Those first few months of parenthood can seem lonely. Late nights, early mornings, endless bottles and you can’t exactly carry on a conversation with a load of laundry. But, did you know your baby is your ticket to get out of the house and meet other people? There are numerous groups out there with other moms who want to meet you and your baby as well as offer education, support or just fun. Put on a clean shirt, strap your pumpkin into their car seat and check out this list of groups for moms.
Hancock Regional Hospital Classes
The hospital offers a variety of groups and classes to get you ready for life with a new baby.
Bump Clubs meet monthly at the hospital and are a great way to meet other expecting moms on the same journey as you. They are social gatherings and they serve mocktails and appetizers. The meetings offer information and resources to get you ready for your big day. In addition to Bump Clubs the hospital offers classes to get your ready for parenthood. There are childbirth preparation classes, Newborn Care & Safety, Positive Parenting, CPR training, a Safe Sleep Class and a Car Seat Inspection Program. All are offered about once a month so you can pick a date that works with your schedule and some include swag or prizes for attending. The classes are a great way to get dad some hands on training as couples are encouraged to attend together. My husband and I attended some of these courses back when we were expecting and I still remember watching him learn to swaddle using a baby doll.
The Breast Feeding Support Group meets weekly in a meeting room at Hancock Regional hospital. If you are going to be sitting around breastfeeding your baby, then you might as well sit around and talk to other moms while you’re doing it. What I appreciated about this group when my kids were babies is that there was always a certified lactation consultant on hand to answer any questions you might have. It was so great to hear stories and have support from other moms during that time of midnight feedings, colicky babies, sleep deprivation, etc. Another reason I liked going was because there were scales in the room to measure your baby while you were there and all moms like to see how much their kids are growing.
Mom Groups
Greenfield is fortunate to have 3 groups in town for moms to join and meet other moms. These groups are a great way to learn something new, schedule playdates, or just get out of the house.
- Brandywine MOPS
- This group meets every other Friday morning from 9-11 am during the school year. Childcare is provided during the meeting so moms can socialize without interruption.
- St. Michaels Moms Group
- This group meets Wednesday evenings from 7-8 pm. This is perfect for moms who go back to work to still get interaction with other moms.
- Mom’s Life at Park Chapel
- This group is for moms with school aged children (so when you outgrow MOPS you can move up to Mom’s Life) They meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month during the school year at Park Chapel Church in Greenfield.