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Coffee Mornings
The first few weeks of your baby’s life brings a huge amount of change for baby and parent. You are adjusting to your new role of being a parent and caring for your baby and your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb.It’s important as a new parent not to take on every new challenge alone and that’s why Colief and Cry-sis have introduced a campaign to encourage parents to share any problems they experience. Informal gatherings such as coffee mornings are a good way to share experiences, advice and problems and make new friends in similar circumstances to help you enjoy the experience of parenthood.
Does it have to be a new group?
You might like to check if a group already exists in your area. Lots of organisations such as baby/toddler groups, breastfeeding support groups and Sure Start groups run meetings. Your Health Visitor or Local Council is probably a good place to start. If not why not start up your own coffee morning.
Why set up a coffee morning?
Bringing home a new baby is exciting but also challenging. For some new parents the months following the new arrival can be lonely and they may miss the company and support of others. Meeting other new parents for a coffee and a chat is a good opportunity to mix with people in a similar situation. It's also a great way to share problems, experiences and coping tips.
Starting a group
You need a venue so try to find a convenient meeting place, if it's a small group you could start it at home, with all group members taking turns in the following weeks. Community Centres and Coffee Shops also make good venues.
Publicity
Posters in coffee shops, Doctors' Surgeries, Community
Centres and Newsagents can help to generate publicity (download poster
& invitation). Health Visitors may help to spread the word, you could
also try talking to the local press and radio.
Ask for help
Speak to family and friends to help you get started. Local Midwives or Health Visitors may give talks on postnatal problems. Friends may also like to give talks about non-postnatal issues, pampering presentations, cookery demonstrations and food tasting can all improve well-being.
Funding
If you need to charge people for attending try to keep the costs low, £1 for a coffee and a small snack seems right.
Moving on
Just because you set the group up, you don't really need to run it forever. As the group moves on people will come and go, other people may join and take over the arrangements.
