How to Make Mom Friends as a New Mom

Remember as a kid when you could just ask someone to be your friend? Well, finding friends as an adult, who are in the same stage of life as you, isn’t always that simple.

During the first few months and years of parenthood, finding “mom friends” can really help you transition into your new role as mom easier, get out of the house, vent and even attend family or social events with.

If you’ve just moved or are adjusting to staying at home, you may not have friends with babies or don’t know who to talk to at your kid’s activities. And it can feel lonely.

However, finding a solid group of mom friends that you can get advice from and just hang out with, will make everything so much better!

Mom dating

Ok, so how exactly do you find these friends? We’ve all been through the dating stage in our lifetime. But once you have kids and enter motherhood, you get to experience a new phase: mom dating. Unlike romantic dating, mom dating is finding mom friends you connect with and can easily talk to and feel comfortable around. 

There are many ways to find and connect with other moms in real life and online. Here are a few ideas…

1. Go to the library. Take advantage of your local library activities and story times. This is an easy way for your child to interact with other kids his/her age and for you to strike up a conversation with another mom there.
2. Join a moms group. Look for moms groups in your community and online. Check Facebook, ask around and even check with your OB or pediatrician. If you are active in a church, check with your congregation to see if there are playdate or church groups you can join as well.
3. Check out the peanut app. The peanut app is like Tinder for moms. You can swipe through profiles and match with other moms that have similar interests. You can chat on the app and even set up meet ups with multiple moms.
4. Sign up for a local class. Check around your community to see if there are classes you can join. For example, you could look into places like the Little Gym that offers gymnastic classes for toddlers. You can also look into the YMCA or other local organizations or gyms to find workout classes or recreational classes you might be interested in.
5. Get out. Although it might feel difficult at first, the more you get out and socialize, the more people you will meet. With a newborn this could be something as simple as going on walk or to the park.

If you find yourself feeling shy or having a little social anxiety, just remember an easy way to start a conversation is to ask questions about the other person… Where are you from? How old is your child? Have you been here before? Etc.

And don’t worry about age. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to mom friends. Finding things in common will bridge that gap!

As a mom it’s okay to feel overwhelmed at times or even feelings of parenting burnout. However, having a support system of other moms you can rely on will make all the difference during the tough days.