Gladstone Strollers walking group creates a village for postpartum mums

Keely Curley was "cracked wide open" emotionally when she gave birth to her first baby.

The arrival of her child in 2022 brought a fresh wave of grief for her own mother, who died from brain cancer when Ms Curley was in her early 20s.

Her labour was difficult and she lacked a strong support network.

"It was very traumatic," Ms Curley, 27, said.

"I didn't have a traditional village around me of family, so it was very isolating."

After a challenging postpartum period, the Gladstone resident was desperate for a more positive experience after the birth of her second son last year.

That desire led Ms Curley to create Gladstone Strollers, a free mums and babies walking group.

"We're failed by systems and we're failed by the lack of community … the villages aren't like they used to be," Ms Curley said.

Walking groups 'very effective'

Nicole Highet, the founder and executive director of the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE), Australia's peak body for perinatal mental health, said exercise, getting outdoors and building a support network were all helpful to women who had recently given birth.

Dr Highet said mother's walking groups were "very effective".

"It's the social connection, particularly if those people are having honest conversations about their experiences and being able to support each other," she said.

Dr Highet said one in five women experienced anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum, and that one in 10 experienced depression during pregnancy.

She said that figure jumped to one in seven after birth.

"When you think about the number of mums who might be in a mothers' group, that's going to be one, two or three people in that mother's' group [with a mental health condition] at any particular time," Dr Highet said.

'Didn't have a village'

The walking group has already had a big impact on mums in Gladstone, including Abby Moetu, 28, who has three children aged six, three and eight months.

"I remember the first couple of times I came, there was a mama … [who] actually came and had a bit of a cry and you could just tell she didn't have a village," she said.

Shauna Manwaring, 39, said the group helped her move her body gently while recovering from birth.

"I had a nasty postpartum — it wasn't fun at all," she said.

"I'm a solo mum as well, so the isolation has been quite real and serious at times.

"Sometimes you feel like you don't want to get out of bed, but I know the days that I have felt like that, I've pushed through it and get here.

"I always feel better."

The group has helped  Bianca Castell, 34, fill the void she felt from not working.

"The first week you're in this little newborn bubble and then reality sort of sets in and you're like, 'This is the rest of my life,'" she said.

Ms Curley said she planned to keep Gladstone Strollers running for as long as possible.

"It's given me a purpose to get out of the house that's greater than just me," she said.