I need mum friends

[SuzannePetal]

Hi, i need to make friends with other mums in ipswich, suffolk. My daughter is 18 months, im 27 and i desperatly want to make friends with other mums my own age and with children a similar age to my daughter. I live in ipswich, suffolk. I have bipolar but my medication has helped me a lot. I do go to toddler groups but i find that mums seem to sit in their own little groups, as much as i try to fit in i always feel like i dont. I want my daughter to grow up and be social and mix with other children, i have always been a loner but my diagnosis wasnt made till last yr. They think ive been bipola for 10yrs or more and it was misdiagnosed for a long time. Now i have the right medication i do feel better. I just wish i could make friends easy. I just never feel i fit in and am worried my daughter wont. I want to have friends i can have coffee with and so my daughter can play with other children. I keep thinkin that this shouldnt be difficult. It really upsets me, i put a message on mumsnet local to meet other mums in ipswich back in november, i have not had one reply.

hi there!
I am in Ipswich too, although my children are much older and I am older too.

I would advise you to try out more todler groups to get a good idea if you feel more comfortable in any. Once people have seen you a few weeks it might be different. At a good one volunteers should be around to make new comers feel comfortable. You might feel better at something like a todler time at a library or similar, as there won't be that pressure to make friends because you'll be concentrating on involving your little one in an activity.

Have you found any bipolar support groups?, as I think no one can understand problems as well as people facing similar.

What is your family situation?, are you able to get out to a club or activity for yourself in an evening? If you are you may find you are so absorbed in the activity and find people who are interested in similar things. That might give you a break and help you to remember who you were before you were a parent.

Don't worry about the fact you had no replies on the local boards, I think people don't look at those much and it is not the case that you are being ignored. Feel free to pm me for a chat.

I think you should re-post and put the word Ipswich in the title. This might attract more people? Just a suggestion and, sorry, I don't live in Ipswich either. You sound nice, I'm sure you will get some replies soon.

My local NCT group runs mum+baby/toddler meeetups which are very welcoming to newcomers. There is always some one there to introduce you to mums with babies of a similar age.

I'm not in Ipswich but I wonder if the Ipswich NCT runs similar things? Here, you don't have to be a member of the NCT to go to the events. You just turn up.

_

Actually, I just looked on the NCT website page for Ipswich and found this:
www.nct.org.uk/in-your-area/ipswich/openhouse

Don't know if that would interest you.