Pregnancy & Birth
- About antenatal classes
- Antenatal exercise classes
- Antenatal notes explained
- Birth plan
- Bleeding in pregnancy
- Breech baby
- Buying for your baby
- Common pregnancy complaints
- I'm pregnant: now what?
- Feel great in pregnancy
- Fertility problems
- Fish oils in pregnancy
- Giving up smoking
- Homebirths
- Induction
- Making new friends
- Miscarriage
- Morning sickness remedies
- Multiple pregnancies
- Older mums
- Onset of labour
- Predict the sex of your baby
- Preparing your body
- Reflexology in pregnancy
- Sex in pregnancy
- Sleep tips in pregnancy
- Vitamin K
- Water in pregnancy & birth
- Week by week pregnancy guide
- Where to have your baby
Related Articles
Related Local Information
- Hospitals and centres
- Local classes
- Local assistance and extras
- Meet a mum board
- Nearly new board
- Childcare board
Related National Boards
Making new friends
There is a whole world in your area that non-parents know nothing about. This world is full of antenatal groups, parenting classes, active birth classes, antenatal swimming classes and yoga classes. Getting off the sofa and out there into the world of pregnant and new mums is the best preparation for parenthood you can do.
The friends you make will be your lifeline through late pregnancy and early motherhood. And those bumps will be your baby's first friends. If we can give you one piece of advice, let it be to use your pregnancy to make new local friendships with other mums or mums-to-be.
The Netmums Coffee House: Netmums-to-Be
Perhaps start by chatting to other mums online. It is easier to be confident and outgoing and you don't even need to be dressed! The Netmums-to-Be Board is a special forum for pregnant mums to get together from all over the country for chats, fun, advice and support. It is very friendly and welcoming. You can start by reading what everyone else is up to and join in when you are ready.
Whether you are just thinking about having a baby or are currently expecting... discuss the joys & upheavals of pregnancy, labour & birth..plus all the lighter stuff: due dates, names, scans - click here
Meet a Mum
Every area in the country has a dedicated Meet a Mum board. You can post a note or reply to a note already there. You can exchange emails, find out about each other and then arrange to meet up. Click here to find out all about Meet a Mum and how it works. If you post a message, don't forget to say when your baby is due.
I have made a few good friends from Netmums Meet a Mum section. I think it is a brilliant idea, especially as at the time I was new to the area and did not know a soul!!! Long may it continue I say.
Local antenatal exercise and preparing for parenthood classes
We all know that antenatal parenting classes are great for helping prepare you for birth and beyond and that antenatal exercise classes have loads of great health benefits, but one of the most important things is that these are probably one of the first places that you'll start to meet other mums to be, especially if you're a first time mum.
Take a look at our guide to the different types of classes available, and find out what's available locally.
My eldest child is nearly 6 now and I am still great friends with the 5 other mums that I met at antenatal class. I honestly don't know how I would have coped without their friendship and support, especially at a time when none of my other friends had children.
