It (really does) Take a Village

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Women and babies in a playgroup.I know this amazing group of women. I’m unsure how I would have survived the last three years without them. And the crazy part is that before March 2011, I didn’t know any of them.

About three and a half years ago, pregnant with my first child, I was searching for the perfect pediatrician. I visited and interviewed at least half a dozen different practices and doctors, but none felt right. Whether I didn’t agree with all their ideas, or I didn’t feel a connection, or, in one case, I was disgusted with the (lack of) cleanliness, nothing was perfect.

I panicked and asked everyone I knew who had children for recommendations. More than one person named Willows Pediatrics in Westport, so even though it was a longer drive than I originally planned, I decided to check it out.

I immediately fell in love with the practice and made it my pediatrician. The people recommending Willows told me I had to go to the new mommy group. I had trepidation about going once my son was born (I was a brand new mother who was sleep-deprived and had no idea what I was doing!). I decided to check it out when my son was four weeks old.

It was one of the best things I have done for myself and my son!

Besides the expected advice from the lactation consultant who runs the group, we formed a bond, unlike most others. We were all new mothers with babies under three months old. We were all still trying to figure out this mommy thing, and who better to vent to than those who were going through the same thing at the same time?

We didn’t judge each other, and we learned together. I can’t speak for the other moms, but I was just happy to have friends in the same life stage as I was.

We took our babies to lunch (okay, we went to lunch and brought the babies with us). Southport Brewing Company always gave us a private room, letting us nurse and have separate checks. We took our babies to baby yoga at Yoga for Everybody, the library, and each other’s houses. And we became friends.

Three years later, we all have 3-year-old boys (yes, all boys!). Some of us work, while some are stay-at-home moms. We don’t see each other as often as when we were all home, but we still make it a point to get the boys together regularly.

I gained a new group of friends, and so did my son. I am so fortunate that my son has life-long friends through this group. I hope the boys’ and moms’ relationships will continue to grow with the children. I can’t wait to see how all these boys grow in the next three years and beyond!

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