It was at MacRitchie Reservoir that I met the four founders of Mindful Mamas. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, and a breeze cooled our brows. Each woman had her baby in a carrier or in her arms, looking more than ready to go for their regular walk.
A year ago, they were strangers. Today, they work closely to build their growing community of nearly 1,000 mums in Singapore, who want to slow down, manage their stress better, and raise their children in a mindful, unrushed and intentional manner.
Before they found each other, motherhood mostly felt like a struggle.
Amanda Ong, a 30-year-old musician, became a mum for the first time in May 2024. Elated and in love with her daughter, she also often felt alone.
Most of her friends weren’t mums, and few were interested in the way her life had changed since motherhood. “I love my daughter and being a mum, but the loneliness of new motherhood got to me sometimes,” she told CNA Women.
Ho Kin Ing, a business owner, gave birth to her third daughter, Cherish, in September 2023. But experience didn’t make things easier. The 33-year-old had battled postpartum depression with her first child, and even after having her third, she often felt anxious and burnt out.
“With my first two girls, I was overly cautious, full of nerves, and unable to relax,” she said. This time, Ho was determined to do things differently.
(From left) Ho, Nathan, Wu and Ong didn’t know each other in early 2024 but bonded over their shared interest in nature and a desire to be more mindful and intentional as mothers. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Meanwhile, 36-year-old leadership coach Jiezhen Wu and 37-year-old educator Hema Nathan crossed paths outside a nature-based daycare where they sent their older children.
Both mums of two, they bonded over slow walks with their newborns and having quiet, unhurried mornings that gave space for conversation, reflection, and rest. They began taking regular walks at MacRitchie Reservoir, where the surroundings helped them reconnect with themselves.
Over a few months, the four women found each other serendipitously: Wu met Ong at a baby yoga class; Ong met Ho at a cloth diapering course; Wu roped Nathan in to meet Ho at a baby event. And the four women realised they shared a deep desire for community.
“We felt most at ease in nature. Less hurried and more connected to our babies, and to each other,” said Nathan. “We all knew how lonely it could get. So if we met a mum at the daycare, supermarket or even at the void deck, we’d say, ‘Hey, we’re going for a walk, want to join?’”
Ho remembers her first walk with the group vividly. “I was so burnt out that I’d see a leaf fall and suddenly panic for no reason,” she said. “I never thought of nature as healing, and I hardly brought my first two out on walks, but that first stroll with the other three was life-changing.”
The group started with these four mums who loved going on walks as it was a calming activity. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Initially, Wu would drop each of the others a WhatsApp text to organise a walk. She then started a group chat for easier communication and called it Mindful Mama Walks.
Soon, the invitations to go for walks spread beyond the four.
Wu said: “Each of us just started sharing about the walks with other mums, and the other mums then shared about them with other mums, and soon, the whole community of mums going on mindful, silent, nature-surrounded walks just grew and grew.”
Most of the invitations happened on WhatsApp or via word of mouth, as the four mums often attended events related to pregnancy and parenthood.
Ong said: “Eventually, it wasn’t even us doing all the organising. Mums being mums, many just took the initiative. There was one day when five walks were happening across the island at the same time. It was beautiful."
What began as four mums looking for calm turned into a movement of mothers choosing presence over pressure. Mindful Mamas offers a space for women to gather, walk, chat, play, and raise their children with intention together.
By late 2024, Mindful Mamas had grown far beyond the original walking group of four. As more mothers joined the WhatsApp group, the community blossomed into 11 different subgroups and interest circles.
There are now groups for homeschooling or delayed formal schooling, a platform to initiate and plan regular play dates and share structured educational activities, a gifting and swap chat for pre-loved items, and even workouts designed for mums who are always with their babies and can’t leave home.
The main chat buzzes with dozens of conversations each day. But while the community began as a digital gathering space, in-person meet-ups remain at the heart of Mindful Mamas.
“We’re a community on WhatsApp, and there are hundreds of us, but we always make it a point to meet,” said Wu. “That’s where the real connection comes in, where mums can genuinely feel less alone and know that someone – another mum – has got their back.”
Members of Mindful Mamas regularly organise playdates for their babies and toddlers. (Photo: Mindful Mamas)
Aside from the casual walks that happen all over Singapore – at Chinese Garden, Kent Ridge Park, East Coast Park, Botanic Gardens, and Bukit Timah – Mindful Mamas also organises events. These include gatherings that welcome other family members and item swaps where mums can exchange used clothes, toys and accessories.
“We even have book clubs where mums share thoughts on parenting or just chat about totally random book topics for a break from all the mothering,” said Ong. “And then there are home workouts, where we’re doing yoga while babies crawl all over us – it’s amazing.”
The four founders see it as their role to create and protect a safe, judgement-free zone, both in real life and online.
“It’s also important that we get mums out,” said Wu. “Being at home for long stretches with little to no adult interaction can be incredibly isolating.”
That’s why whenever a mum says she’s too tired or unsure about joining an outing, the group responds, not with pressure, but with empathy and encouragement.
“I spend every waking moment with my 10-month-old daughter. I go literally everywhere with her, and it can be a lot,” said Ong. “But I also want to show that it’s okay for kids to cry in public; it’s okay to settle them however works for you. It’s okay to struggle. That’s what this space is for.”
When tensions arise, the community has shown maturity and grace. Ho recalled one incident on WhatsApp where two members clashed over differing approaches to baby sleep. “Sleep is always a sensitive topic,” she said. “Some mums co-sleep, some sleep train, some nurse to sleep, and a lot of us have very strong opinions on this.”
A popular walk destination is MacRitchie Reservoir, as the mums appreciate the serene nature-filled surroundings. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Before any of the four could intervene, other members stepped in. The messages poured in, gently reminding everyone of the group’s values: Openness, mindfulness, empathy and mutual respect.
“It really touched me,” Ho said. “That the group could self-regulate, and that the mums truly believed in what this space was meant to be.”
Thinking back to life before motherhood, before Mindful Mamas, Ong said she never imagined her parenthood journey would look like this.
“I’ve gained so much insight. Before this, I only had my parents and in-laws to turn to. And while they’re great, this community opened my eyes to different ways of parenting. I’d never even considered homeschooling, but now it’s all I think about.”
Each walk starts with a round of introductions and intentions, where each mum shares what they hope to gain from the session. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Nathan told CNA Women that the space helped her embrace who she is as a mum and a wife: “As a working mum, I always had doubts – am I doing enough? Is it okay to feel this way? But then I met other mums who felt just like me or are going through the same situation and challenges I am, and I realised I’m okay. We’re all okay."
Looking ahead, Ho hopes Mindful Mamas can grow into a space that raises awareness about parenting-related issues.
Inspired by the Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group Singapore, Ho envisions Mindful Mamas as a platform that can advocate for different issues that affect parenthood and children growing up in Singapore, such as conscientious screen use around children or even rethinking how education is structured.
As for Wu, she’s proud that the group has grown organically. Now that it’s crossed 1,000 members, she knows it’ll need more hands on deck to be more inclusive and welcoming, to manage meet-ups, guide conversations, and make sure the community stays grounded in its original intention of mindfulness, connection, and slowing down together.
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...
A year ago, they were strangers. Today, they work closely to build their growing community of nearly 1,000 mums in Singapore, who want to slow down, manage their stress better, and raise their children in a mindful, unrushed and intentional manner.
Before they found each other, motherhood mostly felt like a struggle.
Amanda Ong, a 30-year-old musician, became a mum for the first time in May 2024. Elated and in love with her daughter, she also often felt alone.
Most of her friends weren’t mums, and few were interested in the way her life had changed since motherhood. “I love my daughter and being a mum, but the loneliness of new motherhood got to me sometimes,” she told CNA Women.
Ho Kin Ing, a business owner, gave birth to her third daughter, Cherish, in September 2023. But experience didn’t make things easier. The 33-year-old had battled postpartum depression with her first child, and even after having her third, she often felt anxious and burnt out.
“With my first two girls, I was overly cautious, full of nerves, and unable to relax,” she said. This time, Ho was determined to do things differently.
(From left) Ho, Nathan, Wu and Ong didn’t know each other in early 2024 but bonded over their shared interest in nature and a desire to be more mindful and intentional as mothers. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Meanwhile, 36-year-old leadership coach Jiezhen Wu and 37-year-old educator Hema Nathan crossed paths outside a nature-based daycare where they sent their older children.
Both mums of two, they bonded over slow walks with their newborns and having quiet, unhurried mornings that gave space for conversation, reflection, and rest. They began taking regular walks at MacRitchie Reservoir, where the surroundings helped them reconnect with themselves.
Over a few months, the four women found each other serendipitously: Wu met Ong at a baby yoga class; Ong met Ho at a cloth diapering course; Wu roped Nathan in to meet Ho at a baby event. And the four women realised they shared a deep desire for community.
“We felt most at ease in nature. Less hurried and more connected to our babies, and to each other,” said Nathan. “We all knew how lonely it could get. So if we met a mum at the daycare, supermarket or even at the void deck, we’d say, ‘Hey, we’re going for a walk, want to join?’”
Ho remembers her first walk with the group vividly. “I was so burnt out that I’d see a leaf fall and suddenly panic for no reason,” she said. “I never thought of nature as healing, and I hardly brought my first two out on walks, but that first stroll with the other three was life-changing.”
The group started with these four mums who loved going on walks as it was a calming activity. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Initially, Wu would drop each of the others a WhatsApp text to organise a walk. She then started a group chat for easier communication and called it Mindful Mama Walks.
Soon, the invitations to go for walks spread beyond the four.
Wu said: “Each of us just started sharing about the walks with other mums, and the other mums then shared about them with other mums, and soon, the whole community of mums going on mindful, silent, nature-surrounded walks just grew and grew.”
Most of the invitations happened on WhatsApp or via word of mouth, as the four mums often attended events related to pregnancy and parenthood.
Ong said: “Eventually, it wasn’t even us doing all the organising. Mums being mums, many just took the initiative. There was one day when five walks were happening across the island at the same time. It was beautiful."
A SPACE FOR MUMS TO FEEL LESS ALONE
What began as four mums looking for calm turned into a movement of mothers choosing presence over pressure. Mindful Mamas offers a space for women to gather, walk, chat, play, and raise their children with intention together.
By late 2024, Mindful Mamas had grown far beyond the original walking group of four. As more mothers joined the WhatsApp group, the community blossomed into 11 different subgroups and interest circles.
There are now groups for homeschooling or delayed formal schooling, a platform to initiate and plan regular play dates and share structured educational activities, a gifting and swap chat for pre-loved items, and even workouts designed for mums who are always with their babies and can’t leave home.
The main chat buzzes with dozens of conversations each day. But while the community began as a digital gathering space, in-person meet-ups remain at the heart of Mindful Mamas.
“We’re a community on WhatsApp, and there are hundreds of us, but we always make it a point to meet,” said Wu. “That’s where the real connection comes in, where mums can genuinely feel less alone and know that someone – another mum – has got their back.”
Members of Mindful Mamas regularly organise playdates for their babies and toddlers. (Photo: Mindful Mamas)
Aside from the casual walks that happen all over Singapore – at Chinese Garden, Kent Ridge Park, East Coast Park, Botanic Gardens, and Bukit Timah – Mindful Mamas also organises events. These include gatherings that welcome other family members and item swaps where mums can exchange used clothes, toys and accessories.
“We even have book clubs where mums share thoughts on parenting or just chat about totally random book topics for a break from all the mothering,” said Ong. “And then there are home workouts, where we’re doing yoga while babies crawl all over us – it’s amazing.”
The four founders see it as their role to create and protect a safe, judgement-free zone, both in real life and online.
“It’s also important that we get mums out,” said Wu. “Being at home for long stretches with little to no adult interaction can be incredibly isolating.”
That’s why whenever a mum says she’s too tired or unsure about joining an outing, the group responds, not with pressure, but with empathy and encouragement.
“I spend every waking moment with my 10-month-old daughter. I go literally everywhere with her, and it can be a lot,” said Ong. “But I also want to show that it’s okay for kids to cry in public; it’s okay to settle them however works for you. It’s okay to struggle. That’s what this space is for.”
THE DESIRE TO BE MORE PRESENT AND MINDFUL
When tensions arise, the community has shown maturity and grace. Ho recalled one incident on WhatsApp where two members clashed over differing approaches to baby sleep. “Sleep is always a sensitive topic,” she said. “Some mums co-sleep, some sleep train, some nurse to sleep, and a lot of us have very strong opinions on this.”
A popular walk destination is MacRitchie Reservoir, as the mums appreciate the serene nature-filled surroundings. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Before any of the four could intervene, other members stepped in. The messages poured in, gently reminding everyone of the group’s values: Openness, mindfulness, empathy and mutual respect.
“It really touched me,” Ho said. “That the group could self-regulate, and that the mums truly believed in what this space was meant to be.”
Thinking back to life before motherhood, before Mindful Mamas, Ong said she never imagined her parenthood journey would look like this.
“I’ve gained so much insight. Before this, I only had my parents and in-laws to turn to. And while they’re great, this community opened my eyes to different ways of parenting. I’d never even considered homeschooling, but now it’s all I think about.”
Each walk starts with a round of introductions and intentions, where each mum shares what they hope to gain from the session. (Photo: CNA/Izza Haziqah)
Nathan told CNA Women that the space helped her embrace who she is as a mum and a wife: “As a working mum, I always had doubts – am I doing enough? Is it okay to feel this way? But then I met other mums who felt just like me or are going through the same situation and challenges I am, and I realised I’m okay. We’re all okay."
Looking ahead, Ho hopes Mindful Mamas can grow into a space that raises awareness about parenting-related issues.
Inspired by the Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group Singapore, Ho envisions Mindful Mamas as a platform that can advocate for different issues that affect parenthood and children growing up in Singapore, such as conscientious screen use around children or even rethinking how education is structured.
As for Wu, she’s proud that the group has grown organically. Now that it’s crossed 1,000 members, she knows it’ll need more hands on deck to be more inclusive and welcoming, to manage meet-ups, guide conversations, and make sure the community stays grounded in its original intention of mindfulness, connection, and slowing down together.
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...