New maternal mental health charity starts up in Limestone Coast

A nationally registered maternal mental health charity is paving the way in reinstating ‘the village’, providing essential support for young mothers and families across Australia. The charity, known as The Nurtured Village, has now extended its wings to the Limestone Coast.

The dynamic duo, Taegan Partington and Georgia Tarca, have joined forces to set up this vital support network on the Limestone Coast. The move comes at a time when maternal mental health has been declared a global mental health crisis.

The Nurtured Village is actively changing the face of maternal mental health in Australia. The charity comes as a beacon of hope in a society where one in seven mums will be diagnosed with postnatal depression, one in five with anxiety, one in 20 with birth-related PTSD, and an alarming 75% of mothers hesitate to seek help.

The Nurtured Village’s support varies, but the principal message is clear – it is absolutely okay to ask for help. Partington explains, “The transition to motherhood is so massive. Not just the first child, but every child. You don’t always know what you are doing or what you are supposed to do.”

Acknowledging the hardships of motherhood is the first step, according to Tarca. “Social media often paints a perfect picture of motherhood. We aim to change that because such portrayals only make struggles harder,” she said.

While the Limestone Coast has initiated these critical conversations, The Nurtured Village is also offering practical assistance. Each month, Partington and Tarca gather donated items, home-cooked meals, non-perishables, and baby essentials to form a hamper for a nominated mother. The random selection is a gesture of solidarity and support.

Businesses or individuals interested in contributing can find the group on Facebook ‘The Nurtured Village Hampers – Limestone Coast’ or email [email protected] for more information.

Tarca notes, “The village is not just mums, it’s about anyone who wants to help. We’re looking for anything that lightens the load.”

The Limestone Coast group has just delivered its second hamper and is already brainstorming for ‘the village’s’ future aspects. Partington shares, “Long term, we’re discussing numerous ideas including a mothers’ cocktail party, long lunches. We aim to create sustainable and lasting change in this community. Raising awareness is the first step, then building something bigger and longer-lasting.”

The duo is hopeful that their efforts will highlight the need for more resources. Tarca concluded, “We must remember that usually when people reach out, they are at their breaking point.”