Amma Birth Companions is a Glasgow-based charity that supports vulnerable birthing people during the perinatal period. We are focused on building positive parent-infant relationships by ensuring parents can confidently care for themselves and their babies. From 1-1 support during pregnancy and birth to postnatal care and peer support activities, our work spans conception to toddlerhood. 

Our mission is to improve birth, pregnancy and postnatal experiences and outcomes for vulnerable individuals. Our vision is to provide a safe, equitable, and holistic model of reproductive care that centres the voices and experiences of marginalised groups regardless of race, ethnicity, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or ability, or socioeconomic circumstances. 

Our work focuses on three core activities: 

• Companionship: Our volunteer birth and postnatal companions provide practical and emotional support to birthing people from pregnancy up to 12 weeks following birth. They receive extensive preparation in how to offer non-medical, trauma-enhanced care. 

• Peer support: We facilitate opportunities for the people we work with to connect with one another and their communities. Our Amma Family Programme encompasses peer support groups, social, and wellbeing activities. 

• Education and advocacy: We provide birthing people with the information and resources needed to make informed choices about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. We advocate for our clients’ choices and actively seek to bring awareness to and challenge systemic inequities. 

To date, the majority of the parents we have supported have been in the asylum process or have insecure immigration status. The support we provide is individually tailored to the specific needs of each client. We do this in the parent’s own language by matching each client where possible with a volunteer who speaks the same language, and if not, by funding access to an interpreter. 

We want all our clients to feel supported to make informed decisions about their care and to become their own best advocate. By supporting these individuals through the perinatal and immediate postnatal period, our aim is to alleviate both short and long term suffering and foster a positive foundation for their own and their baby’s future. They face significant exclusion in many areas of their daily lives. Parenthood shouldn’t be one of them

You can make an impact
By donating even a small amount to Amma, you can make a huge difference to our work and allow us to provide ongoing support to birthing people in Glasgow. When you give a donation to Amma, you become part of our mission to ensure all birthing people feel seen, informed, and empowered in every aspect of their birthing experience. 

Here are just a few examples of what your gift could provide:

£5 could pay travel expenses for a parent to attend our weekly peer support group where they gain confidence as a parent and build strong, supportive networks.

£10 could pay for a mobile data top up to enable a parent to stay connected to their friends, family, and vital support services and reduce isolation.

£25 could pay for one hour of interpreting services to ensure a client is able to communicate with their birth companion in a language they understand.