How To: Make New Mum Friends (Lockdown Edition)
With the announcement of a second lockdown, many of us are wondering how it will impact our day to day life. Maternity leave can be a wonderful period of watching box sets, drinking cups of tea, snuggling your newborn, and making friends for life. It can also be an incredibly isolating, lonely time. In fact, over the course of a week, you may well experience both ends of the spectrum!
If you’re feeling a little lost, you’re not alone. Expectant and new mothers around the country are struggling with an unexpected set of circumstances which are bringing a new set of stresses to early parenthood. Today, we’ll be looking at the challenge of making new mum friends during lockdown. Here are some of the best ways to stay social while staying safe.
Due Date Groups
Even before Covid, due date groups on Facebook or Netmums have been a great way to make new mum friends. Not only will you have a fellow group of expectant mums to share in the ups and downs of pregnancy and parenting, but you’ll make friends all over the country.
Online Classes
With many businesses adapting to the “new normal”, there’s no reason you can’t take part in all the classes you were looking forward to. Baby yoga, baby massage, rhyme time… there is an endless number of groups and classes that operate online. If possible, support small local businesses or franchises as you’ll not only be directing money toward someone in your community, but you’ll increase the chances of meeting mums in your area.
Many pregnancy and baby classes have adapted to operate online during the pandemic
Nurture New Connections
Gone are the days of being coy, waiting for someone to make the first move. As a new mum, if you meet someone with potential, don’t let them go! Zoom or Houseparty are the perfect platforms to arrange a coffee morning without having to worry about social distancing.
Local Facebook Groups
Love it or hate it, social media can be a fantastic way to meet people. It’s a great idea to join a few parenting specific groups and find one that best matches your ethos. You’ll also find local area pages are a fantastic way to reach out to mums who are also looking for friends. Something as simple as asking if anyone fancies taking their buggy for a stroll might put you in touch with your new BFF. Don’t overthink it; just put yourself out there.
Local area pages connect new mums looking for friends
Breastfeeding Support
One of the services that many new parents will miss out on due to Covid and austerity measures are breastfeeding support groups. Invaluable to new mothers, the drop-in groups once allowed mothers to share any issues they were facing and gain confidence at feeding in public. While this is no longer possible, support is still available. Whether you need advice on feeding positions or are struggling to find the right latch, organisations like La Leche League and the Breastfeeding Network can help. You’ll also find these groups on Facebook where you can share your journey with other women in the same position.
The old saying “it takes a village to raise a child” feels particularly true in those first months as a new mother. Now, more than ever, having a support network of people you can celebrate, commiserate and moan with, is an absolute must. So, put yourself out there, build your digital village and embrace the madness of 2020.
Interested in more covid-related pregnancy and postpartum reading? Why not check out "How To: Ask People To Back Off From Your Bump (Or Baby)."
Originally from New Zealand, Sarah is a mother to two boys and has lived in the UK for the past 10 years. She is a home-educator, freelance writer, Netflix-binger and has a penchant for strong black coffee.