Hendon mother joins campaign for women without maternal support

A new national awareness campaign is providing a voice for women who are mothering without the support of their own mothers. Launched by the charity The Motherless Mothers, the #Unmuted campaign coincides with Mother Loss Awareness Day, observed annually on October 23. It seeks to draw attention to the often unseen impact of maternal absence, which can stem from bereavement, estrangement, illness, or other circumstances.

A recent survey conducted by The Motherless Mothers revealed that 54.7 per cent of women feel the impact of maternal absence every day. Furthermore, 87.1 per cent of respondents indicated that they often feel alone due to this absence. Adina Belloli, co-founder of The Motherless Mothers, stated that the campaign is about giving a voice to an experience shared by many women but rarely discussed. She noted that for the approximately one in three UK women who enter motherhood without their own mother, the experience can be profoundly isolating. Belloli added that the charity wants women to know that other women understand this life and they do not have to face it alone, regardless of what maternal absence means for them.

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Sharing 'Missing Moments'

The charity identifies the most painful experiences as 'missing moments'. These are milestones and everyday occurrences that become more difficult without a mother's presence. Examples include seeing strangers with their mothers or grandmothers, witnessing a child's first steps, or simply wanting to call someone during a challenging night.

Anna Bernard, a 25-year-old mother of two residing in Hendon, is among the women sharing this reality. Bernard described the experience as one of the hardest things she has faced. While her fiancé provided significant support, she expressed a deep understanding of the sentiment that there is nothing quite like a mother's love. Bernard became estranged from her mother following a childhood marked by abuse and neglect. During her pregnancy, she found herself seeking support and advice through online forums, wishing for the guidance she would have received from her own mother. She stated that when she needed to ask questions about her changing body or was concerned about fetal movements, she relied on platforms like Mumsnet or Google for answers.

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The #Unmuted campaign invites women to share their 'missing moments' on social media platforms using the hashtags #Unmuted and #MissingMoments. The Motherless Mothers organisation also plans to release a campaign film and additional content featuring real stories from its community. Further information and support resources are available on themotherlessmothers.com.