Opening the hand of friendship to lonely new mothers
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A MOTHER who experienced the feeling of isolation after her first child was born has set up a networking site for Inverness mums.
Maxine Williams hit upon the idea after discovering first hand how difficult it was to meet other new parents.
The mother-of-four hopes her new website, Inverness Mums, will be a help to mothers who are feeling lonely.
"I had been on forums in the past but they were all national, they can be a bit intimidating and because they are national, it can be quite hard to strike up friendships with people who are near by," said the 26-year-old whose children are Summer, aged six, Mason (2) Elsie (4) and one-year-old Fraser.
"I wanted to do something locally and came up with the idea of Inverness Mums to appeal to local mums and help them build relationships."
Mrs Williams, of Wyvis Place, Merkinch, experienced loneliness herself when she lived away from her family in Inverness.
"When I had my first child I was staying down in Bournemouth, 600 miles away from my family, and I went through a time, struggling to meet people," she recalled. "It can be quite lonely as a mother.
"Had there been something like Inverness Mums in Bournemouth it would have helped. It is quite good for people who struggle to break the ice."
The website offers a place where mothers can chat, make friends, and offer advice and support.
"It is like going out for a coffee except it is on-line," she explained.
"It is just meant to be a supportive friendly place, where mothers can talk and get to know each other."
The website also acts as a source of information, with members, for example, sharing views on child-friendly places to visit.
It includes a members’ introduction, meet-up section and forums on trying to conceive, expecting a baby, being a parent, and places to go.
Mrs Williams, works part-time at Mambo Mexican restaurant and bar in Young Street and lives with her husband 37-year-old Paul a landscape foreman.
She is self-taught and set up the website herself.
It has been up and running now for four months and has 35-plus members, ranging from new mothers in their 40s to young mums and pregnant women.
For further information, and to find out more visit www.invernessmums.co.uk
