No one talks about how alone you can feel with a new baby. How much you miss your partner when they go back to work. How much you miss your work life (or at least your work friends). How much you miss your old friends, your social life, your freedom to leave the house. It's incredibly isolating.

But most new parents feel the need to get out far more than they actually can. And then they need to find a place that they can go without looking their best. Where they can bring a fussy baby. Where they can feed baby without judgement.

Enter a new parents group. Because everyone needs to have a place to go to talk about how tired they are (even if they can't solve it). And everyone needs to be able to see that the vast majority of new parents are feeling some of the same things they are. Being in a group with similar families make this new parenthood thing less daunting and overwhelming, and helps you feel very much less alone.

Doulas can make suggestions about parenting groups, breastfeeding support groups, new mom groups, new dad groups, and activity based groups (so you don't have to just sit in a circle and chat if that is not your thing). Many times doulas know what groups might be a good fit for your needs, both the location and the culture of the group. Then you have to take the initiative and go.

Take the first step. Find a group and break the isolation.