National counselling and support service Baby Line will conduct its next KwaZulu-Natal hospital outreach visit on 24 March 2026 – bringing care, counselling support and encouragement to new mothers at Durban’s Victoria Mxenge Hospital.
Baby Line is an online and telephone counselling and support service for vulnerable mothers in crisis.
In addition to the counselling service, Baby Line co-ordinates regular visits to hospital maternity wards where volunteers distribute care bags filled with essential baby and maternal items to mothers who have recently given birth. The initiative aims to ease the overwhelming early days of motherhood, particularly for women facing financial or social challenges.
Each care bag includes essentials such as baby clothing, toiletries and hygiene products. These are small but meaningful items that can make a significant difference during the first weeks after birth. For many mothers, these items provide both practical relief and reassurance that they are not alone during a vulnerable time.
In addition to distributing care bags, Baby Line volunteers spend time in maternity wards connecting with mothers, celebrating newborns and offering encouragement and emotional support. The visits create space for conversation, listening and shared moments of joy as mothers begin their journey with their new babies.
According to Baby Line’s national co-ordinator Tatum Teunissen, the hospital visits have become a deeply meaningful part of the organisation’s work.
“Meeting the moms and hearing their stories is incredibly powerful. Many of these women are in very difficult circumstances, yet the love they have for their babies is huge. Sometimes something as simple as a pack of wet wipes or a baby outfit can bring real relief and encouragement in those first overwhelming days.
“Our hope is that every mother we meet leaves knowing that someone cares and that she is not alone.”
Baby Line conducts visits to different hospitals each month to reach mothers across multiple communities. As the programme grows, the organisation hopes to expand its reach and provide support to even more mothers and newborns across South Africa.
The upcoming visit on 24 March will see volunteers once again stepping into maternity wards to remind mothers that a caring community stands beside them as they begin this new chapter.
For more information, email Tatum Teunissen: tatum@peaceagency.org.za or telephone 060 529 7791.
To get involved, or if you are in need of support, call the Baby Line National Hotline on 082 069 9067.
