Becoming a new mom can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You are now responsible for a precious baby – and this journey can fill your days with joy, laughter and love.
There is no denying, however, that there are some challenges of becoming a new mom which can be difficult to navigate. Maintaining your social life is one of the biggest hurdles – as you may want (or need) to keep your baby with you at all times.
You may find yourself wanting to make new friends with people in the same phase of life as you – as you are all in the ‘same boat’ and can chat about your shared experiences. This will also enable you to bring your newborn to hangouts without being the ‘odd one out’.
In the blog below, we’ve outlined 5 ways you can make other mom friends so that you can build a community and support system in this new part of life.
Visiting your local park during the daytime can be an excellent way to meet other new moms. If it is a busy park, there will undoubtedly be one or two other moms there, playing with their babies – and this offers the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation!
Who knows… perhaps your littles can play at the park together in the future, while you enjoy some much-needed time chatting with someone going through the same things as you are.
And even if you don’t see any other new moms there, you can always try out other new parks in the area, until you start to become familiar with the same momma faces.
It is not uncommon for libraries throughout the USA to provide mommy/baby classes. These sessions will usually take place at the same time(s) every week and will give you a chance to meet other moms that likely live near you.
These classes often involve reading nursery rhymes, doing little songs and dances, reading baby books and just generally introducing your baby to the world of storytelling. So, not only will this provide an excellent opportunity for you to make friends with other new moms, but your baby will get lots out of it, too!
In larger towns and big cities, there are often ‘Mom Meet-Up Groups’ for any new moms who are looking to socialize. At these gatherings (often in local cafes and parks) you will be able to bring along your newborn and chat to other moms who are in the area.
If you live in a rural area, it is worth investigating whether your nearest town has any groups like this. You may be able to find online forums, Facebook groups, or websites dedicated to these meetups. Going along can offer an ideal opportunity for you to make new friends and get support as you navigate the challenges of being a new mom.
Lots of new moms are on Facebook – and this is a something you can take advantage of. There will probably be local Facebook groups dedicated to ‘new moms’ in your area organized by birth year of your baby… so all you’ve got to do is find it!
A simple search on Facebook may reveal small groups dedicated to moms in the same stage of new motherhood as you. Alternatively, you can ask any new parents you are already friendly with about whether they are aware of Facebook groups like this. In bigger towns and cities, they will definitely exist - enabling you to chat to other moms going through the same experiences, and maybe even arrange some coffee dates!
In this modern era, you won’t be surprised to learn that there are phone apps dedicated to creating a safe space for mommas to chat with each other.Peanut is perhaps the most popular app invented for this purpose, and is used by millions of moms throughout America to share experiences, and even arrange in-person meetups.
There are several other apps out there for you to meet mommy mates – so, do lots of research online and try to find the ones that feels most suitable for you. You could be meeting up with new momma friends you met via the app in no time!
We hope that the five ideas above have given you lots of inspiration for making new mama friends and keeping your social life alive!
There are also a few strategies you could adopt to keep in touch with your non-mama friends, too. You don’t have to leave your old social life behind if you don’t want to. We’ve got tips forkeeping in touch with your friends after giving birth here if you’re looking for help.
