Our stories

Mum Mina* was pregnant with her third child when she was incarcerated. 

She joined our parenting program, Bringing Up Great Kids, as soon as she could and was desperate for support with contacting her children, who she hadn’t seen since going into custody.

Our team understood the complex task and worked closely with Mina during the program, navigating issues together so that, eventually and happily, Mina and her children were connected.

Mina was so grateful for our team’s support and kept them updated with her family (even sharing the exciting news of her baby boy’s birth).

Sadly, her baby was removed from her care immediately after birth. But Mina, determined to do whatever she could in her child’s best interest and connect with him, decided to take on the challenging task of providing breast milk.

I knew that this was something that only I could do for him and in that way we would still be connected to each other and I could look after him from afar. – Mina

 

This was extremely difficult with her living in a correctional centre and away from her son, but she persevered.

Mina woke up every two hours throughout the night, as recommended by the nurses to ensure she had a good supply.  She pumped the breastmilk, froze it at the centre, and arranged for it to be taken out to her baby.

She struggled with issues such as finding clean spaces to pump and sterilise the pump, but she worked through these by communicating with the centre and advocating for her needs to be met.

An emotional reunion

The hard work paid off!

When her baby boy was seven weeks old, Mina had her first contact with him at our Playgroup.

She introduced herself to our team, told them that she knew another SHINE for Kids team member and appreciated the support, and explained her situation.

Mina asked for support from our team to see if she could try to breastfeed her baby during playgroup.

Our team, of course, said yes and supported and encouraged her, providing a space with lots of cushions away from the other families to get comfortable and try to breastfeed her baby for the first time.

 

“It was such a beautiful moment of connection.” – SHINE for Kids team.

It was a resounding success with Mina’s baby latching well and enjoying several feeds during the playgroup session.

“It was such a beautiful moment of connection for Mina, where all of her hard work had paid off,” our team said.

Mina told our team, “I breastfed my older two children, and I know just how important it is. Yes, it is hard work, especially expressing the milk when I don’t even have my baby in my care, but I knew that this was something that only I could do for him and in that way we would still be connected to each other and I could look after him from afar”.

The next big steps as a family

We have continued to work with Mina and her family, supporting her breastfeeding journey at each playgroup and advocating for her to have playgroups with her older children as well.

“We used the hard work and good outcomes she has had with her younger child as evidence to advocate for her older children to attend playgroup and experience the same benefits of connecting with their mum as their younger sibling has had,” our team said.

SHINE for Kids is “supportive and so helpful to have in your corner” – Mina

“To date, our work has been rewarded with approval for one of her older children to also connect with her through playgroup.”

Mina was also able to participate in the Storytime program while awaiting news on whether she could see her older children. This involved recording herself reading storybooks to all three of her children and sending these to their carers to play to the children.

Mina said of the SHINE for Kids team, They are supportive and so helpful to have in your corner”.

*Names and images changed to protect participants

Thank you to Queensland Corrective Services for its support of these programs.