Sad about not being able to meet other local mums due to covid

EssentialHummus · 25/12/2020 18:42

Hey OP, sympathies. I think when you're pregnant it all seems a bit "first day of school" but really when things open up, and over time, you'll meet other people at local baby activities/parks/whatever. Also nothing wrong with posting on the local social media groups suggesting that other mums-to-be in the same boat get in touch for walks or to form a little WhatsApp group. You're in the majority with the pandemic on.

ZadieZadie · 25/12/2020 18:51

I'm sorry, it is crap. My mat leave was Jan to November, so I hardly got to do anything.

My advice is to do everything and talk to everyone you possibly can, because there might not be many opportunities.

I hope things will be better by the time your little one is here but I won't lie, it's not an easy time to have a baby.

Gonesurfing · 25/12/2020 19:30

@charcb

I was looking forward at meeting new mums in my local area via prenatal classes and the NCT classes. But now It suddenly occurred to me that this is unlikely to happen with the covid environment. We lived in my current area for not that long so I was looking forward to those opportunities to build a network of women in a similar situation for support when our babies come. My due date is in june and given covid it's unlikely things will get much better to allow much mingling. I have my sisters in law who have had their babies and will definitely offer advice but unfortunately they aren't in the area. Let's hope the online NCT group still bonds and we can meet up once things calm down. Is anyone else in a similar situation? Any ideas for connecting with the local community?

Hiya, i completely understand - i felt the same. Theres an app called "peanut" it connects you to mums and other ladies pregnant and uses your location. I have met a group of lovely ladies on there and feel like I will have someone to talk to when my baby is here. Like you, i always wanted to do NCT and was gutted when they stopped the in person classes, I just couldn't see myself and hubby doing hours on a screen - but it does work for some people. Definitely try peanut - its a bit like tinder

for pregnant women and mums xx

Gonesurfing · 25/12/2020 19:31

@charcb

I was looking forward at meeting new mums in my local area via prenatal classes and the NCT classes. But now It suddenly occurred to me that this is unlikely to happen with the covid environment. We lived in my current area for not that long so I was looking forward to those opportunities to build a network of women in a similar situation for support when our babies come. My due date is in june and given covid it's unlikely things will get much better to allow much mingling. I have my sisters in law who have had their babies and will definitely offer advice but unfortunately they aren't in the area. Let's hope the online NCT group still bonds and we can meet up once things calm down. Is anyone else in a similar situation? Any ideas for connecting with the local community?

Meant to say as well that you can choose to connect to people just in your village/town. The people ive met are literally round the corner from me x

2020quelhorreur · 25/12/2020 19:34

I wouldn’t worry! I think by June we’ll be a long way back to normal - and I def found that I only made mum friends after the baby arrived. Before, I felt a bit of a fraud!

Original poster

charcb · 25/12/2020 19:37

Thanks ladies for all the support - definitely appreciated. I'll stop hanging onto the idea of things improving before June and just focus on building a group of people once baby is born. Thanks for all the tips. Yes, definitely a stressful time for first time mums so anyone reading this meets one, do offer a helping hand!

OP posts:

eurochick · 25/12/2020 19:39

Even pre-lockdown I found some of the best support came from online. I knew we were moving a few months after the birth so I joined an online antenatal group via MN that moved to Facebook and still chats daily now our children are 6. And I also joined a long term ttc thread which morphed for a minority of us into an ivf thread. About a dozen of us from that group still chat daily even though our ttc days are long behind us. I had a short mat leave and then moved area so although I went to a few baby groups i lost touch with the people I met there. Online support can be great.

mangoandraspberries · 25/12/2020 19:46

It’s crappy. My mat leave started in august - it’s my second baby, so I know how great mat leave normally is and it’s hard not to compare this time round to the first time and be disappointed.

I did online NCT though and met a really great group of friends (I was sceptical about online, but found it surprisingly ok). We now meet in person, but in small groups and in the park rather than each other’s houses etc (not as good, but better than nothing).

A few classes have been running my area, but not sure what will happen now we are tier 4 again. Also NCT runs organised walks in parks (haven’t tried one, but heard they are ok). So there are a few things out there is you hunt hard enough.

I also have a toddler to keep me busy a lot of the time too - harder if you are a first time mum to fill your days I think!

Alicealicewhothe · 25/12/2020 20:01

Our nct group really only bonded after babies were born and via our WhatsApp chat first asking for advice/talking about stuff so when you get your online nct group- make sure to get everyone numbers and make a WhatsApp group! Hopefully by June you might be able to join on walks. Maternity has been rather annoying without places to visit but even just having the WhatsApp group and regular outside picnics in the summer and walks in the colder months it has worked along with some zoom "mums nights in" we have bonded as a group and feel I have some great friends in the group now.