I'm new to it all. I went to the local ABA group which I thought was good, when I was pregnant. However as I've stopped BF, I think I need to try some other groups. Child Health have referred me to one, then there's the regular one, and then there's a whole bunch of activity based ones. Basically I live near the Enoggera Army Barracks lmao so there's a baby boom around here.
I can't wait to go to the Babies and Rhymes at the library, as by coincidence after my first ultrasound, I went to the library and that group was there.
emc2 try your local early childhood centre for sure! You never know who you might find there, and generally the other women will have babies the same age, which I think is perfect, because then you're going through the same stuff at roughly the same time!
Hope you find something that suits, as really there's no book out there to laugh and cry with you, to support you, through the stuff that is a bit to "raw" or "real". Women can in fact be each others best allies
My mothers group was OK first up. Most of us got on well enough for the sessions and a few friendships were made. Some of us knew that we were not really friend material, but did not let that get in the way of the group running smoothly. That all changed though when a new member joined, she was an outright bully and sadly I was her victim. It tore the group apart. I admit, that I did behave badly due to lashing about the treatment I was receiving. With hindsight I should have left the group, but got all stupid and stubborn, even though my gut was saying leave. I could blame her for it all, but really it was all of us that let it happen, it was worse than being back in highschool.
Since then I went by the rule of if I got a bad feeling, or came across someone I knew I would really butt heads with, I would move on from the group. After that we moved towns and I found a fantastic playgroup, along with getting involved with the ABA. Not getting more involved with the ABA first time around is something I really regret, as they would have given me the support I needed.
I joined a MG but I was unable to attend as much as I would have liked to because I couldn't walk very far and wasn't driving at the time. I'm not the sort of person who would say, "oh, can you stop making meet-ups at x because I can't get there, please revolve the group around me and make the venue y."
Despite that, I still feel very much part of the group even though we moved from Melbourne to country Victoria, I try to make it down to dinners in Mel as much as possible and we keep in good touch on FB which is a godsend.
They are a really good group of women. We all have different approaches to parenthood but everyone is very accepting of other people's choices and non-judgemental. I think our approach is that this is a tough enough gig already without anyone passing judgement on what anyone is doing. And that's really refreshing.
I didn't join a MG for my second born but in hindsight I probably should have. Intend on joining a playgroup though to get to know more people in our new area.
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