New Moms: Do You Have a Mom Support Group?

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When I was pregnant last year I was incredibly thankful for the mothers that were all around me with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of all things baby. They were women who didn't mind getting questions like "Should I take a child birth class?", "Is labor as really as awful as it seems?" and so on.

I just want to share with you today how important it is to have a mommy mentor if you are a first time mom.

I know many moms look to their own moms for guidance, information and hands-on help on a daily basis. But if you're like me and you live hours from you mother it is so important to connect yourself with another mom or group of moms that can help you during a very new and emotional time in your life.

When I was pregnant with my little guy I had several women who lived close to me and went to my church that I would ask questions about everything. And it didn't stop there. Once my son was born I was given so much advice from breastfeeding to doctor recommendations to sleeping through the night tricks. And the reasons my mom wasn't the one to be asked these questions(although I did send quite a few her way over the phone) was because these girls were with me. They could look at my son and they could be over within 20 minutes if needed. My mom was miles away from where I lived and while those phone calls we had were very precious to me the support group I had right around the corner from me was priceless.

At first I felt like I was a burden to these women. But over time and much persistence by them (thank goodness), I became quite comfortable with these women mentoring me, loving me, and giving me a break occasionally when I was covered in spit up, was up all night and I just needed a shower.

When my little man was four months old we packed up everything we owned and moved overseas for a ministry position that we accepted as a family in Japan. I had to say goodbye to all the women who were there for me. Who I became close with. Who had walked me through one of the hardest times of my life. It wasn't easy and I had no idea what was waiting for me on the other side.

The second day I was in my new home overseas my now good great friend was there to help me with all things baby here in Japan. Our children are just a month apart and it was wonderful to have that friendship right away. I also had another mom who had two children older than mine who I talked to on the phone and got together with several times. Although my support group here is not as big as the ones in Texas these women have been such a blessing to my life and continue to make being a mom so much easier.

As a new mom you need people in your life like this to encourage you when you feel like it's too hard, to help you when you just feel like you can't continue, and to love on you when you are feeling like a failure. If you're a mom who has "been there done that" you're needed too. Find a new mom you can help and begin serving her, loving on her and helping her so one day she'll be able to the same for someone else.