Tell Fairy Non Bio about how you and your DC make friends - win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

As part of our partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced the Mumsnet Babies Podcast. There are ten episodes in the series and episode 7, which you can listen to here, is about making friends and being nice. When you get the chance, Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to the podcast and share your thoughts - not just about the new friends you’ve made since having a baby, but also about how your baby socialises with other children.

Whether you go to parenting groups and classes in your spare time or not, making friends as a new mother isn’t always easy. Have you felt like it can be isolating, and that you have nothing in common with the other mothers in your area (apart from the presence of your tiny children)? Or perhaps you’ve found that parenting can be a reason to bond with other people, even if it’s just a case of having someone to grumble with about sleepless nights and dirty nappies? And of course it would be negligent to forget to mention Mumsnet as a platform on which mums can socialise and make new friends!

And then, as your baby gets older, their social life may become the minefield you need to navigate. Have you been mystified by your little one's’ ability to make best friends with complete strangers in the playground? Perhaps you’ve struggled to deal with getting them to share nicely with other children?

Whatever your experiences of friendship during early motherhood, post on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

If you’d like to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store and leave a review.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

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I've realised that often friendships you make at baby groups are time limited due to returns to work etc.

I'm focusing more on setting this baby up in local groups where school gate mum's take there children. Then when he starts school he'll know most of the children and hopefully know which ones he likes and well as probably which ones he doesn't.

I have found it easier to make friends with small children than any other stage of my life. There are lots of opportunities for socialising and children really help to bring down the barriers. My 4yo son's current approach is to walk up to his peers and say "would you like to be my friend? I am fascinating"

When DS was a baby we did a baby massage course with a small group, this was lovely as it meant we all got to know each & 3 years on we are still friends & meet up. Two of which I have become v close to.
When I had DD I joined baby massage again to make friends which was successful. This time I had to be the forward one & ask if they wanted to meet up etc & they did 😃
Also other groups at the Childrens Centre & locally are good.
It's so hard making friends as an adult compared to a child, not sure where the insecurities come from. DS will happily play with any child & make friends easily.

Someone has to make the first move!

i made friends at baby groups and then at school drop off times etc

I've found the mum and baby groups we've been to absolutely invaluable as a new mum. It's been so nice to meet other mummies and also to find out a bit more about what the future holds from those who's babies are a little older. It's also great to get advice or just reassurance that everything is ok! It's really helped with my wellbeing as well as my daughter's and helped us establish more of a daily routine too :)

I have to say I found it so hard to try to make friends where we live. I went to all the local baby/toddler groups with my son for 3 years and am still more likely than not to sit on my own and not talk to anyone. People are very much in their cliques, and im an outsider in a small village so it is hard. I keep going for my son as he likes to play there. In saying that the occassions ive gone into the nearest city for a play session ive always ended up chatting with other mums almost immediately. But then i live 30 minutes drive from the city so feel like i cant invite them back to ours for play dates etc.

My kids usually make my friends for me... i remember my eldest used to just walk up to people and say hello and introduce me and say "you two can chat while we play". She was about 3. Still like that now!

We're lucky as most of my friends have children so they have a ready-made social group.

I've found that I tend to put myself out there and make conversation. It's always nerve wracking going to baby groups etc, but actually people are so friendly. Oh, and I also tend to make jokes. I cannot stand the 'stealth boast' parenting where people say how surprised they are that their 13 month old speaks Chinese, has learned the clarinet etc.. so I basically joke and say that 'ah yes, you see... my baby isn't very bright..!'
I've had some horrified stares from some good friends- but it's just a joke! They all walk/talk/potty train in their own time- why compete! I make a joke of it.. and, so far, people have always laughed, and it lightens the mood. Motherhood's hard enough without comparing ourselves!!

Thanks all for your posts - the winner of the prize draw is @BeeMyBaby