Community
The Connection Section
Why connection and community is a fundamental element of joy in motherhood.
How connected do Australian mothers actually feel? The numbers tell a story many of us already know in our bones.
Mothers and loneliness
73% of mothers feel lonely at least a few times a month. 28% feel it every week. The Motherhood Index 2026 — Women's Agenda & Medibank, 1,000+ mothers
And the village we were promised?
Only 38% feel part of one. Almost half say they're lonelier now than before they had children. The Motherhood Index 2026 — Women's Agenda & Medibank, 1,000+ mothers
What connection does
Why does this matter for our health — not just our mood?
People with strong social relationships have a 50% greater likelihood of survival. Holt-Lunstad et al., PLOS Medicine 2010 — 148 studies, 308,849 people
And the cost of going without?
Loneliness is linked to around 871,000 deaths a year worldwide. That's about 100 every hour. WHO Commission on Social Connection, 2025
Does support from another mum actually help?
High-risk new mums who had peer support from another mother were half as likely to have postnatal depression at 12 weeks. 14% vs 25%. Dennis et al., BMJ 2009 — randomised trial, 701 women
What about simply walking together?
Outdoor walking groups lowered blood pressure, resting heart rate and depression scores. Hanson & Jones, British Journal of Sports Medicine 2015 — 42 studies
The Connection Section
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