My daughter was six months old when I walked into my first mom’s group. I was spurred to attend because I hoped to connect with more women who shared my current life stage. Many women I met there were looking for the same, but what I found beneath the surface was that some of us shared a desire to change unhealthy patterns with which we had been raised. We wanted an in-person community that was physically, mentally, or spiritually healthier for our families. These local groups offer the connection many moms need.

FIT4MOM

FIT4MOM brings moms at all stages together—pregnant, newly postpartum, and beyond—for fitness classes. In classes such as Stroller Strides, Stroller Barre, and Strides 360, kids are welcome, and instructors are certified in pre- and postnatal fitness. Cost varies by class. Want to give back? Become a play group captain and plan activities for attending children, coordinate guest speakers, or welcome newcomers to the group in exchange for discounted membership.

Lutheran Medical Center Support Groups

Lutheran Medical Center offers two breastfeeding support groups, a Connecting Mamas group, and a Parenting and Baby Feeding support group in its Family Education Classrooms in Wheat Ridge. All three groups are facilitated by a trained registered nurse (RN) lactation consultant who specializes in the new mom’s role, and include discussion and information on the class topics. Classes are drop-in and free to attend.

Moxie Moms

Boulder County-based Moxie Moms connects parents through ongoing moms’ nights out, hikes, and other special events. It also offers money-saving discounts through partnerships with local businesses. For an annual membership fee of $65 ($45 with the code moxielatte), members receive 15 percent off at Moxie Moms’ retail, food, and activity business partners.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS)

MOPS partners with churches around the metro area, and its groups are open to moms with kids through age five, including pregnant mothers. Search for evening or day time groups, Spanish language groups, military groups, groups for teen mothers, and groups for parents of school-age children on the website. Meeting format varies, but many include childcare during meetings, food, guest speakers on parenting topics, small group discussion, and creative projects. Annual membership is $32.

Healthy Expectations Perinatal Mental Health Program

Healthy Expectations offers a therapy group for pregnant women, and for postpartum women and their babies, drawing upon experts in psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, nursing, and social work. Most groups are payable through insurance or Medicaid, and offer mom-baby therapy and individual medication management; there is also one free peer support group. Once moms start to experience improvement in their mental health, they can continue to participate​ through mom-to-mom peer support and help others.

MOMS Club

A resource targeted to stay-at-home mothers, MOMS Club chapters schedule most of their activities during working hours, when at-home moms need the most support. Children are always welcome. Each chapter has a monthly meeting covering topics related to parenting, as well as playgroups, parties, and babysitting co-ops, clothing/gear swaps, and philanthropic projects. Dues vary by chapter.

Peanut App

Probably the hardest thing about walking into a moms’ group for the first time is wondering if you’ll find other moms with whom you can connect. Peanut, which launched in Denver on August 14, takes some of the guesswork out of making meaningful connections. It works like a dating app: Fill out a profile that includes your neighborhood, interests, ages of children, and other factors. Once matched, moms can chat and meet up. The community feature allows users to share experiences and create groups of like-minded women. It’s free to download from the App Store and Google Play.