The third in the series of 52 weekly challenges for rookie moms is to Join a Mom's Group. There are many great options for new mama support depending on how old your baby (or fetus in some cases!) and where you live.
As true rookie moms, we both joined the Support Group for Mothers organized by Sherry Reinhardt. There are many other great options:
- New and Expectant Moms facilitated by Suzanne Samuels meets at Sadie Dey's, the Berkeley YMCA, and other places you already want to be around Berkeley and Oakland. Sessions are offered for expecting moms as well as new parents. See her website for price and schedule information.
- Support Group for Mothers facilitated by Jennifer Subasic-Marks and her team meets weekly for six sessions in locations around Berkeley and Oakland. Details and pricing available on the website.
- Working Moms Support Groups will be offered on alternating weekends beginning this February (2011). Details and pricing available on the website.
- Alta Bates Hospital has many support groups on a drop-in basis. Mondays and Thursdays 11:30-1:00 There is a drop in support group for babies birth to 6 months. Thursdays from 9;30-11:00 is a support group for parents of babies older than 6 months. There are breastfeeding support groups on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1:30-3. Also mom and baby postpartum yoga and baby massage classes. More details and pricing available on the website.
- Mindful Mothering groups offered by Gina Hassan are targeted to moms with babies age 5 months to 25 months.
- Use Meetup.com to track down your own interest and support group: hiking moms, Oakland moms, tri-lingual households, Stay-at-home Dads, Korean moms, baby-bunchers, twin moms, etc. You name it and you can find it or create it.
Did you join a new moms group? How did you find your posse?
Just a clarification about the Mindful Moms’ Groups, there are groups for Moms with babies under 6 months, moms with older babies 5 months+, & 2nd-Time moms’ groups.
Mocha Moms Inc. is a nationwide support group for mothers of color who have chosen not to work full-time outside of the home in order to devote more time to their families and communities. While many of our members have eliminated employment altogether, others work part-time, flex-time, night shifts, have home-based businesses, consult or freelance from home or have chosen alternative, less demanding career paths so that they are more available to their families. Our goal is to support the decisions made by our members. We will never pass judgment on mothers who choose to make or are forced to make different decisions for their families. Mocha Moms welcomes people of all religions, races, educational backgrounds and income levels. Anyone who supports the mission of Mocha Moms is welcome to join.
Some Member Benefits:
Local Chapter Participation
Participate in all local chapter events and activities, including mothers’ support meeting with topics pertinent to your life as an at-home mother, community service projects, moms’ only night outs, and kids’ socials.
Sisterhood and Community
Work in concert with mothers who understand your perspective as a stay at home mother of color, who share your experiences and who will both learn from you and teach you what they know.
Conferences
Participation in all national, regional and state Mocha Moms, Inc. functions. This years National Conference is in Las Vegas!
The East Bay Mom’s Playgroup on Meetup.com is truly awesome! With over 100 moms from San Leandro to Richmond, we meet at parks, coffee shops, museums and occasionally each other’s houses, all over the East Bay! There are so many moms in the group that it’s easy to find at least one you connect with and because there are multiple meetups scheduled throughout the week, at various times and places, it’s easy to make it to at least one event per week. The children in the group range from 0-4yrs and the moms range from early 20s – mid30s.
If you haven’t found a group yet, I highly recommend this one!
There are 2 Chapters in the “510” 🙂
Contra Costa County-West
http://www.wccmm.org
wccmochas@yahoo.com
510.691.3078 … and
Oakland
eastbayoaklandmochamoms@gmail.com
There is also a Diablo Valley Chapter however they are in the “925” area.
All the Moms from All of the Chapters are Awesome!!