Once involved, she learned that the group was about more than parenting. It gave her a chance to meet new people interested in children and to talk about things that would be taboo at cocktail parties. Three children later, she still is involved in different types of parenting groups and believes anyone could benefit just by having someone new to talk to. From the suburbs to the cities to rural towns, new mothers' support groups are on the rise. While national numbers are not available, experts say the groups have steadily increased in the past two decades and their popularity shows no signs of waning.
Groups come in various sizes and shapes, from the ad hoc to the formal.
There are mothers' groups based at parenting and childbirth centers, and groups sponsored by hospitals, pediatricians, and mental health clinics. Everyone has advice for a new mother, which is nice except few offering the advice really understand what a mother today is going through. Urquhart points out each woman's circumstance can be different, but it is equally hard on those who stay home as those who return to work after having a child. Finding support is important for everyone, she said. The number of options available to women increases the diversity of ages and options for women who become mothers, said Ann Weinstein, director of Parents Place in San Francisco.