Help me be brave and go to children's centre to find out about groups

[sushistar]

DS is 7 wks. I've been to the shops/church etc but to no baby groups - I don't know where they are! So I need to go to the children's centre I guess, and ask if they ave a list or something? But I feel irractionally nervous to go! Stupid! I just don't really feel like 'a mum' yet I guess (although I love DS TO BITS) and it's all so alien! What if they're mean to me? [pathetic emoticon]

where abouts are you if you go on gumtree.com and click on your area and then on community you might find one there we always get them then you can ring first and see if they sound nice.

Children's Centre is also likely to have its own groups (drop-ins, classes etc) and a timetable of similar council-run stuff in the neighbourhood.

What is a children's centre?

Ask you health visitor for a list, they also seems to be well informed on which ones are the friendliest!

go to your local library, they usually list what's on on their notice boards. also your local paper will have listings, usually with phone numbers too. ring the group leader up first, say you'll be coming down with your 7 week old. decent group leaders will introduce you to other mums with same age babies.

libEL, it's what sure start is now I think? It seems to be some centre that runs activities/gives info for under 5s. I'm in inner london, they're all over the place here.

no need to actually go. you could always ring.

I hate to suggest it but netmums was good when i was looking for groups to go to.

Your church may have something on-have alook in the notices. Its prob even run by someone you already know.

They're great at our local centre. I bet your local one would welcome you with open arms. If you're too scared to go in and ask they'll probably have a notice board up or posters in the window.

Thanks, we have a sure-start programme here but is not aimed at mums like me apparently?!

I was going to suggest netmums but wasnt sure if it was allowed! I find that site really useful for all things local

In this county theres a childrens information service that has details of all the groups, and you can ring or email for the list.
Loads of churches have groups, and in fact the best one I went to was a church one as they greeted you at the door and made sure that everyone had someone to talk to. And you got lunch while they played with the babies..

I found in my area there weren't any either, unless i walked a 2 mile round trip and rushed to get there due to ds's nap times, it was dire, so i thought i'd make enquires at our local school, the secretary was really helpful and said she would see what she could do. Eventually after a few months one started up at our local church which has gone from strength to strength even opens twice a week now. Maybe you could try doing something similar

Childrens centre staff will be used to new mums and dads being a bit aprehensive about coming in the door. Phone if you can't walk in when passing. We all feel a bit nervous when we first go somewhere new, its a bit like starting school again.
I started going to stuff at our local CC before boy was born! then we went through baby massage, new baby group, breastfeeding suport group, tresure baskets, hueristic play, ryhme time and stay n play as he got older. hope fully he will go to the nuture group pre preschool... All those groups are on offer else where in the city, but its really handy having a one stop centre in our area.

Children's centre sounds like an excellent place to venture out to. No matter how stressful it is getting there, you will find people who know how it feels! Ours is lovely and if I was starting out now it would be the first place I'd look for things going on.

And even if you find nothing you fancy, at least you've got out there. Getting out is a very, very good habit when you have a tiny baby. Tis good to discover that the world still goes on LOL!