Black Maternal Health Conference UK 2025
- Victoria Eniola
- Mar 22, 2025
- 4 min read
I received a free ticket to the conference through my subscription to The Motherhood group and honestly, I didn’t think I would make it. But I had already decided I needed to do this, not just for myself, but for my unborn child. So, at 4am, I crawled out of bed to catch my 5am train to London. The exhaustion was real, but from the moment I arrived, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.
Community-Led Solutions & The Power of Black Women
The theme of the conference was Building Better Futures: Community-Led Solutions, and if there’s one thing we as Black people know how to do well, it’s community. As a millennial, I’ve often leaned on the internet to find my people.. women I’ve borrowed as community from afar. But here, I was meeting some of them in real life.
I could go on and on about the day & lineup of powerful women and professionals, but instead, I’ll highlight a few moments that are still sitting with me as I take my train back home.
The Power of Representation & Community
As a Black woman, I’ve spent a huge chunk of my life pushing back against the labels placed on me. But in this space, surrounded by women who looked, walked, and talked like my mother, sisters, and aunties, I felt seen, understood, and safe. There was no need to shrink myself, to be the quiet expert on Blackness in the room. Here, we all just were.
Within minutes of arriving, I sent a text to my husband: "Omo oba has a reallllllly good mum."
That’s how affirmed I felt. It wasn’t about the child growing inside me, it was now about ME.
The conference was more than just an event - it was an experience of radical care. The warmth of Black women giving each other effortless compliments, the shared laughter (loud and unapologetic, in harmony), and even the simple yet powerful moment when a white woman gave up her seat for me because I was feeling nauseous. That, too, is advocacy. Allyship isn’t always about shouting with placards, sometimes it’s about quietly making space for someone in need.
Shortly after, i found myself surrounded by a group of young Black medical students and a newly qualified midwife. What followed felt like the GP appointment I’ve always longed for where I was simply listened to and my struggles were affirmed..
Apart from God, I am the expert on my own body. And in that moment, as they leaned in listening to my words, my sighs, and my quiet confessions that even my closest friends haven’t heard, I felt liberated. No judgment. No side eyes. Just understanding.
Hearing that these women were not only doing the research but actively working to change the system? My 14 year old self would be beaming.
Representation ooh ha!
We all know representation matters, but this conference reinforced that it’s not just important, it’s crucial to survival!
We heard devastating statistics and personal stories that should not be the reality for Black mothers in the UK or anywhere in the world. The tough topics were not avoided: miscarriages, infant loss, chronic illness in pregnancy and motherhood. We often hear that birth is a miracle, but what about the trauma many carry in their bodies long after? They say, "Oh, you’ll forget and be ready for another in a year." But from the real life stories I heard today I can confirm… we don’t all forget. And we shouldn’t!
Advocacy was a central theme & not just advocating for ourselves, but ensuring that those who don’t have the strength in the moment have someone to speak up for them. Because no woman should have to navigate pregnancy or motherhood alone.
‘Little’ things that mattered a ton!
The attention to detail at this conference was a reflection of how much we were truly cared for and sadly the way it moved me reminded me that not all spaces are like this for us. We weren’t just given information and sent on our way, we were well fed (no sandwiches in sight, hallelujah!), with fresh pastries, hot drinks, and a stunning lunch of seasoned rice, chicken, salad, and more. It was clear that Sandra Igwe and the Motherhood Group team put love and thought into making the space feel safe and nourishing in every sense of the word.
THEY NOT ONLY SEE US, THEY KNOW US!
Even the goodie bags were a reflection of the care put into this space. The items weren’t random - they were thoughtful, including high-quality products and even included the exact lotion I use at home.
You see?! They know us haha!
SLEEPY BUT ENERGISED WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
I had the honour of being in the same room as Diane Abbott, the UK’s first Black female MP - an experience I won’t forget.
I also got the chance to fangirl over Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, someone I’ve admired from afar for so long. It was incredibly encouraging to hear her, a woman I see as so courageous, remind us that she doesn’t wait to feel courageous because "confidence is not an emotion, it’s action."
Before her talk which truly felt like an impartation of both courage and freedom to celebrate again, we danced to King of Kings by CeCe Winans as she declared over us: "I AM A MIRACLE!"
So typical of a Black woman most especially Nigerian to find a moment within a conference for a spontaneous praise party and I loved every second of it!
Later on, I got to personally thank her for the work she does, and in return, she poured into me with encouraging words. She then quoted this verse:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)
This conference was more than an event. It was a reminder that I don’t have to navigate this journey alone. That my healing is not just possible but necessary.
And while I left feeling physically tayaaaaaad! I also left encouraged. Encouraged not to give up my voice. Encouraged to keep showing up for myself, for the Black women and mothers who will come after me.
Because the bottom line is this:
No woman should have to go through pregnancy or into motherhood without a community that supports not just the life she’s growing but HER too.
