When you bring home your infant, life can feel overwhelming. You’re consumed with joy and excitement around this new life you brought into the world but interrupted sleep, and the demands of a new baby, probably take up more energetic space than you anticipated. Fortunately, there are plenty of other new moms out there, and you can get to know them by joining one of the Portland area’s many new moms groups.
In addition to having a great excuse to get out of the house with your little one, new mom’s groups are often the place where lifetime friendships are formed. Babies and toddlers are welcome, and while you’re there, you’ll have access to compassionate advice from experienced moms to help you with breastfeeding issues, forming good sleep habits, and a wealth of other knowledgeable mom hacks.
5 New Mom Groups In Portland
Here is a list of five mom groups right here in the Portland area, vetted by our pediatricians, nurses, and new mom patient rosters.
1. PANW’s Baby Hour Parent Group
The Pediatric Associates of the Northwest hosts our Baby Hour Parent Group. In addition to connecting you with other new parents, we want you to remember that you are never alone.
Meet other parents of new babies! We welcome all new parents (moms and dads) and feeding choices. Our weekly drop-in gatherings are a place for parents to share the joys and challenges of infancy in a safe and supportive environment. Please make sure to share information about our Baby Hour Parent Group with all your friends and family members who are expecting or have new babies. These groups are open to all; families do not have to be patients to join.
Perhaps best of all is knowing these groups are facilitated by our own certified lactation consultants. This means you have continuous support with breastfeeding or any other potential feeding issues that may come up in those first few months of parenthood and early infancy.
2. Hike It Baby
We have rarely met a baby that wasn’t wholly delighted to be outside (in weather-appropriate clothing, of course…). Mother Nature is the ultimate soother of babies and their parents. The parenting group Hike It Baby was formed to connect parents and young children while fostering a love of the great outdoors and regular weekly exercise. Once you visit their website, click the Find a Hike button, and you’re halfway to your newest parenting group adventure.
Formed back in the early 2000s, hike it baby has grown and evolved and is now dedicated to raising money for local charities and kids/parent-supportive organizations. For example, they recently raised funds to support Turn The Blues Green – an organization dedicated to supporting the mental health of new moms.
3. The Portland Mom Collective
The Portland Mom Collective is a community that meets both on and offline. Their website offers a tremendous amount of resources, supporting parents at every stage of the game, from early infancy to the late teens and early adulthood phases.
With over two million people in the greater Portland area, they understand it is easy to feel lost in the crowd. Their blog and website forums can help you learn more about our community – which may feel different than it used to if you’re a first-time parent. The Portland Mom Collective hopes their group helps get you and your baby to experience it firsthand. At the same time, we know the difficulty of getting out and meeting other moms when naps, eating, and potty-training are calling for your attention – especially if you’re new in town, new to motherhood, or both. This is their little attempt to make the world feel a little closer and to encourage you that you’re not alone.
4. Portland Area Working Moms
Whether you have chosen to go back to work or financial responsibilities have driven you back to work before you wanted to be there, the Portland Area Working Moms Facebook page is a fabulous resource. They keep the page private and provide instructions for applying to join. They want to be very sure parents joining their group are there to support one another through the challenges unique to working parents of infants and toddlers.
5. Portland MOPS
While the anachronism MOPS Stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, the group is dedicated to mothers with babies and children of all ages. Most members join MOPS as new moms – just like you. MOPS is a nationally recognized organization, started in 1973, with chapters throughout the Portland area.
Visit the MOPS website to learn more about a MOPS group near you. MOPS moms believe, “Every mama nurtures and parents her kiddos differently, and it’s in those differences that we learn from each other. We are better together!
Let PANW Help You Find the Right New Moms Group For You
Sometimes our new moms must try one, two, or even three groups before finding the one that feels right for them. Don’t be discouraged if you attend a new moms group that doesn’t feel like the right fit. Instead, mention it to your pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of the Northwest at your next appointment, or call our office at 503-227-0671. We’ll help you find a new mom’s group that meets your needs while making you feel comfortable and supported as you continue on the rewarding – but challenging – new journey of early parenting.
