Struggling with disconnect with my friends who are now "Moms"

Lilypad,

I've been in your shoes. I am married but not a mom. I love children -- my husband and I have 15 nieces and nephews to dote on -- but my life is not ABOUT children. And when my girlfriends who are moms were getting pregnant and having babies, it seemed that there was nothing, absolutely nothing in their lives more interesting to them than their morning sickness, or their due date, or other women's labor stories, or whether-they-would-work-or-stay-home-after-the-baby, or what their toddler did in the restaurant last night, etc. There was no book more important to them than "What To Expect When You're Expecting." Once the baby(ies) arrive, no movie that doesn't have animation in it ever gets seen. And when the kids start school, there are parent-teacher meetings and strep throat and report cards and soccer practices. Through it all, you can listen and even enjoy the stories, but you have none of your own to offer (and somehow, jumping in there to tell the story of how the dog chewed up your shoe yesterday doesn't seem to fit the bill).

For a while, having children is just all-consuming. It's the reality I lived through and it's the one you're in the middle of. So for a while, if you need your girlfriends, you are going to have to find your new space in their lives, and that new space is smaller. It just is. They just may not be able to get away and chat over a glass of wine like you used to. You may have to say, "Can I come over some afternoon and hang out with you and the baby?" or "Can you bring the baby in a stroller and let's wander around the arts festival on Saturday morning?" or "I'd love to come watch her soccer practice sometime." Those kinds of gestures mean the world.

Some women seem to "disappear" into being a mom -- they suddenly feel that they are the least important person in their own household, behind the kids and the husband and the doctor's appointments and all. They sometimes feel lucky to get a shower in during the day, because everything that everyone else needs seems more important than themselves. So girlfriend time gets scrunched way down the list.

But I'm sure your friends miss you, too. They may also be having trouble reconnecting, since all their brains can do right now is (a) keep up with the kids and (b) try to get some sleep. But it does get better. As the kids get a little older (and you don't have to wait until they're college age!), you'll find that those moms -- your girlfriends -- NEED more time away from them. They will still love everything about you that they always loved. They will still laugh at things they always laughed at.

And they will treasure you more, because you will be one of the people who understands how much their children mean to them.

But you're in a hard spot at the moment, and it feels lonely. You'll have to make the bigger effort if you want them in your life, for right now.

I understand where you are coming from, too. I had those exact same feelings, but from the other perspective: I was a new mom with a full-time career, filled with other women who had grown children, or decided not to have children. I felt like I had no one to talk to, no one cared beyond the first few "polite" minutes of hearing about my new baby.

I think every woman can relate to your story, as it we have all been through major transitions in our life when our old friends may not fit in with our new lifestyle. Or, our old friends are the ones who have changed (or moved), and we are the ones feeling left behind...even by our own choice.

What activities or hobbies do you enjoy? Instead of finding groups of women who are specifically "CBC", can you find women who share common interests that you DO have (instead of based on what you don't have?). I joined a cycling group, and this group is made up of women of all ages....teenagers to women in their 60s and beyond (I'm mid-30), and it works because we talk about cycling. Honestly, I don't even know if some of these women have children or not! It is nice being somewhere where I don't talk about my child..ha ha! Just as it is nice to have work-friends, but also friends outside of work where you can talk about movies or go dancing with...and not talk about work. Do you enjoy physical activities? Do you enjoy being creative? There are groups for every sport or activity you can imagine, as well as art classes, sewing groups, book clubs...you name it.

I am sorry you are feeling left out, but perhaps finding some new friends will also give you some feelings of understanding and inclusion that your current friends do not, and you can begin to connect with your old friends once you feel like you've taken control of your situation and are not feeling left out.

I understand were you are coming from I am a mother but I understand your point of view. When I first had my child all of my friends around me were childless. So when I became a mom I felt like I lost my friends because they did not understand the changes my life was going through. But I will say this to your problem talk to your friends about how you feel if they are truly your friends they will get what you are trying to say to them. When I had my child I still was very active in my friends lives. Asking them what is going on and so forth. When we become moms sometimes we get lost in our child and our lives that we forget about those who were there before. So remind your friends of your friendship and see were that takes you.