If you are feeling a little lost and isolated, hopefully the following five suggestions will get you out and about meeting new people.
Join a mother-and-baby group
A mother-and-baby group is a great way to get in touch with people who are at a similar stage of life as you. There are plenty of groups that you can join ranging from swims, reading time or just meetings in your community hall. Have a look at your local shop’s notice board for information about up-and-coming meetings and just go along. You might feel a little uncomfortable to start off with, but you’ll be surprised at how common your feelings are so get out there.
Join an online forum
If you are struggling to find a group in your area or can’t face leaving the house just yet, head online. There are loads of parenting forums out there that you can join and chat with other mums. When you do start to feel like you can manage a trip out, you will have built up a relationship with other mums making it easier for you to make friends when you do finally head to a mother-and-baby group.
Get out of the house
One of the most important things you can do is just get out of the house; pop your baby in their buggy and head outside, you never know who you’ll bump into. Even saying hi to a stranger in the street or having a chat with the shop keeper can give you the boost you need to realise that there are plenty of opportunities out there to make new friends.
Make sure you go out regularly
You need to head out to your classes or even on your walks regularly. This way those in your group or those you meet will be able to recognise you, and vice versa. This will eventually move into a “how old is your baby?” and finally "shall we get a coffee?”. Eventually you will be able to form a bond with the people you meet which can develop into friendship outside of the class.
Make the first move
Don’t wait for someone to come up to you to have a chat, make the first move yourself. You’ll be surprised about how similar other mums will be feeling about maybe approaching you. Break the ice by inquiring about their baby – every mum loves talking about their youngster.
