Beautiful Bumps: Celebrating Women in the Pilbara

It was truly a whole community effort that brought Beautiful Bumps to the Pilbara last month.

The program, which celebrates pregnant women and connects them to support services, was facilitated by HOPE’s Pilbara Community Alcohol and Drug Service (PCADS) team but was only made possible by the enormous amount of help from other local organisations.

“We had 23 individuals from 19 different organisations work together to run this program for Pilbara mums-to-be,” said PCADS Prevention Coordinator Kira Gusterson. “It was another example of how we work together in the regions to benefit of the community.”

Beautiful Bumps is designed to promote healthy pregnancies by providing mums-to-be with information on health and wellbeing, including the effects of alcohol on growing babies. It also aims to connect them to pre- and post-natal support services in their local area.

Beautiful Bumps has previously been run across the State, including in Kalgoorlie where our Goldfields North team partnered with other organisations to deliver the program.

Supporting mums-to-be

The sessions placed a was a strong emphasis on connection, with plenty of conversations around the importance of mother’s prioritising their own mental health and how women could connect to a support system.

Beyond the serious messages, there was plenty of relaxation and creative activities on offer.

In Karratha, local artist Lianne Prentis ran belly painting sessions, while the teams from headspace Karratha and Pilbara Community Legal Service led sessions making body scrubs and soothing sleep sprays.

Mums-to-be were also invite to decorate ceramics and baby onesies, and at the end of the day were able to enjoy a peaceful yoga session led by the O2 Lab, thanks to coordination by Ora Wellness.

“The day began with an important conversation about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which reinforced that no alcohol is the safest choice during pregnancy,” said Kira Gusterson, HOPE PCADS Prevention Coordinator.

“Beyond this, it served as a platform to highlight that local services are here to support women throughout pregnancy and beyond. The day was a reminder that no one needs to walk this journey alone, and that care, knowledge, and connection are all within reach.”

At the Roebourne Beautiful Bumps day, Lianne and Kurtu brought joy to the little ones with colourful face paint designs, while parents enjoyed meaningful conversations over craft activities and a relaxed morning tea.

“Both of these special days showcased the strength of community in empowering and supporting women in the Pilbara,” Ms Gusterson said.

Both Beautiful Bumps sessions were funded by a grant from the Mental Health Commission FASD Prevention Initiative.

Hope Community Services runs a range of alcohol and other drug education and awareness programs throughout WA.