Things to do on maternity leave with newborn

[PostnatalQus]

Hi,

I'm looking for things to do on maternity leave with my newborn (3wks). More specifically, trying to figure out how to meet people with children of a similar age.

I see lots of people walking around with prams. The local nurseries are all full a year in advance. So there must be other mums in a similar situation. There are NCT things but they are all about 20 minutes drive, which is ok but where are the local mums?

How do I meet people? What did you do or are you doing? I tried meetup.com but there is nothing there. Found a few toddler groups but they will probably be for older children.

I'm in a small town between Reading, Maidenhead and Wokingham, on the off chance someone in the same area is reading this!

Playgroups are fine at that age! There will probably by a few baby things and you usually get a cuppa and a biscuit, if you're very lucky. They're a great place to meet other Mums and also to find out what's going on locally

Other than that, try your local Library. They might have lists if local activities and they might even run some themselves.

Also gave a look to see if the local swimming pool has anything on, our runs a Mums & Baby yoga session.

The Mush app is used a lot in our village. Don't know if it will be if any use where you are?

Are you in Twyford? (Which is a big village, can't think of a town in the middle so I'm guessing/assuming that's where you are). If so
I'd suggest :
Monday Coffee & Tots, Gospel Hall Hurst 10am
Tuesday: Starlings Childrens Centre 10-11 Noah's Ark Bumps & Babes at URC Church St 10-11*
Wednesday: Caterpillar Club Charvil Village Hall, 9.45-11.30 -they usually have quite a few babies.
Thursday: Teddies music Loddon Hall 10am (check the time though) or Starlings 9.30-11
Friday: Babies & Toddlers, Twyford Youth Centre 9.30-11
Many of these are term time only so you may find they've not run this week or last.
Also try asking on the Twyford (Berkshire) Facebook page, maybe suggest a meet up somewhere with others?
Finally if you do see a mum with a pram & similar age baby, why not stop and ask? You may find the other mum is in the same boat, Twyford is a very friendly place.

• I think some of these mums may congregate in the Waitrose Cafe after, but it may just be a coincidence the cafe is busy some Tuesdays..

We basically live at our local children's centre. We've done courses like Incredible Years & baby massage, & music & play groups there, definitely worth checking if you have something similar.

Otherwise there are lots of private providers of things like baby sensory, massage and other groups. Some soft plays have baby sessions or baby areas.

We also go to a free "baby bounce" music group at the local library, & DH takes DS for baby swimming lessons at the council leisure centre (ours is £33 a month).

Playgroup, baby yoya, baby sensory, baby massage, swimming.

Oh, and congratulations ❤️

I used an app called Peanut to meet local women with kids the same age as mine.

Baby massage classes when they’re tiny, or postnatal yoga or fitness classes are a good way to get out of the house and meet people, would be worth finding out what’s around locally.

Church halls, sports halls, village halls
Swimming pools - private and local authority
Libraries

Try baby groups like baby massage, baby sensory, hartbeeps etc and hopefully you meet some new mum friends this way. Ask on your local Facebook group pages for what’s on for babies locally too.

We also have an annual pass to an aquarium an hours drive/train journey away, we used that a lot, & there's a free city farm a bus ride away.

I've also met mums on mat leave through Peanut the tinder for mums!

Baby sensory or hartbeeps was always as good one from a young age. Though when she was a newborn, I used that time to really relax and just do normal adult stuff. Like go for lunch with friends/partner or go shopping. Because doing these lunch with a 1 month vs a 6 month old vs a year old is a very different experience!!

Baby groups at local church halls - specifically 0 - crawling/walking ones where everyone has very similar ages. These are where I met mums I met up with outside of the group. Local family centre hosts breastfeeding cafes or pram walks and talks.

Toddler groups often have a baby area too.

Have a look at websites of all your local
churches (don’t have to be religious in any way) and post on local Facebook groups for suggestions too.

Try the NCT thing, if it’s the nearest one there might be other mums who have also driven 20mins and actually live near you.
If you get on, you might decide to meet up separately closer to home.

Search for local baby and toddler Facebook groups. We have one and there’s lots of posts about different classes, activities etc.

And look at church notice boards for groups.

I made my friends recently from:

Post-natal course
Village baby groups (usually run by churches)
Baby College/Hartbeeps from 6 weeks
Baby massage course
Mum & baby yoga

There’s a baby walking group near you as well

https://www.blazetrails.org.uk/walkinggroups

We moved areas six weeks before my baby was born so knew no one. The main thing is to turn around to the person next to you and suggest a coffee before next week’s class etc, you need to make a bit of an effort.

Peanut! I met loads of friends through that. Don't go in with the small talk it can take ages just straight up ask to meet for coffee.

Baby massage is lovely at around 6 weeks!

I used to be that weirdo who if someone had a baby I'd approach them and we'd just get talking

Another vote for Peanut, I met loads of mum friends there!

Try the NCT thing, if it’s the nearest one there might be other mums who have also driven 20mins and actually live near you.
If you get on, you might decide to meet up separately closer to home

That's a really good suggestion.

Check out your local surestart centre or ask for on a local Facebook group for your area. Baby sensory was popular when mine was little (google for your local group) they might be a playgroup as your church hall or community centre.

Church playgroups, which have the advantage of being free or very cheap! Libraries often have groups too, which again will be free. Baby swimming is great (and might mean a better night's sleep after in my experience) but quite expensive and in my area doesn't start till 3 months.

I've found paid for classes aren't that good as mostly people do the class and leave. You would have to be brave and ask if anyone wants to go for coffee after.

Peanut is good but agree about asking to meet quickly otherwise you just get caught up in endless chat.

Baby/toddler groups have most opportunities for chat but you might have to try a few - one I went to all the babies were with nannys who knew each other and just wanted to keep it that way.

Go to the NCT meet ups. If they are the only ones they will attract mums from a wide radius.

The ones I went to were a 45 min walk from me (which I loved).

Also go and have a walk round all the churches and church halls. They will usually have some kind of baby and toddler group on advertised on their notice board.

Baby sensory is good