By Shayla Cherry
We were never meant to do this alone.
Life with a baby can be so isolating.
If you’re lucky, you’ll have a strong support system in place before your baby’s born.
If you’re doubly lucky, they won’t ghost you now that you have a squalling infant strapped to your body.
Whether or not you have an established community, mama friends are vital.
Other mamas understand what it’s like to both love someone beyond words and be so touched-out you could scream. They’re there to celebrate the tiniest milestones and to support us through our sleep-deprived haze. When all we need is a few minutes to vent our frustrations, they’re a phone call away.
My tribe keeps me sane.
In this post, I offer five ways to find your tribe.
1) Take a Class
There are so many options these days: birth classes, baby music meetups, workouts designed around strollers. If classes feel out of reach financially, try Meetup or search for a local mother’s group.
Paying to socialize isn’t really my jam, but I received a gift card to our local yoga studio as a baby shower gift. I loved their prenatal and postpartum yoga classes, and it was a great way to meet local mamas. Joining a circle of pregnant women each week was a powerful experience.
2) Take a Hike
Time outdoors, adult conversation, and exercise are all vital to my mental health. Hikes with other families provide all three.
See if your area has a HikeIt Baby branch – or start one yourself! It’s a great way to get active and connect with other families. If nothing else, it’s always good to get outside and talk to another (babywearing) grownup.
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