When the hubby and I first made the decision I would stay home, I immediately started looking at what I would do to get out of the house. Luckily, I live in an awesome community where there are tons of opportunities to meet new people, but no matter where you are, there are things for new mommies.
So, let's get to it!
1. Birthing Class. Oh yes, you can start making friends before you even have your baby. A friend of mine was telling me that they met a couple in their birth class and they'd become good friends and best of all, their babies were only a couple of weeks apart. So, the hubby and I walked into our Prepared Childbirth class, took a quick survey of the room and went and plopped (ok, he didn't "plop," but at 34 weeks pregnant, I definitely "plopped") down next to a cute couple that just looked like they could be our friends. We totally bonded with the couple while giggling about some of the more intense couples...
{Backstory: There came a time when we all had to get down on the floor and practice our labor breathing techniques we had just learned about. Being an ole prenatal yogi from way back, I wasn't paying much attention to those around me (being busy labor breathing like a champ), but the hubby later reported back that there were some super-creepy couples around us. Lots of not-suitable-for-birth-class lower back rubbing - um, hubbies, your wives are not actually in labor. This is practice.}
Fast-forward to now, our baby boys are 10 days apart, we both had c-sections due to breech babies and live less than 2 miles apart.
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| Um, can a girl get a censor bar on those new momma nursing ta-tas? Yikes. |
2. Hospital Support Groups. Before you go getting all weird on me thinking this is a "mom-aholics anonymous" group, chill the eff out. The hospital where I delivered my babe, Baylor Frisco, actually has a breastfeeding support group. And if you don't think you need support when breastfeeding, you have clearly never done it. Or maybe you had no problems at all, in which case, I hate you. Kidding. Kind of.
When I first went, Connor was three weeks old. My mom actually drove us up there as I wasn't even driving yet after my c-section. I wasn't really going to make friends but rather get some advice on a bad latching problem (TMI?), but ended up making quite a few pals that I still keep in touch with and have play dates with. When we first started going it was for advice; later on, it was something to do every week, new mommas to socialize with and they also served delicious cookies . Ummm, ya. Count me in.
3. Get churchy. Now I will admit that I am by NO means the most devout Catholic you will ever meet. But many churches in the area (really any area!) offer new mommy groups. You don't have to be a member of their church and the groups aren't totally religion-focused, but rather they focus on creating a support system as well as a place to learn about parenting, get advice and develop friendships with other mommas.
{For those in the Frisco area, here are a few that I know about.}
MOPS (two locations)
4. Use your friends... To make more friends. So, I made several friends on my own, but many of the pals I met are friends of friends. At each play date, I always tried to go meet new mommas and many of those gals, have become good friends!
5. Gym. Because every momma needs an hour break. I adore my time with Connor, but one of the smartest things I did after leaving my job was joining a gym. The local athletic center has a daycare or "Fun Club" where you can leave your little one for up to two hours a day. Of course, we only go a couple of times a week but it gives me just a bit of alone time to run or work out and gives the babe a chance to play without me.
So, technically I don't really go to the gym trying to make friends. Can't you just see me walking in the weight room all like:
And speaking of getting out of the house... We also do best when we get out of the house at least once a day, even if it's just on a Target run. ;-)
Now I'm not saying I pick up friends at Target... I am just saying that I'm not above it! ;-)
Ok, am I missing anything?!
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