Should I take him to baby groups?

[GiveMeVegemite]

I am 6 months pregnant and have a 13 month old DS. We used to go to quite a few baby groups and out to see my other friends on maternity leave, but now most of them are back at work and I am always too knackered to go to baby groups with him.

He is a happy little guy and I always play with him in the lounge room / take him for walks around the garden / chat to him, but a worried he isn't getting enough interaction with other kids.

Am I damaging him socially?

No you are not damaging him at all. Yes he might like going to some but he sounds pretty happy as he is.

What are your plans for when DC2 arrives. Do you think he and you will be as happy without getting out?

Congratulations too

No I don't think so - he is still young but you might find it easier to go them as he gets older and more active. I certainly do. If toddler groups in church halls aren't your thing then your local library might have a rhyme time or you could try organised groups. You might make some new friends too.

I was thinking I will just try and take him to he park every now and again and hopefully start at least one group a week once the new baby arrives.

I just feel like he should be getting bored, but he always seems happy and I'm always with him, so I guess it's probably fine!

Have you got a nct group near to you? They are usually small, friendly groups, everyone is welcome and you might meet some other local pg mums too

A 13 month old's won't suffer any ill effects from not being around other toddlers for a while. His learning is mostly done through observing you and children of this age rarely play cooperative or interact much apart from pinching toys and thumping each other.

He's absolutely fine at home with you.

Thanks for the NCT suggestion, I emailed them to see if they have anything in my area.

I'm sure I will find something soon. He is due his vaccinations today so that should be a fun outing! Eeeeek.

:)

Think once Lo arrives and you've been up half the night you might be glad of a bit of adult conversation and a cuppa, even if its just once a week

Somebody further up suggested the free library sessions. Have a look to see if your local pool does any parent and toddler sessions too.

And good luck with the vaccinations. Both mine were really ratty a few days later.

I think you're fine for now, but once the baby comes it might be nice for him to have his own social life (!). You might appreciate going somewhere where somebody else makes you a cup of tea while your toddler trashes somewhere that isn't your house too!

It's totally up to you, but it certainly saved my sanity espically in the last part of pregnancy and when second dc was born.

I agree about allowing the toddler to trash somewhere else. Most mums were happy to play with my toddler alongside theirs when I was pg. Saying to me to sit down and rest. Our library has recently started doing holidays well last half term and we didn't have any problems.

Thanks so much for your replies. He was pretty crabby after the vaccinations, but they didn't bother him too much.

I'm definitely going to look for a group for one day a week, I am going a little stir-crazy and think it would be good for my DS too. I just don't want to be chasing him around, heavily pregnant, especially in this heat! Hopefully I find some sympathetic other mums :)

Once dc2 arrived I found a sling was really good for playgroup