So what do you do to keep from feeling bored and lonely?  Below are 5 essential things to do as a new mom which will help you to feel more connected to people and bring some sunshine to your day.  

 

1. Join a moms group.  If your pre-baby mom friends are not around during the day, it’s important to find other moms who are.  Moms groups are great for this.  Someone else does the planning, you show up, and you’re guaranteed to spend some time with at least a few other moms.  To find a local moms group, try googling your town and moms group.  You can also find local moms groups on meetup.com or through MOMS Club.  Here are the MOMS Club chapter links: https://www.momsclub.org/links.php 
2. Get outside.  Go for a walk, run to Target, get a cup of coffee . . . do anything that gets you     out of your home.  Being inside all day, without another adult to talk to, can make you feel lonely and isolated.  You don’t have to be out of your house for a long time to benefit from this.  Try to aim for one thing a day.
3. Take a mommy baby class.   Just like with a moms group, the activity is planned for you and all you have to do is show up.  You'll be interacting with other moms and hopefully doing something fun with your baby too.  Not sure what classes are in your area?  Some popular options include Music Together, Mommy & Me, baby yoga, or a baby gym class.  
4. Go to a new moms support group.  Having a new baby can be overwhelming, especially when this is your first child.  With your first, everything is new and you doubt a lot of your decisions.  Attending a new moms support group is great to socialize and realize that what you are feeling is actually very common.  You can find a moms support group at local hospitals, some OB or midwife offices, yoga studios (especially the ones that offer baby yoga), lactation consultants’ practices, or therapists specializing in mother’s issues.  
5. Exercise.  Once you have medical clearance to resume exercise, think about what would work best for you.  Will you have childcare so that you can go to a gym or engage in whatever physical activity you enjoy?  If not, group fitness classes for new moms are a wonderful option.  You can bring your baby to class and the exercise program incorporates the babies into the class.  Baby Boot Camp and Stroller Strides are two examples of this type of class.  

Have you noticed a theme?  Getting outside and interacting with others is vital to your well-being as a new mom.  Your baby requires so much of your energy and attention, and it can seem easier to stay at home and not add anything else to the day.  However, when you stay at home all the time, you quickly become bored, lonely, and sometimes even depressed or anxious.  Just going outside and changing your scenery can have a positive affect on your mood, as does exercise and socializing with other moms.  


Try to do one of these essential things a day and see if you notice a difference in how you are feeling.  If you find that you are struggling to leave your home or are feeling isolated, reach out for help.  You can find providers specializing in postpartum issues here: 

www.postpartumprogress.com/womens-mental-health-treatment-programs-specialists-us-canada-australia
postpartumstress.com/get-help/where-can-i-get-help/

nd support groups here: www.postpartum.net/get-help/locations/united-states/