Having your first baby is one of the most thrilling, beautiful and joyful experiences we humans ever get to have. It changes your life in a second – suddenly your priorities, worries and happiness depend entirely on a tiny little being, and everything else feels less important.
But when you begin to surface after the first overwhelming weeks or months of being a new mom, it’s not uncommon to feel a little bit lonely. This is especially true if you’re staying at home on your own with your baby. It can be difficult to not see or speak to other adults all day, especially when you have lots of new thoughts and questions about parenthood.
For these reasons, it’s incredibly important to connect with other moms who live nearby. But just how do you go about doing that if you don’t already know a bunch of other mom pals in your neighborhood? We have a few helpful ideas that should put you on the right track…
1. Online Groups
The internet may have its drawbacks, but it is pretty awesome for making connections to new people. Rest assured that you’re not alone in looking for new mommy friends. A simple Google search for “Mom groups in {Your Neighborhood/City}” should yield some good results. Also, be sure to search on Facebook and Meetup.com to find existing groups nearby.
2. Fitness Classes
Even for the most fitness-minded among us, it’s often challenging to jump back into it after the birth of your child. Your body has changed, and you may feel physically drained a lot of the time. The ironic thing is that those are the exact reasons you should be 
participating in physical activity. Being active will give you energy and help you feel like yourself again.
Try committing to just one class a week that focuses on a low impact but effective fitness method like yoga or barre. Create Your Space Studio offers several great classes that are popular with new moms. One is our All Levels Flow Yoga on Mondays at 12:15pm. And we offer barre classes on Mondays at 6:15pm or Sundays at 9am. For even more great fitness classes, check out our full schedule here.
3. Baby & Me Classes
Speaking of classes, why not get in on the act with your little one? This format has become increasingly popular over the years so now there are a wide variety of baby and me classes available in everything from music to swimming to yoga. Create Your Space Studio is proud to now offer our own Baby & Me Yoga class every Tuesday at 12:15.
The class will combine yoga, singing and playing while bonding with baby. From infants to crawlers and beyond, Create Your Space provides a comfortable, supportive environment where parents can meet other parents, socialize and create special memories with their children. And of course, we know that it is totally natural for your baby to cry, you’re always welcome to change a diaper or feed your baby anytime during class to make them comfortable. Come to class with an open heart, a blanket, some toys, your yoga mat and water.
4. Play Places
This is an oldy but a goody because it works. And it doesn’t just have to be the park – get out of the house whenever you’re up to it and head somewhere moms and dads hang with their kiddos. The most important thing is to not be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone who looks like they could be a potential friend.
If you’re not sure how to begin, you can always go the route of asking for advice on something it looks like they’ve mastered. From there, keep the conversation flowing and try to exchange contact information so you can set up a playdate sometime soon.
5. Online Groups
Yep, there’s an app for that. In fact, there are now several apps built for parents looking to meet other parents. Think of them almost like dating apps for moms! You can check out people’s profiles and find like-minded moms in your area who share your interests and parenting philosophies. A few popular ones are MomCo, Hello Mamas and Smile Mom.
6. Start Before Birth
You might not be a mom yet, but it’s never too early to start making mom friends when you have a little one on the way. Luckily, there are lots of classes and activities designed around pregnancy, so you should have no trouble finding some that suit you.
At Create Your Space, we have a fantastic Pre-Natal Yoga class Tuesdays at 1:15pm so you can stay fit in a way that has you and your baby’s wellbeing in mind. It’s a Vinyasa style yoga class focused on linking breath with yoga inspired movement. Students will build strength, flexibility and concentration while cleansing the body and calming the mind.
Becoming a new parent completely changes your world. So, it’s critical that you have a support system around you who understands what you’re going through. If you’re looking for new mom friends, give these ideas a shot and you could just end up with a brand new bestie.