A new initiative, devoted to mothers-to-be and new mothers, is coming soon to Sydney. Offering a helping hand to those who are new to navigating their way through the maze of motherhood and parenting, Mother Conference on 16 October 2015 is a one-day event that offers unprecedented access to some of Australia’s leading post-birth and parenting professionals.
From sleeping, settling, feeding, behaviour and development milestones, through to one-on-one consultations with midwifery specialists, lactation consultants, nutritionists and post-natal physiotherapists, the inaugural Mother Conference provides education, support, community and information sharing opportunities to empower mums with the knowledge and confidence they need to enjoy motherhood in the early months.
Supported by an impressive line-up of thought-leaders, Robin Barker, bestselling author of Australia's No. 1 baby book Baby Love, is just one of the keynote speakers at this year’s event.
“I'm delighted to participate in this wonderful initiative: A day for new mothers where they can freely discuss the avalanche of opinions, recommendations and advice they are expected to wade through without fear of being criticised or judged.
“Baby information is an industry and many new parents are suffering from information overload. This is not new. Mothers have been bombarded with helpful, batty and dangerous advice for centuries. But, thanks to the explosion of parenting books, the internet, radio and television, medical technology and mountains of research, mothers in the 21st century are drowning in information like never before. So much so, many start to ignore or mistrust their
own intuition when it comes to working out what is best for their babies
“To add to the confusion, not all the advice comes from professionals in the field. Journalists, environmentalists, academics, actors, comedians, celebrities and cartoonists are advising new mothers on everything from sleep to teaching baby-sign language to how to cook a casserole while breastfeeding,” said Ms Barker.
Providing a platform for mothers to find solutions to their concerns and evaluate for themselves what works best for them and their child was a driving factor behind the inception of the Mother Conference, says event creator, organiser and mother Claire Wootton.
“There’s no one-size fits all scenario when it comes to raising a newborn. I’m a mum of two, and when my first child came along I was completely overwhelmed and taken aback with the daunting task of caring for a tiny human. I struggled with breastfeeding, and not having my family nearby to assist left me feeling isolated and quite vulnerable.
“We’re told all the time that we’re not alone, but it wasn’t until I was among other new mothers where I could share my experiences, that I actually started to feel less beleaguered with advice, and more able to enjoy my motherhood journey. I came to realise that people spend so much time researching HOW to give birth, and not nearly enough time preparing for when reality hits and the child arrives – cue the birth of the Mother Conference!” explained Mrs Wootton.
Other speakers confirmed for this year include parenthood pioneer Elly Taylor, neonatologist and paediatrician Dr Howard Chilton, Jo Ryan, author of the Australian must-have guide to sleeping, settling and routine – BabyBliss and TV presenter, author, wife and mother Jessica Rowe.
To be held at The Concourse, opposite Westfield Chatswood on Friday 16 October between 9 am-5 pm, Mother Conference will provide mothers with essential advice and information on how to look after themselves and their new baby.
To register and for more information, visit: http://motherconference.com.au/
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