Once you’ve had a baby, there’s no going back—you’re a different being than you were before. So of course your relationships are going to change—you have a new set of ever-pressing questions, interests, and activities. For some friendships, this gives you something new to bond over and deepens your relationship. For others, it may challenge or even strain the relationship as your priorities grow apart. And, it may open new doors to friendship—god knows you’ll need to find people to hang out with during those mat-leave-time-warp days when your old pals are working 9 to 5.
Today, we’re talking about how the new versions of “us” show up in our relationships—new, old, and forever changed—hoping to be met where we are now.
In this episode, we talk about:
Making new friends as an adult
What to do with your long days during mat leave
Navigating finding your new identity as a parent and sharing that experience with friends new and old
Can having children/becoming a parent be a barrier in friendships?
Sharing the honest truth and trust falling
Being realistic with your expectations on friendships
Showing up for friends life events outside of parenthood
Time and capacity for other relationships
Showing up and being vulnerable
Sharing of information and conversation between parents
You don’t know until you know - mom friends who have done this first and welcoming new moms with open arms and empathy
The joy of having friends who have littles within a similar age
Meeting new people and choosing which parts of your identity to reveal
Supporting your friends when you have less capacity
In this episode, we reference:
The Fourth (Edmonton-specific)
Family Futures Resource Network (Alberta-focused)