For first-time pregnant women, pregnancy can be an exciting and fearful event, especially if she has no one to turn to. If you are experienced in pregnancy and parenting and would like to volunteer to help make a different in someone's life, you may want to consider mentoring a pregnant women. Mentoring can allow you to share your experiences and help to ease some of the fears a pregnant mom may have regarding pregnancy, child birth and parenting.
Step 1
Be a credible mentor. It is usually easier to mentor a pregnant women if you have been pregnant yourself.
Step 2
Take a class. Organizations such as the Mentor Hearts Foundation offer classes on how to mentor pregnant women and new moms. Classes generally two full days and teach you the basics on how to mentor a pregnant mom. They teach you how to comfort, support and teach moms-to-be the skills they'll need to be a mother.
Step 3
Ask about mentoring opportunities. Ask at schools or home for pregnant teenagers, homeless shelters or at obstetricians' offices for mentoring opportunities.
Step 4
Share your experiences. Share your thoughts on your own pregnancy. Share the joy, fear and excitement you felt throughout your pregnancy.
Step 5
Ask opened-ended questions to the pregnant mom. Start a conversation by asking what a pregnant women feels about pregnancy or how she would handle a situation as a parent.
Step 6
Encourage the pregnant mom to ask questions. Encourage her to ask any questions she has about pregnancy, labor or parenting.
Step 7
Be a positive role model. Allow the pregnant women to come around you and your child. Lead by setting a positive example of what parenting should be like.
Step 8
Take a genuine interest in the women you are mentoring. Avoid just going through the motions.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid judging the pregnant mom. You are there to mentor not to correct her mistakes or to change her lifestyle.
- Avoid answering questions that are out of your league, including medical questions. Encourage her to seek the advice of her doctor.
References
- "What To Expect When You Are Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel; 2008
- Blue Sky Coaching: 10 Ways to be a Good Mentor
