Many Mothers Santa Fe

Embracing the Fourth Trimester Together How community can make a difference By Kai Shenandoah Forsley | Tumbleweeds  You’ve prepared the nursery, read all of the books, and taken all of the classes. Or not. Either way, the time has come. The baby is finally here. While pregnancy and adoption journeys can feel like a whirlwind of research, appointments, and activity, the “welcoming baby home” phase can feel like falling off a cliff into the unknown. Through all of the happiness and elation, things like sleep deprivation and uncertainty began to take center stage. Welcome to the fourth trimester: that critical period just after the baby arrives, when many parents become overwhelmed as they are suddenly thrust into the role of…

Motherhood and the holidays can be a beautiful mix of joy, laughter, and love — often seasoned with a dash of overwhelm and burnout. Many mothers feel pressure to live up to society’s expectations of creating the perfect, blissful holiday season — smiling on the outside while juggling the many stressors that come with it. Every family is doing their best, especially as we navigate unprecedented challenges this season. No matter how your family celebrates, one thing we can all share is gratitude. Practicing gratitude can support mental health during the holidays by reducing stress and anxiety, boosting happiness, and building resilience. Gratitude can be found in life’s simple moments — a hug from your child, a warm meal, or…

For caregivers, there is nothing more important than keeping their babies safe. October marks Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, and this vital campaign is one that Many Mothers holds close to our hearts. This key time was created to share life-saving education that will support you and your babies. SIDS is the heartbreaking, sudden, and unexpected death of a baby under 1 year old that generally occurs during sleep and has no identifiable cause. While SIDS cannot always be prevented, there are proven ways to reduce the risk—and it starts with safe sleep practices. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following: • Always place babies on their backs to sleep –…

Source: HumanKind.News A Soft Place to Land: How Many Mothers Is Building a Community of Care for New Families. For over three decades, this New Mexico organization has provided the essential support every perinatal family deserves, from diapers to deep human connection. The arrival of a new baby is often portrayed as a time of pure joy. But for many caregivers, it can also be a period of exhaustion, isolation, and overwhelming pressure. It was this gap between expectation and reality that inspired Anne McCormick to found Many Mothers more than thirty years ago. Believing that every parent of a newborn deserves support, McCormick developed “Muchas Mamas,” a volunteer-based program that provided free, hands-on help to families. It was likely…

On Sunday, September 7, 2025, we celebrate Grandparents’ Day! Traditionally, we know grandparents to be kind, loving family members who serve as a strong connection to family history and traditions, while also playing key roles in a child’s upbringing. However, in many families, grandparents do more than simply support. In 2024, the LANL Foundation found that between 2017 and 2023, kinship care (grandparents and extended family raising children) rose from 30,000 children to 36,000. They also believe this to be a low estimate, knowing that for every 1 child being raised by family through the state’s foster care program, another 55 are being informally raised. With love and compassion for those who have taken on these roles, Many Mothers developed the Golden Caregivers…

Many Mothers is proud to support and promote World Breastfeeding Week. The physical and emotional health benefits of breastfeeding for both moms and babies are powerful for advancing local, regional, and worldwide health, and all mothers deserve support and encouragement to achieve their breastfeeding goals. Research from around the world has shown that breastmilk is the perfect, natural food for babies, and with rare exceptions, all birthing mothers are able to breastfeed their infants. To learn more about the amazing benefits of breastfeeding, visit La Leche League, Office on Women’s Health, and the CDC. *Many Mothers recognizes that breastfeeding and the circumstances around it are very unique and personal. While we encourage and support breastfeeding, we respect any feeding choice. Many Mothers se enorgullece…

“Since racism is a part of all American life that deeply affects mental health, it’s important that African American and Black moms have a safe space to address racial stressors and historical trauma that impact their mental wellness during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. In the coming months, in partnership with the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s Empower! Black Futures Community Fund, Many Mothers, and ILE IFE will be hosting a series of gatherings focused on a healing space for Black moms to rest, rejuvenate, have fun, and rediscover their passions.” – Kai Forsley, Executive Director   “Dado que el racismo es una realidad presente en todos los aspectos de la vida en Estados Unidos y afecta profundamente la salud mental, es…

It’s no secret that fathers play an integral role in children’s lives as well as in the lives of their partners. This past Sunday, we celebrated Father’s Day, honoring all the men who have taken on the role of “dad.” However, like motherhood, Many Mothers know it’s not always easy, and that fatherhood comes with its own unique set of challenges. June is also Men’s Mental Health Awareness month, and studies have shown that Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) also impact men. Did you know 1 in 10 new fathers suffer from postpartum depression? Their depressive symptoms spike between 3-6 months postpartum and can be expressed with the increase of substance use; they are more likely to be irritable,…

Many Mothers is a lifeline to families today when kids aren’t raised by a village anymore. We’ve learned how isolating and hard parenthood is, and Many Mothers fills those gaps we so need. I’m so grateful to say I get to volunteer alongside an organization that sustainably assists with all things childhood-related, gives diapers, formula, food, emergency help, and so much more. I always tell people who haven’t heard of Many Mothers that it is not a financially needs-based program because anyone who has a young kid has needs that aren’t being met, and they help. I can’t describe the comfort I get by getting to host some groups for other moms, but also bring my kids and know there’s…

Thank you, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, MolinaCares, and Con Alma Foundation, for investing in maternal mental health!

New Mexico women and children have faced historical challenges around accessing care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. These challenges have been heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This summer, Marissa Visscher, our Program Manager, joined MolinaCares and statewide experts to discuss these challenges, as well as solutions and best practices to improve the number of healthy births and babies in New Mexico. View the virtual panel here.