Zoe was eight weeks pregnant and living in a new town during a pandemic. She had no friends, and her family was 5 hours away. Besides her husband, she felt alone and knew that wouldn’t benefit her mental health.
That’s when she downloaded the Peanut app, a friendship app designed for mothers. Like Tinder, she would swipe to indicate a profile she liked, and they’d match if the feelings were mutual.
The Connection She Needed
While most conversations fizzled, at four months pregnant, she found one mom she clicked with, and it didn’t hurt that they lived just 5 minutes apart. After agreeing to meet for coffee, they realized they had hit it off and never stopped chatting. Her newfound friend, who was also pregnant, had her baby soon after and went on maternity leave. After a couple of months of talking on the phone, they met again in person.
This time, her friend told Zoe about another mom she’d met via the app. They created a WhatsApp group chat just for Peanut moms they hit it off with in person. Zoe joined this smaller group about a month before giving birth, and all the moms hung out in person about a week before she gave birth.
She realized by meeting people in person just how often she might have ruled people out based on the surface-level things on their profile. It also showed her the fantastic bond women with children during a similar time can have due to their shared experiences.
Postpartum Support
In the early weeks after giving birth, she relied heavily on her newfound group of friends. They spoke on the phone and would meet up in person, offering the emotional support they needed.
For example, at four days postpartum, Zoe reached out to the group about the surge of emotions she was feeling. One of the moms, who was also a midwife, called her to relay a wealth of information, support, and advice to help put her mind at ease.
The friendship continued as they gathered to attend baby showers, baby classes and birthday parties and hang out just because. They continue to support each other through the highs and lows of parenthood which they all understand too well. Because of this group, Zoe doesn’t have to experience the loneliness and isolation that can result from motherhood.
While she struggled with anxiety and postnatal anxiety, this group of friends greatly impacted her mental health and overall parenting experience. Thankfully, she found a group of supportive friends who were there for her during this uncertain time. From living in a new place with no family or friend support to meeting a group of ladies who offered support selflessly, the Peanut app truly changed her parenting experience.
As told to Wealth of Geeks over email.
This article is produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.