Women in the Illawarra and around Australia are being encouraged to make time for their health during this year’s Women’s Health Week (2 – 9 September).
The two biggest barriers for women not maintaining a healthy lifestyle are ‘lack of time’ and ‘health not being a priority’, and mothers in particular are guilty of putting the health and wellbeing of others ahead of their own needs. Women’s Health Week, run annually by Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, is an opportunity for women to prioritise wellbeing.
“Women are leading busier lives than ever before,” says Brenda Jones, Women’s Health Week campaign manager.
“Sometimes they need to be reminded to put themselves on their own to-do lists. Women’s Health Week is the perfect opportunity for women to set aside some time for their own health and wellbeing. Together, we want women to think about, and do something positive for, their health.”
In light of this, Better Births Illawarra is hosting a free pelvic health workshop on Tuesday 3 September, in partnership with Bumps@BaiMed Physiotherapy, giving local women an opportunity to learn some basic skills in caring for their pelvic health. Better Births Illawarra is a community-run group, advocating for better birth and maternity services in the region.
Giselle Coromandel, President of Better Births Illawarra, said self-care is especially important for new and expectant mothers: “Becoming a mother can be overwhelming, with so much to think about and a new person entirely reliant upon you, it’s easy to forget about looking after your own health. We know one in three women who have had a baby will suffer from bladder incontinence, so pelvic health is especially important for mothers.”
Samantha Craddock is a Physiotherapist with Bumps@BaiMed who has a special interest in women during pregnancy and the postnatal period, Samantha will be leading the workshop on 3 September: “Looking after your body and particularly your pelvic floor during pregnancy and the postpartum period is essential for lifelong health. How many times have you heard our Mums and Nanna's say 'I wish I'd known what to do when I had kids?'. Having the peace of mind that you know how your pelvic floor works and what to do to best help yourself through the life changing process of growing and birthing a child is invaluable.”
Along with providing a free opportunity to learn about pelvic health, the Better Births Illawarra event on Tuesday 3 September is a Maternity Circle – giving local mothers the opportunity to get involved in advocacy to improve birth and maternity services in the region.
“We are passionate about improving birth and maternity services in the Illawarra, and our community organisation is reliant upon local mothers volunteering their time and skills to help us achieve our goals. We believe in building a village of local parents who can support, empower and educate one another, to ensure all parents in the Illawarra are given the pre-natal and post-natal care and support they deserve,” said Ms Coromandel.
“Our Maternity Circle event will provide an update on our plans for the next 12 months, and give local parents an opportunity to get involved.”