Any other first-time mums living abroad ?

[hungryunicorn]

I’m a first time mum to a 5 month-old, we live in France (DH is French) and I’m really feeling the distance. My parents managed to come over just after the birth and then my mum came in October between the respective lockdowns but since then all plans have been on hold due to Covid restrictions. My family-in-law also live far away so apart from DH who works full-time I have no support. Play groups aren’t really a thing here (the only one I found is closed due to Covid), and I don’t have any friends near enough to meet for a walk in the park. I have a couple of friends who I’ve invited over for a socially distanced coffee (this is allowed as we’re not in lockdown atm) but it always seems to be a ‘I can in 2 weeks’ kind of thing.

So I’m feeling pretty fed-up and lonely. I’m so sick of my 4 walls and doing the same walks around the block day in day out. The uncertainty around family visits is making me gloomy.

I wondered if there were any other mums out there in the same boat with advice for coping ?

No advice but I really empathise, I'm in NZ, really lucky to be where I am but finding it so much harder than I thought it would be being away from family and friends

Yes. I’m in Central Europe. Lived here 4 years now and was back in the uk regularly for work. Had baby May 2020, so he is now 8 months. Family haven’t been able to visit or us travel with baby obviously

We are in full lockdown here still. But have been walking with baby in sling daily. It’s snowy here at the moment so I’m not out too long at a time.

Started decorating babies bedroom also as a project. He is still in our room though as a terrible sleeper!

Hello! I’m in France too and I’m a similar situation. I’m also a bit sick of walks around the block, the only thing I’ve found that helps are zoom calls with family and friends back home (and varying the walks slightly - at least it’s almost spring...)

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat

I'm due to give birth on the 20th of March. I've been in Istanbul since I conceived and through what is turning out to be a difficult preganancy. Haven't seen my family in a year and because of curfews and lockdown, only really have my husband for company. None of my friends live in the same neighbourhood anyway (not that I could see them).

@fantail86 Oh wow you really are far, and I suppose it’s even difficult to coordinate for video calls given the time difference.

I live in the UK but am from another country so feel the same. My son has just turned 1, luckily I was home in febuary before all the lockdowns but havent been home since. I had just recovered from my csection when all the lockdowns started so never made it to any baby classes. I'm back at work now but I found my mat leave to be incredibly lonely. I will say my DP did his best but was equally at work which made it tough.
I'm hoping soon things will return to some sense of normality and you will be able to see your family.

@Caspianberg So sorry you haven’t been able to see your family at all since the birth. One thing I recommend is the app ‘Back Then’. You upload photos of your baby and then invite family members to follow. It’s more private then uploading to social media. My family absolutely love it and feel like they’re able to follow DS’s antics on a daily basis.
It’s great that you have your nursery project to keep you busy. DS doesn’t tend to nap long enough for me to launch into a big thing but I’ve bought a pile of second-hand books to keep me occupied (trying to wean myself off Netflix !)

@hungryunicorn - oh the nursery bedroom will take forever I’m sure, I can’t put ds down much either. But builders have been booked for ages to do the structural stuff, electrics etc so I should start somewhere

I will look at that app thank you. I don’t use social media for photos of him, currently we have family WhatsApp groups and FaceTime often.

Our lockdown here has just been extended as well.. oh well.

Ds likes the cats for company, good seeing as he’s never met another child yet. He will start purring soon

@Aimee1987 I feel for you. We have all these ideas about how maternity leave is going to with visits from friends and family, days out, trips away...then a pandemic happens and none of it is possible. A good thing about the U.K. is that baby groups are really popular so when all this is over you can take your little one along to make up for lost time.

@professionalnomad that sounds really tough for you, particularly given the pregnancy has been difficult. Are you doing any antenatal classes online ? Hopefully by the time your baby arrives things will be looking up !