By Tanya Faulkner
Women from all around the Hills are being encouraged to take some time to focus on themselves.
Burnham Beeches recently played host to the Mums of the Hills ‘Check Me Out’ event, making it easier for mothers, women, and those assigned female at birth, to take some time out and focus on their health and wellbeing.
Mums of the Hills founder Belinda Young said the event was a great hit, with hundreds of women coming down to check themselves out.
“The sun was shining, and it was a really relaxing and empowering day.
“It was a gorgeous location at the piggery, and made for a great setting for a beautiful women’s event,” she said.
The day kicked off with a guided hike in the Sherbrooke forest, with experienced guides leading a group of mums on a loop through the greenery.
Ms Young said it was a fantastic way to kick off the day.
“When people came back they were buzzing.
“Their cup was definitely full,” she said.
Leading on from the walk was a day dedicated to women and their wellbeing, with onsite services available to share information with women on a variety of checks, health advice, and a chance to check in with themselves away from the noise of life.
Ms Young said the women in attendance had a checklist of things that needed to be looked after regularly, which came as a surprise to a lot of them.
“Many didn’t realise they had to do this, or didn’t know that, or when to follow up with their GP,” she said.
Overall the day generated positive feedback for Ms Young and the Mums of the Hills group, with attendees saying it was great having the chance to take time for themselves.
In the spirit of mental health month this month, Ms Young said the opportunity for these women to just stop for a day and focus on themselves is important for families in the community.
According to the Australian Medical Association, 80 per cent of frontline healthcare workers over the Covid-19 pandemic were women, many of which are now facing alarmingly high levels of burnout.
The Association said women need to get their health checked, but for various reasons, they’re not.
Alongside these reports, the Jean Hailes 2022 Snapshot of 14,000 women found that 50 per cent of those asked said “their physical and mental health has deteriorated since the pandemic began, regardless of whether they have had Covid-19 or not”.
With these statistics in mind, the goal for Ms Young and the Mums of the Hills group was to relieve some of the barriers for women in the Hills to get on top of their wellbeing.
“Many women in the hills were tasked with managing the pandemic, who also have their own families to take care of.
“Our pace of life has drastically sped up since the pandemic, and no one has had a chance to breathe or to relax.
“The event was a great way to stop, relax, and think about our health plans free from distractions,” she said.
For the Mums of the Hills group, mental health is a huge thing for women who are going through tough times, in particular those during pre and post natal situations.
Ms Young said mental health is something the group is really focusing on, particularly through their post natal groups.
“It’s a key time for women to look after themselves,” she said
Ms Young said they had child minding services and nannies on site, so mothers could bring their children down and have them taken care of while they visited the services on offer and have a break, which is a step in the right direction for women to think about their mental health and their needs.
“Everyone is different, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.
“Whether you’re going through a tough time, it’s good to think about whether it is just something you need a cup of tea and a chat to someone about, or something you might need a bit more help with.
“Our event allowed these women to stop and take stock of their own mental health for the day,” she said.
The key goal of the Check Me Out event for Ms Young is to identify gaps in health services available to women.
“We want to make sure these services are accessible and more affordable for women in the Hills, and we are here to advocate for those services in our area,” she said.
Ms Young said regardless of whether you are a mum or not, the events are free for women to attend.
“Anyone who was assigned female at birth are welcome to come along, whether they are a mother or not.
“We are completely inclusive, and want to make sure that everyone with female anatomy is well taken care of.
“We’re hoping to see everyone from teenagers through to our older and wiser women,” she said.
Monbulk MP Daniela de Martino was also in attendance of the event, who complimented the Mums of the Hills on the importance of their event for women in the area.
“It was great to attend the Check Me Out session held by Mums of the Hills last weekend at Burnham Beeches.
“This program encourages women across all ages and stages of life to take some time out to assess their health needs and prompt them into following these up with their health professionals. I completed my checklist and as a result, have booked myself in for some screening tests!” she said.
Being a member of parliament, and a mother herself, Ms Martino said it’s important for women to take time out for themselves.
“With so many of us leading busy lives, it is all too easy to forget to take the time to take care of ourselves.
“What a brilliant initiative from Mums of the Hills!” she said.
“Be sure to go to one of their future sessions if you haven’t had an opportunity to attend one yet”
Mums of the Hills are more Check Me Out events across Knox and the Yarra Ranges over the coming weeks, including at the Monbulk Aquatic Centre on November 3rd, Wesburn on 17 November and in Mooroolbark on 26 November.
More information can be found on mumsofthehills.com.au/all-events
