DR. NAMIRA WILLIAMS - DISABILITY MATERNITY CARE

Most people would not ask a woman with a disability when they are going to have children because it is just awkward. Sometimes that question is not even thought of.

DISABLED MOTHERS ARE NOW ENABLED WITH TOOLS, RESOURCES, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES

Dr. Namira Williams believes in supporting parents with a disability to become the best parents they can be. She honours the special connection one has with one’s birth mother and that is what all mothers and their children should have the opportunity to experience and enjoy fully.

As CEO and educator of disAbility Maternity Care, Namira believes that all women have the right to establish relationships, have consensual sex, and become mothers should they so choose.

Being a mum is tough. Being a disabled mum is way tougher. Despite the rhetoric of social inclusion for people with a disability, most people with a disability are not well supported to have children.

Namira believes in supporting parents with a disability to become the best parents they can be. They are currently providing resources, tools and education webinars on topics to assist maternity staff and midwives provide better care for disabled mothers. Specific support services are available to women with an Australian NDIS plan.

Zoom services triggered by the onset of COVID-19 have placed them on the international map where overseas disabled mothers can now feel cared for in their countries where these services are lacking.

THE PRIMARY GOALS OF DISABILITY MATERNITY CARE ARE:

• Promote awareness and knowledge of the needs of women with a disability as they journey through pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood.

• Promote the concept of inclusion and the rights of women with disabilities and partners to have a family.

• Provide up-to-date information, training, and links to resources to enable health and service providers to meet the needs of these women.

Support for new parents is crucial to their success. “This can mean the difference between some mothers taking their babies home from hospital with them or not”. To address this, disAbility Maternity Care works with NDIS participants to coordinate appropriate supports and help put them in place during pregnancy so these mothers can succeed. They do not provide clinical services and do not replace medical or health advice from the client’s particular doctor or health practitioner.

SUPPORT FOR DISABLED MUMS

disabilitymaternitycare.com | namira@disabilitymaternitycare.com | www.facebook.com/disAbilityMaternityCare/

THREE THINGS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR