To ask how many baby/toddler groups you really go to?

[DulcieRay]

Just that really! How many groups do you really go to? Do you go to groups at all?

Baby sensory, rhyme time at the library and baby swimming. I don’t go to all three every week, some weeks I’ll only do one or none! Depends how I’m feeling mentally.

None indeed! I was assigned a 'local newborn' group when my first was born but it was up an incredibly steep hill and I didn't drive at the time. I went for the first three sessions but most of the mums were not first timers like I was and they also seemed to expect the foreigner (me) to make all the conversation in my second language which was a bit like talking to a brick wall. Luckily i had a lot of actual friends who had babies at the same time as me so I just met up with them casually instead.

It's good to not be isolated, but I really don't think baby groups are necessary within the first year if you can get your contact elsewhere :) it's certainly not going to bring much to your child before they're a year old anyway.

We went to maybe one or two a week, and had NCT meet ups most weeks. Now that DS is 2, he goes to nursery 3 days and to groups on the other 2 with my DM.

at the moment i go to 3, id get itchy feet if i didn't. I go out the other 2 days even if its just a walk to the shop. Obviously then do things with my husband on weekends.

I go to 2 a week

Three or four a week, tbf some of those are post natal exercise classes where you bring babies. I'd go bonkers if I didn't go. I don't have many friends here to meet up with family, family are an hour and half away and my NCT group seems to have died.

With DD we did baby signing, swimming and at least two baby groups a week. By the time she was a year we were only going to one group a week.
With DS we go to one group most weeks, and sometimes a library session.

I used to do one or max two a week when mine was a baby but I mostly find them really boring as everyone talks only about the babies! I liked the ones that were activity based like a gym class or yoga

I do baby sensory and baby yoga with my 6 month old.
The yoga is definitely for me though, although he does seem to enjoy himself.

I did more with DS1 and had more meet ups with mums I had met at an NHS postnatal group, which I didn’t do this time round, so I do feel a bit bored sometimes.

Zero. Thank god for my childminder.

With my eldest i used to go to about 4 different groups a week. Youngest we just went to one

I go to one baby and toddler playgroup, 2-3 times a week. Though I seem to be in the minority on MN in that I actively want to go. It’s an lovely group with friendly parents and excellent facilities (plus as much free coffee as you can help yourself to).

Between 0-2 depending on how easy the week is going. DS is 8 months.

Monday: library stories
Tuesday: a mum and baby fitness class, mum and baby yoga (if we get a place) and a signing and instrument group.
Wednesday: a story and song group and harpbeeps
Thursday: rythym and rhyme (if we get a place), sometimes baby massage
Friday: a playgroup
We also have pretty regular nct meet-ups and we go to the park quite a bit and sometimes go swimming too.
We also like chilling in front of the TV, so we have a good balance.
My son is five months. I'll look at classes again after he turns six months because there are some groups he is too little for at the moment. We also want him to go to Spanish school on Saturdays as we are a bilingual family.

I am on mat leave and have my 11 week old and 3 year old at home all the time. We sometimes go to 5 a week, but usually 3 or 4. I volunteer at a sling library and a breastfeeding group alternate weeks so that's usually 1 of them. I really enjoy the groups, not to make friends for me as such but to get us out and about generally. I also have older DC at school so there's never a chance for a lazy morning anyway, once we're out we might as well go to something fun!

I didn't go to any when he was a baby. I hated the thought of being an outsider to a cliquey group. I know they're not all like that, but it did put me off.

Now he's a toddler and goes to a play group once a week with my FIL.

DD is 6 months, I go to 1 every week without fail, 1 most of the time (it's different on different weeks) and 1 occasionally . Sometimes try new things or meet other mums I know from or her groups on other days. So 1-3 I guess!

God, none! I went to NCT coffee/lunches and breastfeeding groups though, basically anything that I could sit down and eat and talk to adults about how dd never slept

Forced fun with babies is my idea of hell. There’s plenty of other enriching things to do that don’t make you sit in circle.

I only ever do groups in the mornings. Afternoons are naptime & chores/garden/park/forest walk.
Youngest is 2.5yrs and I try not to talk to anyone else at the groups just ignore my children and drink coffee!

Mon: chores or day trip
Tues: toddler group
Weds: toddler group
Thurs: swimming
Fri: library singing or chores

My dd is 3 now and we do one or two a week. When they were smaller we did more.

Used to do one each day Monday -Friday from when DD was around 9 months old

I go to a breastfeeding group on a Monday and a baby and toddler group on a Tuesday. DS is 15 weeks.
It’s nice to chat to adults!

None.

DD is 14 weeks. So far we do:

Baby sensory - a bit full on and probably better for when she's older but it gets us out of the house and does give me ideas for home

Baby massage - love this. We did NHS and private classes and now massage is part of our bedtime routine.

Rhyme and song at library - love this too and it's FREE!

Baby sign language - our (well my) favourite. A really well run class with a lovely group of people.

We also did a breastfeeding group but it was a bit odd and we are on waiting list for swimming lessons.

We used to do baby sensory, rhythm time and the library rhyme time at least.
I found it hard being at home though.