This week is Black Maternal Mental Health Week, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health challenges faced by Black mothers.
Sandra Igwe MBE, Founder of The Motherhood Group and a member of Baby Lifeline’s Family Voices Group, brings powerful lived experience and expertise to conversations about improving maternity care for Black mothers and tackling inequalities.
For Sandra, advocacy began after her own experiences of maternity care left her feeling unheard.
“Like so many Black women, I experienced a maternity system that was not designed with me in mind. I experienced being dismissed. I experienced having to fight to be heard in spaces where I should have felt held.”
Her experience led her to establish The Motherhood Group ten years ago, creating spaces where Black mothers could access support, information and community.
Despite growing awareness of inequalities in maternity care, Sandra believes sustained focus remains essential.
“Black maternal health is not a niche issue. It is the standard of care the whole system should be held to.”
At Baby Lifeline, we know that improving outcomes depends on listening to the experiences of Black women and families, understanding where care needs to improve, and supporting maternity professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate, inclusive care.
One of the issues Sandra speaks passionately about is the need to challenge assumptions that can affect how women are listened to and supported.
“Strength is not the absence of need. Black women deserve to be cared for, not just admired for their endurance.”
These conversations are particularly important when it comes to perinatal mental health. Research continues to show significant disparities in access to support, experiences of care and outcomes for women from Black communities. Addressing these challenges requires action at every level, from individual interactions to system-wide change.
Sandra believes that lived experience must remain central to efforts to improve care.
“Black women have been telling the system what is wrong for years. This week creates space for those voices to be heard not as an anecdote, but as evidence.”
Through our Family Voices Group, Baby Lifeline is committed to ensuring that the voices of women, parents and families help shape safer maternity and neonatal care. By working alongside advocates such as Sandra, healthcare professionals and policymakers, we can continue to push for meaningful improvements that make a difference for every family.
A message for Black mothers and families
Sandra also wants Black mothers and birthing people to know that their concerns matter and that they have the right to ask questions, seek support and be involved in decisions about their care.
“You are entitled to information, to questions, to second opinions, and to be taken seriously.”
If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and seek help. Whether it’s a physical symptom, a concern about your baby’s wellbeing, or a change in your mental health, you deserve to be listened to and supported.
What can healthcare professionals do?
While tackling inequalities requires system-wide change, everyday interactions matter.
Healthcare professionals can make a significant difference by listening carefully to concerns, avoiding assumptions, and creating space for honest conversations about physical and mental health. Taking symptoms seriously, acting promptly on escalation concerns, and recognising the impact of cultural and personal experiences can help women feel heard, respected and safe throughout their maternity journey.
As Sandra says:
“ Black women present with the same conditions as any patient. The difference is how often those presentations are missed, delayed, or dismissed.
This Black Maternal Mental Health Week, we encourage everyone working across maternity and neonatal services to reflect, listen and take action to help create a system where every woman feels heard, respected and supported.
Support:
Mumbrite is a digital maternal health platform that helps Black mothers build community, access culturally relevant support, and share experiences throughout pregnancy, parenthood, and beyond.