BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Durham’s Maternal Stress-Free Zone in Buffalo is continuing its mission to provide maternal support to mothers in need.
18-year-old Aaliyaah Jackson is five months pregnant.
She shares with 7 News reporter Yoselin Person that this is her first journey into motherhood so she came to Durham’s Maternal Stress-Free Zone to seek maternal support.
“Being a first-time mom is definitely not easy. It’s a lot to learn,” Jackson says. “It’s a lot to handle. What to do, what not to do. What to be around, what not to be around. It hasn’t been all bad. It has been good.”
This program provides diapers, baby bottles, formula, and other baby essentials to low-income mothers.
“Especially for Black moms is kind of hard to do things. Most of us are by ourselves. They don’t have any support, the dads normally aren’t in their lives,” she expresses. “They just do everything on their own. I feel like it’s a good thing this organization is helping us moms.”
Jackson’s godparents share that they were looking for that maternal support for their goddaughter being that she’s a young first-time mother.
“I wanted her to feel that it’s just more than just us,” Richard Kester, the godparent says. “She’s thrilled that somebody is going to be there for her in addition to ourselves and it’s important for her to feel that and feel the warmth and encouragement.”
This organization offers trained Doulas.
They are professionals who provide constant physical, emotional, and informational support to a mother before, during, and shortly after giving birth.
“And instead of listening to the negativity front he nurses because I have been in that situation and I have said wait a minute since they were pushing the birth plan medication,” says Rohanda Butler, a doula at the organization. “And the mother didn’t want that. But if I wasn’t there they would have talked to her about it, but she was strong enough to have it natural.”
The maternal stress-free zone began 15 years ago by executive director Rev. Diann Holt.
“When I saw a young lady feeding a three-month-old spaghetti from her plate. This place operated as a soup kitchen at that time. I went over to talk about feeding her baby, she cursed me out. But I said to her I need to know how I can help to assist you in feeding your baby and the rest is history.”
If you’re a mother seeking maternal support you can contact this number: 716-427-0566.
Click here for more information.
