My advice to new moms.....

It's been 5 weeks since my little cherubs joined the ranks of this world, and I couldn't be more desperate for adult interaction. I recalled a fellow mother of twins, who I guess you could say mentored me during my pregnancy, had mentioned how joining the local hospitals New Moms Group had been a life saver. So that Wednesday at 10:00am, we three ventured into the world for some visceral experience. Little did I know the impact it would have on me, not only as a new mother, but as a new woman. 

We wandered in almost 30 minutes late, the girls tiny and sweet, and myself a dishevelled fright that couldn't tell you the last time I had showered. There were about 15-20 moms sitting pow-wow style in a circle, with their squishy babes laid out in front of them on blankets and towels. I sheepishly skirted in, I've always hated being late, and found an empty spot to sit. Being a mother of twins is like being a celebrity, everyone seems to guffaw at the sight of the girls. I relished the spotlight as everyone acknowledged my two babies.

For the next several months, six and a quarter months to be exact, we would go to moms group every week. There were some weeks I couldn't wait for Wednesday to come! We welcomed new mothers and heard their birth stories; sometimes we laughed, sometimes we cried. It was a safe place we could all go to share the struggles and triumphs of being a new mother without having to worry about judgement. It may sound a bit grandiose, but I don't think I would be half the mother I am today without the encouraging words, advice and support I got from those incredibly strong women.

 We watched each others children grow, and it was an incredible experience. We still see each other at play groups from time to time, I always look forward to them. It was bitter-sweet the day the girls "Graduated" from group, they were 7.5 months old and started crawling that last day. 

Seriously, though. That was the best advice I got as a new mom. Building a support group, a village if you will, is vital to survival in those early newborn months. I highly recommend joining one if your babe is under 6 months, as that's when they typically have you "graduate".