Socialising with a baby

waterfaerie

We are due a baby next week and are hoping to join some groups to meet other parents. We have no friends with babies and would really like to make some, both for us and the baby.

So far, I am going to join a breastfeeding group and do mother and baby yoga and my husband is going to do water babies. However, these things all only involve one parent and we're really looking to socialise as a family.

I've spent a long time googling and haven't really found anything. I've searched boards as well and it seems others were having the same problem in the past but there's nothing recent about the topic. I've found mention online of one or two parent and toddler groups but they don't seem very active.

Can anyone recommend any groups that are actually active? Or does anyone have any suggestions for what else we can try, preferably that both parents can be involved in? We are able to travel anywhere in Galway or south Mayo, or could possibly travel further afield for more occasional things if they were worth going to.

Thanks!

shesty

When you join those groups, particularly the bf one, you will get to talking to other mums and learn about what else there is out there. Take it easy though, there's plenty of time and believe me - this is a marathon, not a sprint
Enjoy it, there's nothing like it.

cyning

Mums and dads go to our local toddler groups together with babies too ask phn when she's doing home visit after baby is born

pwurple

Cuidiu is a parenting group. It's quite active near me, we've met a lot of families at those events.

What about neighbours, do you live near a school... usually loads of parents around those.

We had moved house when I had a new baby the last time, and I took the time on maternity leave to call into all the neighbours and introduce myself. You'd be surprised how many people have children or grandchildren around.

mloc123

Socialising with a newborn? I remember when I was that naive too..

spottybananas

You'll probably meet mums at yoga and bf groups, become friends, and include husbands/partners in socialising later on. Most groups are there to provide support, routine and a reason to get out of the house while you're home alone on mat leave during the week, so there isn't much call for family ones if you see what I mean. My husband has been to the local Cuidiu toddler group a few times.

lazygal

There probably isn't much in a google search because to be honest you're probably not going to be doing stuff like that with a small baby.
The best thing I did was join a Facebook group for women all due around the same time as me. It was a brilliant support network as we were all going through the same things and some of the women were second time mums and full of good advice. We met up fairly regularly and I'm still in touch nearly five years on.
The local baby and toddler groups can be good but I never really went very much. Ditto the Cuidiu network.
Practically though, my husband was back at work after two weeks off (luckily his company gave paternity leave) and I was home so all the baby stuff was for mums and their babies really. At the weekends we needed time as a family together.
Maybe baby has now arrived!

waterfaerie

Thanks for all of the replies!

I'm not on facebook and am very reluctant to start. I know I'm probably hindering myself but I'm very against the idea.

As for neighbours, we live very rurally and have a good idea that there are no babies around.

I didn't realise Cuidiú did other things. I thought they were just for breastfeeding. I checked and they seem to have a couple of things going in Galway, so that's great. We probably wouldn't be going for at least a couple of months but I assume babies would be welcome at parent and toddler groups?

I'll ask the PHN as well, when I meet her.

I suppose I'm at that stage where I'm totally ready for baby and just waiting with nothing to do, so I'm trying to organise and find out about things while I have time. But yeah, we do have plenty of time long term and, like you say, we'll meet people over time at whatever we do go to.

Great advice from everyone!

spottybananas

Babies are welcome at toddler groups too, I've seen babies of 3+ days at bf and toddler groups here in Galway County, we were at one by the time he was two weeks old because I couldn't organise myself earlier!

Facebook is really great particularly for breastfeeding groups and local parent groups, there's a Galway parents out and about group which has events and meetups listed all the time.

sadie06

Maybe not so much socialising with others, as people don't tend to talk in the cinema, but if you are within driving distance of an Odeon cinema many of them have baby friendly screening.

http://www.odeoncinemas.ie/newbies/

PhoenixParker

Honestly Facebook is where all these things tend to be organised and publicised. I'd start an account even if you put nothing on it and use it for nothing else. Just use the search feature with local place names and baby/parent/toddler etc and you'll quickly see what's available.

Otger then that keep an eye on local noticeboards in shops and places. Groups usually put a notice up there too.

waterfaerie

spottybananas wrote: »

Facebook is really great particularly for breastfeeding groups and local parent groups, there's a Galway parents out and about group which has events and meetups listed all the time.

Thanks! Do you have a link to that or know the name of it?

waterfaerie

sadie06 wrote: »

Maybe not so much socialising with others, as people don't tend to talk in the cinema, but if you are within driving distance of an Odeon cinema many of them have baby friendly screening.

http://www.odeoncinemas.ie/newbies/

No Odeon here but I know the Eye cinema do that and I think they might have tea and coffee afterwards so it's probably a great way to meet people. We'll definitely give that a try.

spottybananas

Can't link but it's literally called Galway parents out & about.

waterfaerie

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Honestly Facebook is where all these things tend to be organised and publicised.

That's partly my problem with it. I think it has a bit of a monopoly and it's more or less expected that everyone is on it. I don't like the way they make it awkward to browse and search things on there unless you're a member. But yeah, I might just have to give in, even if I don't use it for anything else.

I'll try the word of mouth way first, though.

spottybananas

If you think I might be able to help with any Galway groups/breastfeeding support resource related questions feel free to pm me at any time, and I'll check facebook