Quincy women launch stroller "walk and talk" group for moms
QUINCY – Quincy mothers Sarah McCord and Tricia Hartz love being outside with their babies and wanted to invite other new moms who might be feeling alone to join them.
"Why don't we just start this stroller group where we just walk and talk? That's all we really needed," said Hartz. "You don't need a space. You just need a park, a stroller and your moms."
Hartz and McCord were lucky enough to quickly connect after giving birth to daughters Stella, now seven months old, and Violet, almost 11 months old, but both say they remember the early days with a newborn and feeling alone.
"Being at home you're definitely confined; your hormones are still all over the place," said McCord. "You're like can I do this? And having other moms who are in the same boat makes it so much easier to deal with these things. It definitely helped my mental health after giving birth."
That's why McCord and Hartz started South Shore Moms Club, a collective organizing weekly stroller walks as a physical and emotional outlet for mothers. Walks range from forty minutes to two hours at parks and trails all over the South Shore.
New mom, Karissa Richtmyer, says the club has become a big part of her and her nine-month-old daughter Giuliana's life.
"It's definitely made me feel more confident as a mom," she told WBZ. "I had other people I could share stories with, dealing with birth trauma and postpartum depression. It just made me feel not as alone. We all talk every single day in a group chat. I say to my husband I have more friends now than I did before I had kids, which is really good."
It's exactly the kind of supportive community Hartz and McCord hoped to create.
"In terms of physical health, I could not expect to be where I'm at postpartum if it weren't for walking and being outdoors and getting active," said Hartz. "And mentally that's all you need, another mom to hear you out. It's such a simple concept and I'm so happy that more moms are coming out joining us."
"It's like a parade. Everyone is waving, the babies are so happy," Hartz said.
"Everyone stops us and says, 'Wow look at all those moms, we wish we had that when we were new moms," McCord said. "And that's just it. This is such a new thing; it hasn't been around for very long and I think there is such a need."
"The stronger your mom group is the stronger you feel and the more empowered you feel," she added.
South Shore Moms Club also does hikes and carrier walks. For more information on their schedule visit their Instagram page.
