A mother's story
I am Lewinsky from Ghana. I worked as Head of Marketing for a reputable company before getting pregnant. Hoping for support from my baby’s father, I moved to the UK, but he wasn’t helpful. Alone in Coventry, with no family or friends, I faced my pregnancy in isolation.
On my due date, I took an Uber to the hospital alone. Unfamiliar with the food, I survived on water for two days until I had a successful birth. Midwives noticed I needed help, but fearing my baby would be taken away, I refused support.
For five months, loneliness consumed me. I would take the bus to town just to sit and watch people. My visa expired, and I couldn’t return home due to issues with my baby’s passport. Postpartum depression hit hard. Eventually, I reached out to the Family Hub.
Within hours, they arranged a hotel stay for my baby and me. For the first time in a long while, I felt alive - enjoying a breakfast buffet and warm support. They helped me find a lawyer to support my leave-to-remain visa.
I started attending playgroups and events at the Family Hub, learning baby massage, weaning, and essential childcare. I made friends, took courses, and built a support system.
As a first-time mother, the health visitor guided me in caring for my baby, which helped her thrive - she even started walking at 10 months!
Today, my baby and I are featured on the Start for Life brochure cover. Seeing it brought tears to my eyes. I finally feel accepted, loved, and part of a beautiful family - the Family Hub. Walking into that place changed my life; it felt like magic. Everyone was kind, and for the first time, I truly felt at home.