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A 33-year-old first-time mum has set up a meeting group to encourage local mums to get out and about more, and help them get together, share their experiences and build their confidence of breastfeeding in public.
Emma Sykes recently set up ‘Jersey Mums Meet Up’ to allow mums to do just that, chat, share their stories and experiences and feel confident getting out and about.
Emma gave birth to her first child, Lucy, 16 weeks ago and is currently on maternity leave. She said that getting out of the house on her own with her daughter felt “quite scary” as a first-time mum. She therefore signed up to local post-natal clubs which she says really helped with her confidence.
Pictured: Being a new mum can be quite isolating and nerve wracking, Emma said.
“I could see that all the other mums really enjoyed getting together,” Emma said. “Everyone was sad when the classes finished so that’s where the idea for ‘Jersey Mums Meet Up’ came from!
“Being a new mum can be quite isolating and nerve wracking so I wanted a group where mums with new babies could meet up in baby-friendly locations around the Island for coffee, cake and a chat.”
While the main aim of the group is for mums to make friends, share experiences and support each other, Emma is also keen to create a supportive environment for mums to breastfeed in public.
Pictured: The group also want to help mums feel more confident breast-feeding in public.
“We are also all about building confidence for mums breastfeeding in public within the group as well and I know that this is a bit of hot topic of late!” Emma explained.
The group – which can be found on Facebook – has already met twice, with 17 mums attending the second date. Emma says the reception to the group has been really positive. The mums have said how lovely it is to be able to get together with other mums and that the group has encouraged them to get out and about more.
“We had one mum who came to the last meet up with her ten-day-old baby and it was the first time she’d been out by herself,” Emma added. “She said that knowing she was meeting like-minded mums really gave her a confidence boost to go it alone! We currently have 120 members and it’s growing every day!”
Pictured: The mums meet up for cake and coffee to chat and share their experiences.
Emma is keen to see the group meet regularly and is planning to organise a meet-up every month. While she will stick with coffee and cake for the moment, she confessed she has ideas for “a few different things” in the new year.
“It would be great to collaborate with local companies so mums can find out about baby-friendly activities,” she explained. “I only just found out that Jersey Library has a great selection of books for babies, which I didn’t know, so it would be great to do something which combines a meet up with getting babies their first library card for example.”
Pictured: The group first met at the Seaton Place Social.
For now, the young mum is looking for more mum-and-baby friendly venues that would be happy hosting the group’s get-togethers.
“We are looking for any venues big enough who don’t mind us taking over and of course anywhere which has great cake!” Emma said. “The venues we’ve been to so far have been really wonderful and supportive of the group and I’d love to hear from anyone who would be happy to have us in the future.
Pictured: Emma hopes the meet-ups will help mums make new friends.
“Our first meet up was hosted by the Seaton Place Social, which is part of the Liberation Group, who kindly provided cake, biscuits and some delicious home-made scones for us which was so lovely and so generous of them! We have our Christmas get together at Common Ground at Red Houses and they are actually extending their opening hours to accommodate us.”
Emma is also keen to reach more mums and raise awareness of the group so that mums do not feel isolated. Mums of under one-year-old babies are invited to join tomorrow (28 November) at 14:00 at Holme Grown. A Christmas meet up will take place between 14:00 and 16:00 on 16 December at Common Ground in Red Houses.
Emma said.“I’m hoping this will help mums form new friendships and build their support network outside the group.”
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