I’m fairly new to Facebook compared to the Millennials and Xennials of my generation, so before my daughter was born I had no idea that there are Facebook Groups for everything. There are millions of groups from neighborhood groups to global support groups. In my first few months as a new mom, I discovered how helpful these groups are. I found a network of like-minded women who offered support through breastfeeding, sleep training, and pregnancy loss. If you’re a new mom, expecting, or seasoned, you should check out these very helpful resources:

1. The Local Mom Group. We all joke that most of the posts on these types of groups are of the “name that rash” or “guess my child’s illness” variety. However, this group of ladies can help save your sanity during those middle of the night feedings, plan playdate meetups, moms night out (MNO) events, and just offer support so you know you’re not alone on this journey. I’ve even seen spin-offs of the main local mom group specifically for parents of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers. The “Crunchy” mom group is also gaining popularity.
2. The Specialized Support Group. These support groups can give you helpful information, guidance, local referrals, and a virtual shoulder to lean on during pregnancy and all stages of motherhood. If there is anything specific that you find yourself dealing with, chances are there is a community out there to offer support. Many times, you can even find a local group. Just a handful of examples include:
   • Breastfeeding
   • D-MER
   • Tongue and Lip Tie
   • Hyperemisis Gravidarum (HG)
   • Diastasis Recti
   • Postpartum Depression
   • Moms of multiples
   • Special needs
3. The Buy/Sell/Trade Baby and Kid Items Group. Babies and small children outgrow clothing and gear in a blink of an eye. The buy/sell/trade groups just for baby and kid items are so helpful when looking for gently used and affordable clothing and baby gear. We’ve found maternity clothes, baby clothes, swings and bouncers, high end strollers, and furniture. There’s even a buy/sell/trade group on Facebook specifically for the amazing DockATot. And when you no longer need these things, pass them on to a new home and make some extra cash.
4. Car Seats for the Littles. This is both a public page and a group that helps parents select the right car seat for their child and vehicle. They have certified car seat technicians as admins and can help with fit and installation issues as well as help locate a local car seat technician in your area. Other helpful information you can gain from this group/page are cleaning instructions and tips for your specific car seat, recall notices, and when to move from 5-point harness to a booster.
5. Feeding Littles. We’re in that phase of not knowing if today our kids will like broccoli or not. Or if all orange food will suddenly be gross this week.  And apparently Panera Bread makes the only mac and cheese my 4 year old will eat. So of course, a group like this is pretty helpful to me right now. Feeding Littles can offer guidance on all things that have to do with feeding your children (babies to teens) from introducing milk to sneaking veggies into meals and best starter cups to packed lunch ideas. They are on both Facebook and Instagram.

If you have any other groups that should be added to the list, I’d love to hear about them!