World's Greatest Pram Stroll

Adjusting to life as a new mother can be difficult. In fact, for many women, having a baby is the most significant life-changing event they will ever experience. Coping with the day-to-day stress of a new baby can make some women more likely to experience post natal depression (PND), particularly if they've experienced depression in the past.

Postnatal depression affects almost 16 per cent of mothers (one in seven)* in Australia. Some women may experience depression during pregnancy and this is referred to as Antenatal Depression. Around 10 per cent of pregnant women in Australia experience antenatal depression*.

The Mother's Choice World's Greatest Pram Stroll is an initiative of the People and Parks Foundation that addresses the social isolation and mental health issues of mothers by giving them an opportunity to come together and realise they aren't alone.

The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the importance of socialisation and active recreation for new mums and dads as well as providing information on local support, the resources available to families and the diagnosis and treatments available for post natal depression.

"The stroll brings together families in an active and friendly environment, and encourages people to use our parks as a venue for healthy activities which promotes social connectedness and mental wellbeing," said Jenny Holliday, CEO of the People and Parks Foundation. 

"Part of People and Park's mission is to continue its research into the link between the natural environment and peoples overall wellbeing, which we believe is a key to healthy and happy families," continued Holliday.

"Everybody knows being a Mum is challenging and it can be quite isolating, so the Greatest Pram Stroll is a great way to encourage parents to pack up their kids, their strollers and a picnic lunch and enjoy all the healthy things parks offer our community," said Kim Watkins, Ambassador for the stroll. Continued...