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If you are reading this article, odds are you feel alone, exhausted and in desperate need of help. Either that, or you are doing ok in your motherhood journey but would like to have a better support network and/or social life. Well, whichever one relates to you I am glad you’re here! Every mother needs a good support network. Whether you are a first time mom or have 5 children, each mother needs a group of people around her who can offer a hand, give mom a break, or be a friend to socialize with when mom needs it. So let’s talk about building your support network in motherhood.
What Is A Support Network
What is a support network? Simply it is a group of trusted individuals who are there to help us when we need them. These people can be family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers. We know that these individuals will be there for us when we need them. They are a safe place for us to vent to, share out struggles with, cry with, have fun with, and relax with!
Think of a support group like a net underneath acrobats. Why is the net there? Obviously, to catch the acrobat if they happen to fall. It also saves their life and protects them from any bodily harm.
The same is true for our support network. They are there for us when we fall, and also have the potential to save our lives! Which brings us to our next point. Why is having a good support network important?
Why Is Having A Good Support Network Important?
Have you ever experienced trying to do a group project (maybe for school or a work assignment) but no one else is doing their part? Everything lands on your shoulders! How has that made you feel? Maybe overwhelmed, stressed, or mad.
In motherhood, the tasks and responsibilities we have are not meant to be carried on our shoulders alone. We would be crushed under the weight of all of the demands!
I remember when our first daughter was born, my husband came home one day. The laundry needed to be done, dinner hadn’t even been started yet, and I was overwhelmed. Feelings of discouragement and defeat started to overwhelm me. My body was a wreck, I could hardly walk, and I had a screaming baby who cried 5-7 hours a day.
“I can’t do all this on my own!” I vented to my husband.
“You don’t have to do everything yourself,” he reassured me.
Emily is a mother in one of the groups I surveyed about the struggles in motherhood. Listen to her feelings about how motherhood can feel like sometimes.
“It’s so isolating and overwhelming. It feels like all my friends disappeared once I had the baby, and any other mom friends are busy with their own kids.”
Emily
It is important to have a good support group in motherhood so you don’t feel like you’re totally alone in your journey! When you feel alone while facing life’s challenges, you are more likely to experience depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. If you sense yourself heading in that direction, don’t be afraid to seek out professional help! I have written an article on getting professional help. Click the button below to learn more.
So now let’s take a look at how having a good support group has a positive impact on your emotional health.
Able To Handle Daily Stress Better
One great benefit of building a good support network is better resiliency. Resiliency is the ability to “bounce back” to a steady state after going through a hard time. Having a baby always throws our lives off to some degree. If you have people around you who can help support you during this time of change, you will have better resiliency! You will be able to “bounce back” to a steady emotional and mental state faster than if you were alone.
When we feel we have support and are not alone, we are more resilient, often coping more effectively with difficult times in our lives.
Mayo Clinic
Read my article, Building Resiliency In Motherhood, to learn how you can build your resiliency! Growing your resiliency will help you “bounce back” from those hard time in motherhood we all face. Click below to check it out!
You can also read my article, Reducing Mom Stress, to learn more ways how you can stay on top of the daily challenges of motherhood. The tips given to you in this article will also help grow your resiliency as you discover ways to decrease your stress. Click the button below to learn all about it!
I remember my dad telling a story of when he was in track in school. He wasn’t running as fast as some of the other guys. Understandably, this made him feel discouraged. Then along came another runner who paced himself next to my dad and encouraged him the rest of the way around the track. My dad still talks about how encouraging this man was to him that day.
Who are those people in your life who will stick with you when you’re struggling? If you have even just one or two people like this in your life, they will be such a blessing to you! You will be able to go so much farther in your motherhood journey because of their support in your life.
I love this African proverb!
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
African Proverb
As Americans, we tend to want to be the best. Alternatively, in motherhood we often want to be “super mom” and show up all the other moms out there. We desire to have all of them look at us and say, “How in the world do you do that? You’re just amazing!”
However, in reality, every mother struggles. We just learn to hide it well. If you try to handle everything in your motherhood journey by yourself, you may easily burn out. Additionally, if you’re also trying to outshine other mothers and make yourself look flawless, you will really be hurting yourself!
We were not meant to go down this motherhood journey alone. We absolutely need each other! Below are some more benefits of having good support in our lives.
Benefits Of Having A Good Support Network In Motherhood
Having a sense of belonging and support around you in motherhood may come with more benefits than you realize. According to the Mayo Clinic, depression, anxiety and suicide are associated with lacking a sense of belonging. Consequently, when you have a good support network around you, you experience less anxiety, depression and suicide!
Below are a list of additional health benefits associated with having a good support network.
Decreased anxiety
Better resiliency
Greater endurance
Improved mental and emotional health
Less depression
Lowered stress levels
Decreased thoughts of suicide
Increased joy in life
Sense of belonging and loved
These are awesome health benefits for having a good support network in motherhood. Read my article, Affirmations For Moms, to learn how you can further boost your emotional health in your motherhood journey!
Below I give you some great options for where you can find support groups in your community!
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Where To Find Good Support Groups
So by now you may be thinking, “Having a good support group in my life would be fantastic! I could definitely use some of those health benefits associated with having a good support group, but where do I find one?” I’m glad you asked, because below I’ve given you some great options that may exist right in your community.
MOPS – Mothers Of Preschoolers
MOPS is a faith based organization run by mothers in communities all across America. This is a group of women who get together X amount of times a year. When they meet, they discuss various topics of motherhood, share prayer requests, and have a group activity like a craft. With MOPS, you’re able to bring your children with you. Childcare is usually available, so your kids can be entertained while you get a break!
I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about MOPS. There is one in my community that I hope to visit some day. Their meeting time lands right overtop of my infant’s nap schedule, but I hope to make it out there sometime soon!
Who Is It For
All mothers (foster moms, new moms, seasoned moms, etc.)
Those with preschoolers and younger
Mothers who need love and support
It is a faith based group, so anyone desiring such a group
Those needing a break with some fun
Find A MOPS Near You
If you’re interested in finding a MOPS near you, you can use the MOPS locator to find one closest to you!
At this site, it says you need a membership or register to join MOPS. However, MOPS may work differently for you in your location. For example, I found a MOPS near me, but the ladies running it said that it was totally fine for me to join them and experience the group first before paying for the membership.
In my area, the price to join for a full year was around $30.00. I believe this goest towards the needed craft supplies and snacks needed for the MOPS group.
If you have any further questions, contact your local MOPS group! They will be more than happy to assist you.
Online Support Groups
There are some great online support groups available for mothers and fathers. Many, if not most, of them are offered for free. Learn about them below!
Baby Center
Baby Center has online support groups for mothers. They have something called “Birth Club“. You can join a club based on the year your baby was born. This way you can find other mothers whose children are the same age as yours!
Hand To Hold
Hand To Hold has free online groups and counseling for mothers and fathers who had their baby in NICU. Their online support is available to parents before, after and during their NICU stay. Learn more about them here.
Working Moms Facebook Group
Working Moms Facebook group is a great place for working moms to connect. Find other moms who face the same struggles you do as a working mom. This group is great for mothers who struggle to find other people who can sympathize with their daily challenges.
Summary
Motherhood can feel very lonely and overwhelming. If you’re not careful it can have a very negative affect on your emotional health and drag you down to a very dark place. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! There are wonderful support groups near you. Find other moms who understand and can sympathize with your struggles.
Leave A Comment Below!
How will you apply what you’ve learned today? What practical step will you take this week to help build your support network around you? Share it with us in the comments below!
Want To Learn More
If you would like to learn more about what makes good emotional health for mothers, check out the articles below!
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Please assume that every single link on https://www.motherhoodbabyandme.com is an affiliate link, and that if you click on it and buy something, I’ll possibly make a small commission from it, at no additional cost to you.
