When I was pregnant, I remember seeing two moms bump into each other on the sidewalk. They said hi and exchanged news, smiled at each others’ babies and made a play date for later in the week. It was a simple exchange but it overwhelmed me. How would I ever get to that place? I had no friends in the neighborhood after living there for almost five years, and couldn’t imagine how I’d suddenly make new ones. I had a vision of myself and my son holed up in our apartment while the rest of the moms in the neighborhood went on strolls and met for coffee. Of course, as any new parent quickly realizes, having a baby is the quickest and surest way to connect with others. Over the past year I’ve made some great mom friends and I’m sure you will too. Here are a few ways to meet other moms with babies the same age as yours:
1. Take a mommy & me class. It’s a great way to meet others because you see each other weekly. The best ones for new moms and their infants tend to be movement, music, and yoga classes. (Check nearby children’s activity centers, gyms, and yoga studios for offerings.) If you don’t want to commit to a semester of classes, try a drop-in class. If you’re expecting, head to a prenatal yoga or exercise class–I know many moms who met while they were pregnant and stayed friends after their babies were born.
2. Head to the park. When it’s nice outside, you’re bound to find other new moms there also looking to escape from their apartment. I met one of my mom friends because we were sitting beside each other on benches in the park and struck up a conversation. The local parks are also where a lot of new moms’ groups meet–if you see a bunch of moms together, don’t be shy about walking up to them and introducing yourself.
3. Join a new moms’ group. Go online and search for new parents’ groups in your neighborhood. The message boards are usually filled with other new moms looking to meet up. If there isn’t already a moms’ group for you to join, start one by asking if other moms with babies born the same month or season as yours want to get together. Suggest meeting at a local cafe, park, or even hosting a get together at your apartment.
4. Go to a new moms event. A handful of groups in the city host events geared toward new moms, where you bring your baby and meet other new moms like yourself. It could be anything from a luncheon featuring a baby sleep expert to a class on how to cook baby food. Big City Moms and Babybites are just two organizations that host these types of events–check their websites for details.
5. If you’re nursing, go to a breastfeeding support group. Most breastfeeding moms have questions about or problems with nursing, but even if everything is going smoothly, a breastfeeding support group is a wonderful place to connect with other moms. It’s an intimate setting where not just breastfeeding, but other concerns related to parenting are addressed as well, from the emotional to the physical. To find a breastfeeding support group near you, scroll to the bottom of this post.
6. Approach other moms you see. New moms are drawn to each other–we track each other down in cafes, on the sidewalk, in line at the store. If you strike up a conversation with another new mom about what kind of carrier she has or where she bought her baby’s cute onesie, don’t hesitate to take it to the next level by exchanging emails or numbers. It’s like dating. I met one of my closest mom friends because we were sitting next to each other at an outdoor bar. She wrote down her email on a napkin, and we’ve been friends ever since.
