'It's good to have somewhere for mums to feel seen'
BBCNew mums have praised a singing group for letting them "feel seen" after giving birth.
Nine Singing Mamas groups from across north-west England including Preston, Chorley and Warrington as well as Merseyside came together in harmony for a special event at Liverpool's Central Library.
Rachel Waite, who runs two groups in Liverpool, said Singing Mamas is a grassroots movement set up "to bring women together - to sing together, connect with each other and use the songs to help support our health and well being".
Clare, a mum from Warrington, said it was a "lovely safe" place which is also a "really good for space for mental health".
She told BBC North West Tonight she "wanted a group that was a little bit for me as well as for her" when she joined.
"It is really nurturing and you feel valued."
She said the group has had a positive impact on her young daughter Wren, too.
"It's just like being seen as a mum which is lovely and I've found that Wren reacts to that so because I'm more relaxed and more chilled, she is as well."
She said she only really sang in the kitchen before she joined.
"It's not even about singing - magic just seems to happen in the group. It's nice to sing some things that aren't nursery rhymes as well."
For Becca it is her second stint with the Liverpool Singing Mamas group.
She has always loved singing and was keen to return to the group after recently having her son, Charlie, three months ago.
"So much of motherhood and those early years are about classes just for the kids, but this is about me... and it just makes you feel good."
She, too, said she has made good friends at the group adding she loves the "community parenting" vibe where everyone helps each other.
Ms Waite, who runs the groups, said the aim was to create "a village a support for women; a little cushion and cocoon around these new mums" during what can be an overwhelming time.
She said it was somewhere you can sing on the back of no sleep and "baby brain is completely welcome".
"The songs we do are all really simple songs... and it's so good for women's brains to have good messages going through songs like 'I am a tower of strength', 'I am good enough', 'everything's going to be all right'.
"There's loads of baby groups but there's not many groups where the focus is just on the women," she said.
"Actually the babies really benefit because when a woman looks after herself, the baby thrives as well."
She said the groups also help women who have had a baby and moved to a new area to connect with other new mums, too.
Chrissie Jones from Singing Mamas Preston said through singing their members build really close friendships.
She said you do not have to have the best voice to go along.
"It's not about the singing; it's just the process of doing it together.
"We lift our voices together and we make a beautiful sound," she added.
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