Baby bundles helping mums who need it most

Having a baby can be scary – especially if you’re on your own.

That’s why Mickenzi Askin started making baby bundle packs to donate to mums in need of some help.

The packs contain blankets, lotions, lip balms, toys, creams, clothing, bottles and more.

"Each pack is different but all are designed for mums to be or struggling mums with newborns to one-year-olds.

"The only thing we ask is what the gender is as we don’t get enough gender neutral items.

"They’re based on who needs it most and if we don’t have any available, we also offer other help like referrals to organisations who can give the right support.

"In today’s world, the need to support women, especially if pregnant, has grown. It makes me happy knowing the help I once received is being passed on," said Askin.

She became pregnant at 17 with her daughter, Scarlett, who is now eight-and-a-half.

"I was still in school so I lost a lot of friends, had no money and, at that time, there was not a lot of help out there for young mums."

Askin and her friend Amber Braxton make up the packs. She is helping Braxton through her first pregnancy. 

Said Askin: "With Madeline, who is five-an-a-half, my second pregnancy, I had a partner who wasn’t physically there so I basically raised my children alone.

"I also wasn’t producing any milk so a stranger donated theirs to the hospital.

"They’ll never know how much I needed that and I can’t ever thank them. So I wanted to give back because I know how much it’s needed."

Askin knows situations change all the time, having made a “quick move” from Geraldine to the city about five years ago. She says that is often when new mums need help.  

"I moved without having much of anything but my children into my nana’s house. 

"I ran to St Vinnies in Hornby and said to the ladies there: ‘I really need some help’.

"They were about five minutes from closing the shop but I explained my situation and they stayed to help me with sheets, clothing and much more. 

"Just what I needed, so it gives me joy someone else might get a smile and a bit of support out of this too."

Askin sent her first six packs out last week and said the mums were very grateful to receive them.

"It went very well. We’ll keep doing bundles as long as we keep getting donations. 

"I didn’t think it would take off but after asking my small following on Instagram, we’re receiving donations from all over New Zealand.”

When she’s not making packs or working on her business, Sustainable Mama, which focuses on creating sustainable and natural products like wooden baby rattles and healthy skin creams and lotions, Askin volunteers at the St Vincent de Paul shop in Hornby.

“I started volunteering about four weeks ago. It’s a nice wee cycle, going back to help the beautiful women there.”

• To donate or for more information about the packs, contact Mickenzi Askin on her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sustainablemama.nz