NCT coffee mornings with a very small house?

[DitaVonCheese]

We moved into our area when I was heavily pregnant. I've met a few mums through baby groups I go to in the morning but haven't really made any close friends up here and wanted to widen my circle a bit more. I was thinking about signing up to the NCT coffee morning circle thing where (I think) you meet up in a different person's house each week. Only problem is that our living room is teeny-tiny - at the moment you could seat four adults at a push and have maybe three kids playing on the floor. I could move all the furniture in the dining room then we'd sit round the edge on kitchen chairs, but is that a bit weird? Or we have a small yard out back, which could be nice, weather permitting. Is it possible to join a group and not have people back to yours or is that completely missing the point? Yargh

there will certainly be other people who feel like you do. it's no reason not to join in, absolutely not. you could simply say - i don't have room for huge numbers, so when it's my turn i'll bring flasks of tea/coffee and bikkies to the park. it'll be a lovely change from sitting rooms!

Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better I could put on a decent spread, I just don't have much space.

Guess I could push back the sofa, then we'll be able to fit four babies on the floor

Other alternative is maybe to meet at my mum's (or would that be weird?) but that's the opposite in that it's embarrassingly big. Perhaps I should see what the other houses are like first, then decide

Agree with clement, I doubt anyone will have a problem with no going to your house. you could all go to soft play and you could take nice cake with you (if they let you take it in).

yes, just see how it goes, be totally cool and upfront about your concerns, you may find that there's a week when only a few are coming and you could jump in then if you fancy hosting. it's reassuring once you've done it once because people realy couldn't care less about where they are,it's just so nice to feel welcome. Can you tell i've SO been where you are...! now i'm blissfully out the other side, and so glad i was bold.

Thank you - I feel a lot better

Now I just have to get over my horror of phones and call the scary number!

I wouldn't worry about the space, to be honest. I'd shuffle the furniture in advance and just say to people, "I'm afraid my place is a bit of a squeeze".

I think Meglet and Clement must be really angelically nice people because in my group we have all got a bit hacked off with the woman who has invited us back to her house just once in over a year.

Just be frank about it; I can't host my NCT group as I live in a flat (not really that teeny tiny but too small for a big group to gather in) and it's up a flight of stairs with nowhere to store pushchairs - but we do coffee shops and parks, and no one seems to mind at all.

Lots of our hosts have small houses, and some organise to meet up at their mum's or dad's houses. It's not considered weird at all. Also, there are lots of people who just come along, without hosting one.

Anything goes!

A friend of mine from our NCT group had similar concerns about her house, so she asked if she could host from another member of the group's house, but provide the food, tea and coffee etc. That worked well too, and no one batted an eyelid.

Thank you ladies It's good to know I have options!