Pregnancy, Parenthood & Playtime

For the mothers who don’t have an easy time making it out of the house, or even live in a one car household and cannot leave the house during the day, there is a whole new generation and phenomenon of internet support systems. Websites, online forums, e-mail groups, and local online groups geared towards mothers, meeting other mothers in their area, and nationally.
While there may be some websites out there that include more drama than support, sometimes if you look carefully through the members, you can find a few good gems to carry on a friendship with.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had a pretty complicated pregnancy, I was considered high risk (I am still trying to figure that one out) and being a naive first time mother, I had quite a few bouts with false labor. I was so worked up because my OB’s had told me they would be surprised if I made it to 36 weeks gestation, and the thought of my son coming a month early lead to much anxiety. Plus every little ache and pain I thought was something serious. I learned a lot with my second pregnancy and being under the care of midwives and it lead to a complication free pregnancy, learning so much more than I did under my initial OB care, and one hospital visit, which was when my son was born.

But there are many different websites, and message boards that mothers can check out to help build a support system.

Cafemom – Cafemom is a website, which includes moms from all over the world, and many different kinds of backgrounds. It has groups made for interacting with mothers due around the same time as you, pregnancy groups, postpartum support, post c-section support, breastfeeding support, and any other kid of support you could imagine.
MomsClick – Another type of website like cafemom, but just under a different kind of format. I find it slightly harder to navigate, but it you are internet savvy it isn’t too hard to figure out.
Mothering Magazine Forums – For the mothers who are more earth friendly, into things like baby wearing, cloth diapering, natural birth, and really just those who are readers of the wonderful Mothering Magazine, this is an excellent forum to hang out on. I have learned a ton about baby wearing in the time that I have spent on there.
Momspace – Haha, ya know… Momspace, kinda like myspace. It is basically like Cafemom and Momsclick, just under a different format, and they have more of a focus on your local area.
SheKnows Message Boards – I have found that the She Knows message boards tend to cater to the younger mother crowd, but they are great for due date month groups, but not someplace I would go to really learn or get educated.
My Best Birth Network - The new Ricki Lake film My Best Birth has an excellent website filled with forums, blogs, and videos that are not only being written by Ricki and other high profile mothers, but also your run of the mill mother. These forums and site focus more on natural birthing, and pregnancy.
IVillage – IVillage has a great pregnancy and parenting area, which you can post on forums and interact with other mothers about various different types of subjects. Everything from C-section support to VBACs, breastfeeding, and baby products. I find the site more mainstream than some of the others I have mentioned, but not as mainstream as something like Cafemom.
Pregnancy.About.Com – About.com has a lot of good subjects that you can check out and look up, they even have a pregnancy and birth section, which is written by another woman I write with frequently. There is a section for you to submit questions, and post on forums. It is another pretty mainstream site, but there is a wealth of information available.
Baby Center – I am very conflicted about this website. While there is great information in their forums, there is just as much bad information, and dramatic discussions. I find that some of their information and articles do not give full information, and some give inaccurate information. But depending on what you are looking for, these may be valuable to you. I just didn’t fit in much. Maybe one day I will give them another try?
Babyzone – Babyzone is another mainstream online forum, but I have not had much experience with it personally. But I have heard they have amazing VBAC information.
Moms Like Me – Another great forum, and this works on a local level. You click on the area closest to you, and you can chat with mothers in that area.

For the most part, those are the only ones I really know of. America Online used to have great ones, but they have since taken down most of their message boards. I was part of the Due in December 2007 board, but shortly after that they stopped making due in boards.

If you have any that you would like to add, please comment and add your favorite place to post!