Hello Hello Guelph Moms (and Moms to be!) I’m Alex, Director of Mommy Connections Guelph.
My journey into motherhood began about three years ago when my first son, Winston, was born. When Winston arrived my husband and I were relatively new to the area and while I had friends with new babies around the same time as me, they weren’t nearby. I was overwhelmed with the quick transition into mom life, lack of sleep, breastfeeding, and the new stranger I was supposed to take care of.
By winter I was craving social interaction and to talk to someone who could understand what I was going through and maybe even answer the question of “how do I make my baby sleep”. I didn’t know how I would make it through another month of sleep deprivation and feeling on the brink of postpartum depression.
Being naturally outgoing, I decided to take try out my local Mommy Connections chapter in Oakville. I made instant connections with other moms in a supportive environment and felt accepted. I learned so much from others experiences and local experts that I felt equipped to take on this new role as mom. An added bonus, I made a couple of lifelong friends that had babies just a month older than mine!
Just after my session wrapped, Covid began when Winston was only 6 months and suddenly I was isolated again through the latter half of mat-leave. But this time I was able to lean on my new found friendships. We even have an annual cottage weekend with our families now!
In 2021, my family moved to Waterdown and I instantly fell in love with the neighbourhood. During the summer I had my second son, Frederick, and I signed up for Mommy Connections Burlington. Going through the programming a second time I felt energized to get out of the house and connect with other moms trying to navigate not only mom-life, but mom-life during a pandemic, so much so I began facilitating for the Burlington team. I saw first-hand how valuable this programming is and the ability to foster a built-in support system with those going through the same stage of parenting as you. Living in Waterdown and knowing how impactful this programming has been on my life as a mom, I knew I had to bring a chapter to Guelph.
My professional background has revolved around building relationships, partnerships, and engaging communities through sponsorship and branding, which instilled my passion for facilitating these connections for other moms and building an awesome community.
I look forward to meeting you, laughing with you, maybe even crying with you as we all navigate the whirlwind of parenthood and ensuring we bring you the best baby- and child-focused resources the city has to offer.
If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you at karen@mommyconnections.ca.
Alex
