Interview by Liv Williams
Feeling isolated as a new mum is more common than you think, but Kimberly Kay has turned that challenge into a nationwide movement. What started as a simple Facebook post and a local walk has grown into over 65 Mum Walks across Australia, giving mums a safe, supportive space to connect, chat, and move together.
We caught up with Kimberly to hear how Mum Walk came to life, why walking is the perfect way to build real friendships, and how Adelaide mums can get involved.
Tell us what sparked Mum Walk in the first place, and why walking together felt like the right way to connect mums.
I started Mum Walk because I experienced first-hand how feeling isolated and alone can send your mental health postpartum into a spiral.
When I found myself pregnant in a brand new city, Melbourne, I knew if I wanted to actually enjoy my maternity leave I needed to make local connections. When I looked at what was on offer for second-time mums, there was nothing out there.
So I put a call out on a local Facebook group to see if anyone wanted to meet for a walk and a chat, and dozens of mums responded. That’s when my first local Mum Walk was born. As soon as I started posting about it online I had dozens more mums say they wished that Mum Walk existed where they were, so I decided to see what would happen if I gave mums the platform and processes to support them to build these mum walking communities. 18 months later we now have over 65 Mum Walks across the country.
Before Mum Walk existed, what was missing in your own early parenthood experience?
I didn’t want to go to another playgroup or playground and hope desperately that I would strike up enough of a conversation with another mum to then hopefully meet again.
What I really wanted was adult conversation and a chance to build genuine friendships. I wanted to see the same faces each week and feel like I belonged somewhere.
So when I built out Mum Walk it was shaped by what I now know is one of the most effective ways to form friendships in the modern world, a free space built on repetition and consistency.
What does the research around postpartum loneliness and connection tell us, and how does Mum Walk respond to that?
90 percent of mums report feeling lonely after birth, and 1 in 5 will experience postpartum depression or anxiety. Isolation is a key risk factor. Mum Walk exists to reduce the isolation that increases the risks of poor mental health outcomes for mums.
There is a broader, national loneliness epidemic affecting Australians, with a lot of attention and advocacy on how this impacts young people, men and our aging population, but no one has been looking at how loneliness is rising and impacting mums specifically.
We know that major life transitions, like becoming a parent, are major triggers for loneliness and isolation. So it’s no surprise that for mums it can feel especially intense. You are navigating physical recovery, identity shifts, sleep deprivation and a complete change in routine, often without your usual support systems.
Connection and strong social health are not just a nice extra in postpartum. It is protective and preventative. Mum Walk responds by making connections simple, free and consistent. Each walk combines gentle movement, time outdoors and guaranteed social interaction. All three are proven to support mental wellbeing. It is a simple model, but it works.
Why is a social walk different from a typical mums’ group meetup?
We’re so lucky in Australia to have Government-funded council mothers’ groups. However, what I found was that these are often a lottery system. Sometimes they gel, sometimes they fizzle. Sometimes you move after your baby, and no longer have access to one, or we have had reports in some regions, mums’ groups have stopped being funded.
It’s clear that thousands of mums were falling through the gaps. We get so many mums come to Mum Walk because for whatever reason their mums group didn’t work out. Mum Walk exists so that any mum, no matter what happens with their first time mums group, has a chance for connection.
There’s also research that shows that social walking support groups reduce the risks and symptoms of postpartum depression more than stationary support groups. There is something powerful about walking side by side in the way it supports connection and story sharing between mums.
What have mums told you about how Mum Walk changed their postpartum experience?
We’ve had so much positive feedback. Some mums say Mum Walk is the only reason they shower and get out of the house each week, knowing they’ll feel better afterward. Others say it’s by far the best way they’ve made local mum friends, and many share that it has had a real, positive impact on their postpartum mental health.
It’s these stories that keep me going and give me the energy to continue building Mum Walk until we’re in any postcode there’s a mum with a pram who needs connection.
Mums often say they want “real connection.” What does that look like on a walk with other mums?
Real connection will be different for everyone. The truth is ‘real’ connection takes time, and a real investment. It doesn’t ‘just’ happen. It can take up to 60+ hours of time together to move from an acquaintance to a casual friend and about double that to form a ‘deep’ friendship. That’s why Mum Walk is intentionally built to give mums the best chance to make connections through consistency and repetition.
The mums who get the most out of Mum Walk and give themselves the best chance at forming genuine connections are those who show up most weeks, and proactively ask for numbers, organise mum dinners or catch ups outside the walk. If ‘real connection’ is what you want, you need to be willing to be that person to make the first move, and find the people who then reciprocate that effort.
Mum Walk can really help mums build deep, and genuine friendship. Sharing stories with someone in the same season as you, while moving and out in nature, is powerful. But it’s also about simple connections and light conversations too.
Even if you feel like your friendship cup in your life is totally full, as mums, you can go days without talking to another adult. Other baby classes, playgroups, or rhyme time don’t facilitate conversations between the mums, and you can often leave those places feeling more lonely and disconnected. At Mum Walk you are guaranteed a conversation, and that is huge for mums to feel more connected.
This started in a local Facebook group and became a national platform. What did that rapid growth teach you?
There are so many lessons in Mum Walk’s success, but two stand out. First, there’s a huge gap in community-centred postpartum support in Australia, and more Government backing is clearly needed. Second, so many mums are natural community leaders.
When I started Mum Walk, one of my biggest questions was: are there really other mums out there, in the thick of it, willing to put themselves out there, show up each week, and host a local walk? With over 600 applications from women wanting to start a Mum Walk, the answer is a resounding yes.
Mum Walk now runs in many cities across Australia. How have different communities shaped how the walks run locally?
Watching Mum Walk grow across the country has been fascinating, and there’s still no clear pattern emerging. Some of our regional and rural walks have been bigger and more successful than I ever expected, showing just how eager mums in these areas are to connect.
Meanwhile, some walks kick off with 15 or more mums in the very first week, while others take a little time to build momentum. It’s always a surprise which locations really take off, often it’s the ones you’d least expect.
For mums in Adelaide reading this, what’s the first step to finding or starting a local walk?
You can head to our Mum Walk Map and pop in your postcode to find your nearest one. If there isn’t one there, you can apply to start one. We’re looking to have a few more walks in Adelaide and South Australia, so if you’ve been thinking about it, definitely take that first brave step and apply to start one!
Finally, what’s one message you’d give to a mum feeling alone as she reads this?
You’re not alone in feeling like motherhood is more lonely and isolating than you expected. In fact, it’s more common than not. There are so many other mums out there wanting to chat and connect. Just take the first brave step of showing up to your first Mum Walk, you won’t regret it.
HOW TO START YOUR OWN MUM WALK
Want to kickstart a local Mum Walk in your area? Here’s how.
- Check the map: by visiting the Mum Walk Map to see if a walk already exists near you.
- Apply to host: If there isn’t one nearby, fill out a short application to become a walk host.
- Pick a spot: Choose a safe, local route — parks, walking trails, or even streets with paths work well.
- Set a schedule: Consistency is key, so pick a day and time that works weekly for you and your walkers.
- Keep it simple: Mum Walk is about conversation and gentle movement, with no pressure and no complicated activities.
- Invite mums: Spread the word locally through social media, community groups, or word of mouth.
- Show up: Lead with warmth and openness. Even one mum joining makes a difference.
Find out more at mumwalk.org or follow along at @mumwalkorg.