The first twelve months a blur for mums - Westfield's We are Family Campaign

The first twelve months a blur for mums

"The first twelve months after my baby was born were the most extreme - the most extreme highs and the most extreme lows. I felt like I was in a kind of state of shock and completely underqualified for the job. But yet, miraculously, each day I got a little stronger and a little more confident. And we just grew together!"
  ~ Kate L, mum of one aged one year and three months

The Better Health Channel reveals that one in ten mums experience postnatal depression within the first twelve months of child rearing. Further research (Le Blanc, Naked Motherhood) shows that 88% of first-time mums experience some degree of postnatal stress, which may not develop until years after the birth of their first baby.

Karen Miles, author of The Real Baby Book You Need at 3 am, believes mums can alleviate their stress by sharing their experience with other mums. "Being a mum can be very isolating and nothing can fully prepare you for the birth of a child. Communication is an important part of the transition; seeking support and a network of like-minded mums can make a big difference day to day. There are a lot of avenues for mums in Australia for help and information. Know that over time your confidence will grow with practice and a lot of patience!"

Miles is one of the experts hosting The First Twelve Months events in the new Westfield We Are Family Campaign, with these particular events designed to provide practical advice in coping with the first twelve months of motherhood.

Between June 16 and August 10, We Are Family will host approximately 160 free, interactive events on a diverse range of topics at 32 Westfield centres across the nation for mums to learn, share and meet other mums in the community.

To help mums navigate their busy lives, over 1.3 million free Westfield We Are Family local guides will be available with helpful hints from other Mums, expert advice and quick access to community information. For more details, enquire at your local Westfield centre or check out the new We Are Family website at www.westfield.com.au/wearefamily on June 16 to be part of the family!

The Westfield major consumer marketing campaign “Shop for your Schools” has been an enormously successful community initiative providing 1500 primary schools and approximately half a million kids across the nation with over $12 million in educational technology.

After significant research into the needs of their shoppers, Westfield has looked at new ways to support local communities.

Westfield now proudly announces the 2008 We Are Family campaign

Mums are a large part of the Westfield customer base and the linchpin of the communities Westfield is part of.

From the 8.3 million shoppers passing through Westfield centres each week, 2.3 million are mums.

Westfield created the We Are Family campaign after committing significant time and research into identifying the core challenges facing Australian mums.

We Are Family highlights the real life experiences and insights of Australian mums by generating content around those areas identified as ongoing challenges, providing mums with informative and enriching material to help them as women and as mothers.

We Are Family is a bridge between Westfield centres, the community and their valued consumers, mums, making shopping easier for mums, and more fun for kids.

The national campaign has three components and is free to the public:

Online (June 16)
The We Are Family website is an online portal by mums for mums. Helpful tips by mums who
know best with expert advice by leaders in practical parenting. Mums have the opportunity to
share their insights and develop new found relationships in the Westfield We Are Family online
community. Visit www.westfield.com.au/wearefamily.

Guide (June 16)
Over 1.3 million copies of the We Are Family local guides, created in tandem with ACP
magazines, will be available in Westfield centres across the nation. Each guide will be created
with local content applicable to the community for easy access to informative content and helpful
tips by mums for mums in the areas of: Happy Parents, Eating Well, Happy Kids, Staying
Active.

In Centre Events (June 16 – August 21)
Approximately 160 interactive events will be held in 32 Westfield centres across the nation on a
range of topics for mums. The events will provide mums with informative and enriching material
by leading Australian experts while fostering a strong sense of community for mums at their local
Westfield centres.

The events give mums the opportunity to learn and share more about being mums. Each Westfield centre will host between two to six interactive events led by local and national Australian experts based on the topics below:

• Mum Coach - Helping mums with comprehensive tips for time management
• The First 12 Months - Navigating the trials and joys of the first twelve months of parenting
• Working Mums Club - Tips for balancing work and family for mums looking to join the workforce or mums already in the workforce
• It Takes a Village - Experts join mums for a community forum to talk about a range of topics
• DIY Beauty - To look and feel refreshed, some practical tips to help you feel better through do it yourself beauty routines
• Laughter is the Best Medicine - Leading mum comediennes provide laughter on the silly and sublime of motherhood
• Taming the Toddler Tantrum - Practical tips for mums in taming the almighty toddler tantrum
• Better Buddies - Understanding bullying both inside and outside the home to create better
  buddies

Visit www.westfield.com.au/wearefamily for more information.

Release Date: 21st June 2008

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