Why Making Mom Friends Feels Impossible (And What I Did About It)

How one overwhelmed new mom created Mamas & Minis to solve the loneliest part of motherhood.

By Kim, Founder of Mamas & Minis

I'll never forget trying to decide if I could go to CVS.

Not should I go—could I go.

I had to ask my husband for permission first. Not because he was controlling, but because you can’t just leave the house anymore, there is a baby to take care of. Also, if I went, was I taking the baby or leaving him at home? If I took him, did I want to deal with the car seat? And once I was inside CVS, what if he started crying? Could I soothe him? Would people stare? Would I be able to finish what I came for or would I have to abandon my stuff and rush out?

It sounds dramatic now, but in those early postpartum weeks, every tiny decision felt monumental. Nothing was ever easy.

The version of me I didn't recognize

Becoming a mom changed me in ways I wasn't prepared for—physically, mentally, hormonally. I was exhausted in a way I'd never experienced. My body felt foreign. My mind was foggy. My life, which had once felt so full and exciting, suddenly revolved entirely around this tiny human who needed me for everything, and I was exhausted.

I loved my baby fiercely, but I also grieved the person I used to be. The spontaneous one. The confident one. The one who could leave the house without a military-level plan.

I was different. My life was different. And honestly? I felt really, really alone. I had friends, but not in the exact same stage of life I was.

Then something shifted

Slowly, I started to come into my own. I began seeing the world through my child's eyes, and it brought out a side of me I hadn't seen since I was a kid myself—a fun, free-loving, curious side that fully enjoyed exploring life with him. We'd go to the park and I'd genuinely marvel at the way he noticed every leaf, every dog, every airplane overhead.

It was beautiful. But it was also isolating.

Because while I was rediscovering joy through motherhood, I was also working full-time, barely keeping my head above water, and craving connection with women who understood what I was going through.

The problem: there was nowhere to find them

I wanted friends. Not just any friends—I wanted friends who were in the same stage of life, dealing with the same struggles, celebrating the same tiny wins. I wanted to complain about sleep regressions and teething and returning to work without feeling like I was being dramatic. I wanted someone to text and say, "Is this normal?" and have them respond, "YES, same."

But finding those friends? Nearly impossible.

I tried going to baby classes. I joined Facebook groups. I showed up to library story time. And you know what I realized? Those activities weren't made with me in mind—they were made with my child in mind. I was just along for the ride.

The options were so slim. It was hard to find activities to meet parents with kids my own kids' ages. And even when I did show up, the entire experience felt awkward and uncomfortable.

The judgment (real and imagined)

When I went to these classes or activities, I was in my head the entire time. I was judging myself—Am I doing this right? Am I the only one struggling?—and I was convinced the other parents were judging me too.

Were they judging my parenting style? Did they want to talk to me or were they just being polite? Should I ask for their number or is that weird?

It was exhausting. And lonely.

I just kept thinking: there has to be something better than this.

So I created what I wish existed

That's when the idea for Mamas & Minis was born.

I wanted to be in a room full of women who wanted the same thing I did: friends. Women who were going through the same stage of motherhood, who could support me through the hard parts and celebrate the good parts, and who understood—backwards and forwards—all the new, complicated, beautiful, messy things I was going through.

I didn't want to show up to another activity and wonder if I'd click with anyone. I didn't want to exchange numbers and then never follow up because life got in the way. I didn't want surface-level small talk—I wanted depth, connection, and a village that actually felt like mine.

So I built it.

What Mamas & Minis is really about

Mamas & Minis isn't just another mom group. It's a matchmaking service designed to help you find your people—the women who will show up for you, who will text you back, who will say "me too" when you're struggling and "you've got this" when you need to hear it.

Through our Inner Circle program, I personally match moms into curated 12-week playdate groups based on your kids' ages, your availability, your interests, and your personality. It's intentional. It's thoughtful. And it works.

Because here's what I've learned: you changed when you became a mom. You deserve friends who meet you there.

Not friends from your old life who don't quite get it anymore. Not acquaintances you see at the park once and never again. But real, lasting friendships with women who are right there in the trenches with you.

If you're feeling lonely, you're not alone

If you're reading this and nodding along, know that I see you. I've been you. And I created Mamas & Minis because I know how hard it is to find your village in this stage of life.

You don't have to do it alone. Let me help you find your people.

Ready to join the Inner Circle? [Learn more here]

xo,
Kim
Founder, Mamas & Minis