To think baby groups should be opening

[Wingingthis]

I’m a second time mum to an 11 week old baby boring in April. With my first baby, I struggled with many things - traumatic birth, very difficult refluxy baby, new mum with no “mum friends” to text or call with questions etc. I honestly feel like baby groups helped me so much mentally and I worry about the mental health impacts of them being still closed will have to new mums.
If they can open pubs etc why not baby groups? Even if just under 1s where most are not mobile?
I completely understand toddler groups remaining closed but I fear a huge spike in PND here. Being a new mum is so isolating at the best of times

Born in April*

Oops sorry for typos!

Under ones not mobile!? Mine was up the stairs at 6 months. I think they should for young babies in arms though.

A few mum and baby outdoor exercise things have reopened where we are...eg, dance class with baby in sling.

These groups probably saved me from PND, really feel for lockdown first time mums. I don't think online groups with strangers will help everyone.

They're mainly run by volunteers, they might not have PPE, might be shielding, or time to clean everything after each session.

I've also got a baby and whilst I'm not really a 'baby group' person (she's my third so I did all that with my first!) and totally understand their value.

I guess it's because they don't add anything in terms of supporting the economy, aren't 'necessary' and are 'for women' so therefore aren't a priority. Also I suppose they will be higher risk in the sense that you could be passing the virus to vulnerable babies?

The problem is everyone thinks their set of circumstances is an exception!

People going to the pub have to go with people from their own household or one one other. So not really comparable with a baby group.

Most of the venues that host such groups are still shut anyway. I suppose something could be arranged for outdoors if people from the group really wanted it though

@ChaoticCatling

Under ones not mobile!? Mine was up the stairs at 6 months. I think they should for young babies in arms though.

Most not mobile (my first crawled at 10 months so was thinking back to that. I vividly remember her being the only crawling baby for a while in the under ones group as most were tiny).

Good idea about baby’s in arms though. Like a newborn support group.
I’m lucky I feel fine this time round but this would have been a life line to me with my first

Missing the point here, but mine all crawled at 6 months!

I suppose you could have a non-mobile baby group (age irrelevant)?

It’s probably more to do with having to disinfect all the toys afterwards.

@StripeyBananas

They're mainly run by volunteers, they might not have PPE, might be shielding, or time to clean everything after each session.

Agreed. Might also have older children at home, who would otherwise be at school/nursery. He same kind of problems could be facing the people who run the more formal Rhythm Time/Music Bugs baby activity groups, as well as the volunteer led “village hall” type groups.

I agree that they are important, they were a lifesaver for me.

I definitely understand why you want them to be open but it's not as simple as that. Lots of baby groups are in rented/shared places which will have an impact on whether they are allowed to run. They will have to go through all the toys and equipment as there will be things they shouldn't use (just like nurseries and schools have had to). They will need to purchase PPE and give extra guidance to volunteers/staff members. They will need to work out social distancing measures.
They could run baby groups but would have to say siblings are not welcome. That will cause problems. The staff/volunteers may well have their own children/health to consider.

It's a very complex issue to resolve and they almost certainly have zero funding with which to do it.

Have you tried contacting groups online? I know it isn't the same but we set up a chat group for ours and have been providing support and general chit chat on there. We're planning on a September opening.

Good point @StripeyBananas. My friend runs a baby and toddler group that I occasionally help at by making the teas when I can fit it around work. She desperately wants to restart but there's no guidance to say she can and nearly all the volunteers have their own children at home who aren't back at school yet.

I really feel for you OP. It's really tough on you. I loved baby groups with both of my DC. Could you set up a regular time to meet in the garden with some other mums? I know it's not the same but it's something.

I'm a volunteer with my local community hall, we are doing our best to reopen, but it's really hard for us to meet all the covid-secure guidelines with the resources that we have. Even in normal times we run on a shoestring

We are looking at whether we can run a small post-natal group rather than our usual busy toddler group, but there will have to be distancing between people as attendees are all from different households.

My DC are well past babyhood but I can remember how important those groups were for my sanity

Mine where both walking by 1 and crawling by 5.5 and 6.5 months. It wouldn’t be financially viable to groups to open while adhering to 2m rule and disinfecting everything.

Community centres can open now so in theory they may restart but it's so much hassle, as they're mostly volunteer run they may not bother. With 2 metres social distancing (which is what our LA has told us to stick to) we can only fit in 25 people in our local hall instead of the 60 we normally have. The guidelines also say you can only interact with people from one other household indoors. Not sure how that would work! . It might be worth trying to set up your own small new mothers group if you're really feeling desperate.

i also found them a life saver, yanbu

Most groups close over summer anyway. I am hoping for a return in September.

I love baby group, moving to a new area completey when DD was a newborn was hard, baby groups were our life line as i would see no one other than DP all week.
Ive since rin a few baby groups, inc one now.
we are based in a school though, and at present , schools are ofcoure min contact.
But as leaders, we feel its not safe to open anytime soon, we know we simply wont be able to completely keep the toys disenfected as so many kids will play with them.

I do understand how you feel though and I hope it wont be so much longer till you can attend a group again, congratulations on your baby.x

I work in a children's centre and we have no information at all about reopening for groups. The rumours are not until January though. There will be 1:1 work before then.

I do feel for you, but indoor 'official' groups won't be open for ages, it's not so much the babies spreading germs if they're in arms still, but adults closely together (unless you're all wearing medical grade masks and face shields I suppose). Locally some parents have been meeting outdoors, socially distanced just for some company now you can meet with more people. Is there a local parenting Facebook page or anything?

I can’t see how they will manage it due to the cleaning, when babies start moving etc but I do agree with you about spikes in PND, I’ve got a 4 month old and moved to a new area so I don’t know anyone and feel very isolated. I’d imagined getting out to groups with my baby and toddler to meet people but I can’t see it happening now and feel very isolated. There are things that are reopening like farms and zoos but they’re too expensive to go to every week but a group that costs £2 a go for my DD to play for a couple of hours and me to meet other mums seemed perfect.

@RoobyMyrtle

Community centres can open now so in theory they may restart but it's so much hassle, as they're mostly volunteer run they may not bother. With 2 metres social distancing (which is what our LA has told us to stick to) we can only fit in 25 people in our local hall instead of the 60 we normally have. The guidelines also say you can only interact with people from one other household indoors. Not sure how that would work! . It might be worth trying to set up your own small new mothers group if you're really feeling desperate.

It's this that we're really struggling with - we can technically be 'open' but people shouldn't be interacting with others. Which is kind of the whole point of a community centre

Do you use Facebook @user1493413286? A mum put a post up a few months back and there's now an active local group, and people arrange to safely meet up. There is also an app but I can't remember it's name, I personally didn't find any friends through it, but some people do.

I'm missing the point but DS crawled at 6mths and walked at 9mths, by 1 he was running rings round us literally!

I think groups for small babies (less than 6mths) with SD and mask wearing should be able to run though.