So, I’m a bit awkward.
I usually am able to play it off well, you may not notice at first glance but I’m secretly dying inside. I’m worried I’ll say something dumb, or tell a joke that fails. I’m thinking about my hair being undone and lack of makeup and the fact that when it comes to this mom stuff, I have no idea what I’m doing. So when I walked in, late, to my first La Leche League meeting, I had my excuses and defenses ready. I was ready to push people away so they didn’t see the awkward, ready to claim they were the weirdos.
But I didn’t need those excuses or defenses. They shrugged off my late apologies, saying it is simply “mom time,” and I began to feel at ease. As I asked my questions about latching and tongue ties and nipple shields (you know, all the normal things you talk about with people you just met), I was hit with person after person relating to my experience, encouraging me and making me feel like I wasn’t the crazy hot mess that I thought I was. What a relief to hear that others felt the same way I did.
Since that first meeting when Cole was just a couple weeks old, I’ve made a point to keep that monthly meeting time blocked on my calendar. Even after returning to work full time, I took that morning off each month to head to a little church in Tower Grove, sit in a circle of those little kid chairs and talk with other moms. Many times I had 100 questions to ask, sometimes I was able to offer encouragement to someone going through a similar situation, but always I felt accepted. My awkward didn’t matter. There were moms of all kinds…brand new moms and moms with older kids, crunchy and modern moms, laid back and helicopter moms, breastfeeding and formula moms, stay at home and working moms, outspoken and quiet moms. In the end we were all there for the same reason: to commiserate, to encourage, to be together.
If you don’t have a mom group, a place you can go and vent, cry, be excited, or whatever you need to do, I encourage you to find one. La Leche League worked for me, find what works for you. Don’t let your awkward hold you back or the thought that you might not fit in, because we moms need each other in this crazy life.
If you don’t have a mom group, try one of these:
Kangaroo Kids Support Group – St. Louis Area
Parenting Resources Mom Club – St. Louis Area
MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) – National
