AP Mothers Support Group

[maxmom]

Hi Vermont Mamas
We have an ongoing Attachment Parenting Mothers Support/Discussion group that meets the first and third Thursdays at the Kimball Library on Main Street in Randolph Vermont. Randolph is a half hour south of Montpelier and half hour north of Lebanon NH on I-89.
Topics for discussion have included emotional responsiveness, self care as an AP Mom, positive discipline, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, nutrition, among many others. Meetings start at 10:30 and go till Noon. And since the library is officially closed during that time, we enter from the side ramp in the door leading to the childrens room. Ages of babies have been newborn to 3 and a half years old. We have nursing toddlers, homeschoolers, new babies and non vaxed as well as vaxed kinders. It is a great place to meet, get support for your parenting choices and learn from eachother. Please join us! Next meetings are March 18, April 1, April 15.
Ame (Max the 2.4year old nursing wonder boy's Mom)

[Alisa]

Thanks for the info. It's a bit far for me, but I would love to join in so hopefully I will make the April 1 meeting.

Alisa, mama to Ella and Isabel

[Cutie Patootie]

[Cutie Patootie]

[maxmom]

Hi--
I'm happy to share my story with you. I started the group last August because I knew winter was coming again and I hadn't connected with enough like minded mamas to sustain me, so I thought this would be a good common ground to bring us together. At one of our first meetings 14 mothers and babies came! Talk about positive affirmations.

It wasn't that hard to start so I'd be happy to fill you in:
First, I defined AP in a general sense and put together a "fact sheet" off AP International's website just so folks coming would understand the premise of our discussions. Then I picked out ideas for discussions off the definition sheet. When it came time to choose a topic, it was real easy. Sometimes I choose a topic based on what people are checking in about, and sometimes just randomly.

I am the "facilitator" and have given that role to several other mothers that come regularly when I'm either out of town or not up for it. Its easy to facilitate but sometimes I'd just like to be there on a different level. The way I structured the meeting is similar to a La Leche League meeting if you've ever been to them. First we do a general check-in where we go around the circle and say our name, baby's name and age and what's been going on for us parenting-wise (which often branches off into other personal issues as well) and that takes most of the time, even if there's only 6 or 7 women there. Then we have about a half hour or less of discussion on one topic, like positive discipline or self awareness of parenting, or balancing family life and personal needs or whatever the main theme seems to be from check in.

I went to the library and asked if they had room for us in their community room or childrens room and they were really nice about it. In fact, for a while I had a group at the Montpelier library with another mom once a month, and then once a month at our library, but that got too much for me and her. Plus our group here insisted on weekly meetings this winter, so that sealed it. All I did to attract mothers was announce it at toddler story time and put a few flyers around town at the co-op, thrift store, etc. It was pretty neat how it came together.

BTW, I happen to be a midwife and am pretty adept at leading groups from teaching childbirth classes and what not, so I am careful to turn to other mothers when a question is posed and ask them for their feedback, so I'm not the "Leader". I like that style about La Leche League also, it's more of a peer to peer counseling. Of course I partake of discussion plenty, but try to be mindful not to hog the floor! Group dynamics absolutely fascinates me.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like any more information--I highly recommend putting the energy out there to connect with other like minded mothers. It has made a huge difference in my life here as a stay at home mother. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[monica-u]

Hi Maxmom,

Your AP Group sounds wonderful. My family is moving to the Montpelier area in June from Michigan. We are planning a "scouting" trip in early May and will definetly try to make it to one of the meetings at the library ( already have it marked in my calendar!) You mentioned that you used to have a group with a mother in Montpelier. Does she still have a group there? I would love to connect with her when we make the move.

Are you a home-birth midwife? I had my children at home with our midwife who recently celebrated her 1000th birth. My daughter Claire was birth 980 or so. Claire is 14 months and son Gus is 5.

Hope to meet you next month.

Monica

[maxmom]

Monica-u
I PM'ed you in reply to your questions. Hope to meet up with you sometime.

[amyamanda]

Sounds wonderful! Unfortunately I think it's a bit too far north for me - I'm right near the MA/NH/VT border - but it's so great to hear that you're doing this. Best of luck, though...if anyone in the Brattleboro area sees this and wants to meet up for something similar, please PM me.

[wendyk]

Your group sounds wonderful! I'm in the Lebanon/Hanover, NH area & have a playgroup at my house on Thursday mornings or I'd join you. Ours is pretty AP, though we have one girl who is much less so than the rest of us. We keep hoping to "convert" her! It is such an ENORMOUS help to have like-minded people around, especially when your family is not around or nt particularly supportive of your chosen method of raising your child.