When I met my husband I was living in Costa Rica and he was living in the US. We wanted to be together so we knew one of us would have to move. I was running an online business back then and he had a business in DC. It was an obvious decision for us – I was the one that would move. And so I did.
Moving wasn’t so hard and soon after I got here I made some amazing friends. They were mostly single, some married and most of them had already known my husband. I got pregnant 9 months after we got married and soon realized that none of my friends were on the same boat as we were. We wanted to make some friends that were also pregnant and so we started looking online. We met a great group of people, some of who we are still close to, through meetup.com.
My little Cookie was born and a new person in me was born. I was a mom to the most precious thing I’ve ever seen. Not only was I a mom but I was not your common mom. I soon realized my parenting ways were more according to what it’s known as attachment, gentle or natural parenting. I was a nursing mom, I didn’t let my daughter cry, I held her all the time, I was into baby wearing, and so on…I guess you could say I was a “crunchy” mom.
Once my baby started getting a bit older I really wanted to make some mommy friends that had similar interests to mine, especially when it came parenting, and that had babies close to my daughter’s age and so the search begun. It was easy to find other like-minded moms on big Facebook groups but not as easy to find them in person. Now, 2 years later I have found my little tribe and let me tell you, it’s great. These women are not only amazing mothers, but amazing friends. I am so grateful to have them in my life. All moms should find awesome friends like they are and that’s why I’m writing this post. I want to help you find your tribe. 🙂
Tips on where to make mommy friends:
Check Meetup.com: The cool thing about meetup is that you can meet people that have the same specific interests as you and that live close by so it’s definitively worth looking for mom groups there.
MomCo app: Although this app wasn’t around when I first became a mom, it is out now and I love it! I’ve been using it a lot to meet more moms now that I’m about to have another baby. In this app you can find other moms that live in your area and by browsing their profile you can get a sense if you’re like-minded and have kids the same ages. You can also find out about local events and playdates. The best part is that it’s free!
Facebook groups: There are so many groups out there. You can find them according to your interests or location. I’d recommend looking for a local mommy group and reaching out to the moms in it.
Babywearing groups: If you’re into baby wearing look to see if there’s a baby wearing chapter near you. You’re bound to meet some great moms there and many of those chapters also have Facebook groups were you can reach out to those moms.
La leche league: If you’re nursing, the LLL meetings are a great place to meet other moms. Check this out to find a meeting near you.
Library activities: Most libraries offer some sort of activities for kids, such as circle time. Check out your local library and start going to these events. You might meet your new BFF there.
Local newsletter: Some communities offer local activities for kids and those are great places to meet moms. Check out your local newspaper, community center bulletin board and local websites to find different mommy-kid events.
Playgrounds: I have to admit I’m a little shy in person and I’ve never met another mom at a playground but I know of many other moms that have. It’s always worth keeping your eyes open when you take your kiddo to the playground, you never know who you might meet.
If all else fails you can always join a Facebook group of your parenting style and ask if there’s anyone in your area. Having mom friends that get you and support you is key to being a great parent. We’re not always perfect and having people that can cheer you on and share with you your ups and downs is an amazing part of being a parent.
How did you meet your mommy friends? Any other tips you can add to this list? Leave a comment.
Lisa Lewis, MD says
This is a fantastic resource list. To quote a cliché, it takes a village! And, having like-minded people in your own tribe is the place to start.
Carolina says
Yes!!! I wish it was easier to “have your village” now a days. It can get lonely, especially if you’re a stay at home mom.
Lisa Lewis, MD says
That is so true! I remember when each of mine were toddlers. It’s fantastic to have friends to bounce things off of, or just offer a listening ear.
Carolina says
Yes!! It sure is. 🙂