Five reasons why we love our mummy friends

As well as being an amazing experience, being a mum can be emotionally challenging at times! That’s why having a group of mummy friends around to pick you up when you feel down or to celebrate every baby milestone, is vital. Plus, lots of us have moved away from the traditional support networks of grandparents, parents and close family to help us, so having an army of mums around the corner is imperative. Here are five reasons why we love our mummy friends.

1. They ‘get it’ when you’ve had a sleepless night

They've been up with a colicky baby at 3am too, so they totally understand when you cancel your trip to ‘Jungle Bouncers’ because you just can’t face it. Alternatively, your mummy friend understands when you knock on her door, bleary-eyed at 7am because she’s got a fantastic coffee-machine and you’re in desperate need of some caffeine.

2. They know all your secrets

There are some things you don’t want to reveal to your friends who haven’t had children in case it puts them off parenting for life. Your mummy friends know all about your stretch marks, how long it took you to have sex again post-baby and also that you pooped during labour. They laugh with you when you tell them about the button popping off your trousers, or when you reveal your pelvic floor muscles can’t really cope with bouncing on a trampoline with a two-year-old.

3. They understands what a ‘big deal’ is

Mummy friends are there cheering with you when your little one first sleeps through the night or finishes everything on her plate. They know how excited you are to have conquered potty training or asked your scary boss for a pay rise. They also understand when you arrive in floods of tears after dropping your little one off at nursery for the first time. They've been there, done it and now wear the spaghetti-splattered T-shirt.

4. They let you ‘unload’ your parenting stresses

Your daughter won’t eat ANYTHING, your son has left his coat at school (again) and the baby just broke your favourite necklace. Normal parenting stresses would be deeply boring to anyone else, but mummy friends let you have a good old moan. You can also bet that it’ll be one of them next week, describing her challenges with toddler tantrums or discussing how to hide vegetables in a pizza.

5. They're great on a night out

It’s not that you don’t have a good night out with your childless friends, on the contrary, they’re the ones you hit up for cinema nights out or boozy girl-chat meals. But mummy-friends need a break as much as you do, so when you all let your hair down together the local constabulary should be warned. Mummy-friends also know what it is like to get up with kids at 6.30am with a hangover, and can remind you of this when you suggest buying another round.

Last Modified: 22/09/2011