For Mothers, Social Lives Improve After Babies’ Birth

If you're concerned that parenthood is bound to kill your social life, a new study says you can cross that myth off your list.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on January 12 2010

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Are you and your significant other considering having a baby, but holding off on the idea? There are plenty of reasons why parenthood might not be in the cards right now—financial issues, relationship trouble, career concerns—but if one of your worries is that parenthood is bound to kill your social life, a new study says you can cross that myth off your list.

British non-profit CLIC Sargent surveyed 4,000 new moms about their relationships before and after baby, and analyzed the results. While it’s true that many mothers spend less time with pre-parenthood friends, they generally end up making even more friends who are fellow parents. And even for those who are generally shy, kids seem to be the ultimate ice-breaker: after all, if someone else’s toddler comes over to show you her toy giraffe, a conversation with her mom is easy to initiate.

Most of the places new moms meet their new social circle are kid-centered: playgroups, playgrounds, school plays, and childbirth classes were among the most common choices. While you might think it’s tougher for working moms to find the same social benefits, that doesn’t seem to be true either: a recent study from the University of Chicago points out that mothers who put their children in day care have one more good friend, on average, than those who don’t.

“Parents come to school to find someone to care for their children, and they end up learning ways of taking care of each other,” University of Chicago sociology professor Mario Small said in a release. “When you are a parent, particularly a first-time parent, the best resource you have is another parent.”

So, if you’re considering becoming a first-time mom, it’s true that you may need to put your Margarita Mondays with the girls on hold for a while—but with a baby in the picture, your social life is sure to keep on shining.

Filed under: General Interest, Health and Wellbeing, Science,

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