When you become a mum, there are a lot of new things you need. Most of all, you feel the need to have some ‘mum friends’ that you can hang out and spend time with. It no longer matters whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. Connecting with women who are in the same role as you can help counter your stress and anxiety. It also allows you to share experiences, lift each other, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. More importantly, it is an excellent way to help your children make friends outside of school.
Here are some tried and tested platforms where you can befriend new mums to make the process easier.
- Peanut - Fondly known as the 'dating app for mums', Peanut lets you accept and decline potential mum friends with just a swipe. This platform helps you chat and meet with like-minded women. Once you sign up, the app will connect you to other members in the community who you can match with to share your joys and concerns. Mums love Peanut because it benefits them and their bubs. Mothers can arrange play-dates for their kids and get them to spend time with each other. Additionally, the app has a large following of members who are willing to adopt or trying to conceive. Women with infertility issues can look for support and get positive advice and encouragement from other women who went or are going through similar problems.
- Hey! Vina - The Hey! Vina platform pairs up two mums who have the same interests. By matching mums who have compatible personalities, this app helps you make new friends, become a part of an online community, join live chats and take quizzes. Its built-in algorithm matches details about the mums, like their location, quiz results and even mutual friends to help them befriend each other. User profiles and pictures help mum decide with whom they want to be mates.
- MomCo - MomCo is an app that focuses on childcare and related services for parents and guardians. Mums use this app to connect with others and form a community. As a result, MomCo helps improve the quality of life for parents and their children. With this app, mums can interact with other mums to organise play-dates, stay up to date with local events, interact on forums and benefit from the in-app deals.
- Meetup - Another great app to help you connect with other mums is Meetup. Coming with a website version as well as an app, Meetup gives you plenty of options to become a part of groups and communities, and to attend nearby events. Since the app uses your location, it narrows down the search for outdoor events to those near you. With Meetup, you can be a part of photography events, book and arts clubs, outdoor adventures, and family-related programs. A perfect app for all kinds of people, Meetup allows you to join events virtually as well as in-person to meet like-minded people.
- Hey Mama - Designed for pregnant mums or new mums who want to start their own business, Hey Mama is a platform that connects you to great advice and excellent company. Mums that have entrepreneurial skills can connect to discuss options, business plans and other aspects of their lives. You can learn the art of managing your business while looking after your bub. At an annual cost of $350, the Hey! Mama membership is high-priced, but worth its rewards.
- MamaLeave - If you want to connect to other parents in the neighbourhood, MamaLeave is another option. Download the free app onto your cellphone and meet up with mums who would love to organise play-dates and hang out for some much-needed coffee. MamaLeave is the perfect choice for mums who are looking for some neighbourhood mums to get acquainted with and want their bub to have a circle of friends nearby.
Further Reading:
https://www.whattoexpect.com/family/how-to-make-friends-as-adult-new-mom/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/allthemoms/2018/07/04/moms-parent-friendships/746118002/