needs.
Often, mothers come to us having experienced cycles of trauma and hopelessness. Parts of daily life were already difficult before their pregnancies, and the postpartum period poses a whole new set of challenges.
Until they connect with Brigid’s Path, many of the mothers we serve have never had a champion or been able to see that realizing their own potential can happen. It is nearly impossible to achieve what you cannot see as an option for your own life.
As Ohio’s first and only newborn recovery center, we have two areas of work: provide exceptional medical care to newborn babies as they go through withdrawal from prenatal substance exposure and accompany their mothers in discerning their next right steps.
We learn the stories of the families we serve. We listen. We identify their strengths, as well as the challenges and trauma they have experienced.
We teach them how to care for their babies, and we help them establish bonds. We work with Children’s Services, the criminal justice system, treatment providers and countless other community resources to provide the support families need to create stability and long-term success.
Our hearts are overjoyed when a mother engages and is able to maintain custody of her baby. And, success for each family looks different and can change over time.
65% of the infants we served last year would have immediately gone into the foster care system without the option of Brigid’s Path. Because of our work, 80% of those babies went home with mom, dad or extended family.
Since welcoming our first baby in December 2017, we have helped more than 250 families find grace, support and hope. We stay engaged with families for as long as they need us, and dozens of our past families join us several times a year for events to gather and build community with each other. The support they receive – and can give! – during those gatherings matters deeply to their long-term thriving.
Many people hear about our mission and think: Oh, the poor babies! And yes, caring for newborns as they experience withdrawal is intense. Their high-pitched cries and high acuity needs are more than any postpartum mother should have to manage on her own, especially without robust support.
And, no little girl grows up dreaming of this experience for her and her baby. Every woman who enters our doors has experienced trauma and countless other challenges that have brought her to this point. This is true for that mother I mentioned earlier who’s trying; she has overcome SO much and continues to love her baby with abundant grace. She’s doing everything asked of her to ensure she and her baby have a beautiful future together.
With the continuous support of our community, we’re doing the hard and holy work of accompanying families through substance use disorder.
Anyone can refer a family to Brigid’s Path, and we begin working with families at any point in a pregnancy or early postpartum season.
To learn more about volunteering and supporting Brigid’s Path, visit brigidspath.org.
Together, we’re helping babies, mothers and families find the grace they need for the past, support for the present, and hope for the future.
Meghann Naveau is marketing and communication manager for Brigid’s Path. Meghann is a mother of two, aunt and godmother to many, and passionate advocate for the Brigid’s Path mission of building a better way to care for babies and families.
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