My First Experience with Mothers Meetings by Mayoni Gooneratne

So my first experience and encounter with Mothers Meetings was when one of my neighbours, a fellow mum, said ‘hey a Mothers Meetings is happening in the Town House in East London - why don’t we go along and check it out?’ and as it turned out she couldn’t go, but I’d already signed up and to be honest - it was really scary. I had three children by that point and they were all under four years old. Basically it was mental, absolutely mental, but I thought ‘do you know what I’m gonna go and give it a go because I am actually desperately in need of some mental stimulation and adult conversation about ANYTHING else than nappies’.

So off I went up to the townhouse in Bethnal Green and I didn’t have any clothes that looked cool. Everything was just like post baby super stretchy leggings, but I was so so warmly welcomed. I was immediately made to feel comfortable and I sat there in the audience just listening and thinking ‘Wow - thank god there’s life after childbirth’.

I didn’t dare go and talk to Jenny or anyone really, there was a lady next to me who was a lawyer and I remember her telling me her story in a break, and I said ‘actually I’m a surgeon and I really don’t think I want to be in the NHS anymore. I don’t really know what to do though’ and basically I kind of made a pact with her that we would do something different - and that’s how my life began again - at a Mothers Meetings.

It was amazing - Jenny with her vibrant, incredible, motivating self. Katie was there as the strong support system to all the things that Mothers Meetings was promising us and it was just amazing. For the first time, I felt alive again after having children and a familiar flicker of ‘me’ returned.

As it was - after a few months I would set up my clinic and I started working. I created The Clinic by Dr Mayoni and it went from there really and I remember contacting Jenny. I think just say thank you so much for such a great meeting and this is what I’m doing now. And she just asked me to come along and talk at one of our meetings.

I said yes, I can’t believe I said yes because it was really scary. Anyway, I have never looked back. Jenny and the gang at Mothers Meetings have only ever been complete cheerleaders of what I’ve I’ve done and what I am doing and I feel incredibly lucky to have had their support in my life. There is no doubt that my business grew because of the support that Mothers Meetings have given me, but more importantly, just the sense of belonging, and the fact that loads of other women like me who had full on brilliant lives before having kids suddenly had to stop, and take a really long hard look at themselves and decide what they want to do. For the first time - I didn’t feel like a total failure or a fraud. I was part of something bigger than me and my little family, so thank you Jenny. I’m still friends with so many of the women I met in those early days, and I will always be incredibly grateful to you and the support that you’ve given me.

Best health,
Mayoni 

By: Mayoni Gooneratne
Insta: @dr.mayoni
Website: www.drmhumanhealth.co.uk