baby groups

[happynewmummy]

Hi,
I am a new mum and wondered how i meet other mums. Have been very career focused until now(now all about baby lol) and none of my friends have children. Will I ever make new friends? I know this makes me sound really sad and desperate! Help x

Yes you will make friends - it just takes a little time. You're definitely not sad and desperate. Having a baby and being by yourself in the day can be very lonely. There will probably be groups around you who meet up with small babies - netmums have listings local to you. Some other ideas:

• NCT bumps and babies (my local one meets in a cafe, great way to meet other new mums)
• your Health Visitor clinic sessions - there's a certain amount of waiting around to be weighed, you just have to introduce yourself to others
• breastfeeding groups (if you do that!)
• sling meets (if you use a sling!)
• library events (we have a singalong and is very friendly)

I'd try and avoid commercial groups which you have to pay a lot for each session, as there should be cheaper ways to meet other mums.

aww you don't sound sad and desperate, you just sound like a mum!

i had the same worries even though a couple of my friend's already had older children, i felt that my relationship with them would change. it did, of course, i had other priorities and was knackered all the time! but i still keep in contact with them and i have made a couple of very good friends since having my son. one through mumsnet and one through the local toddler group (who's son was scarily like my baby ie. a miserable grumpy screamer!)

it will all settle down as baby gets older and you can do more and go out more. plenty of people are in the same boat and you'll be fine! xx

I think a class or organised session (even just one for 6 weeks) is the best way to meet mums as you are forced to interact! SureStart centres offer baby massage and other focused groups very cheap or if you can afford it, there are music groups and aqua babies. Also AquaNatal classes if LO will sit on the side in buggy or seat.
Good luck xx

Know exactly how you feel. We've not long moved to a new area and I don't know anyone. Your hv can give you info on local parent and baby groups, but try a few different ones, some can be good, some not so. Also look out for your local Sure Start centre, they are fab. Second the library, they have stories times and rhyme times, some bookstores like Waterstones also do them. Also, just making your face a regular one will help, like going swimming, going to the same baby friendly coffee shops, once you start to recognise faces, people will recognise yours and who knows where a few casual 'hi's' may lead?
Goodluck

Where do you live? Have you tried posting on MN local asking the same question?- you could get a little meet-up together. Also definitely get in touch with your local NCT branch.