The Mommy Group ─ Freaking Out, Finding Friends, and Surviving the Happiest Time of Our Lives

From New York Times contributor Elizabeth Isadora Gold comes a witty, wise, and relatable memoir about the incredible bond among a group of new mothers and the importance of female friendship during the crucial first two years of parenthood.

We assumed we’d “just know” what to do with our infants. We’d been running our own professional and personal lives, paying bills, being grownups, for decades. What could be so hard?

In 2010, seven pregnant women met in Brooklyn, New York, to form a Mommy Group. Over coffee, croissants, wine, and the occasional baby carrot, they commiserated over difficult births, babies who slept in ten minute increments, and breast pumps that talked back in the middle of the night. And then things got complicated.

Some problems were typical: Antonia couldn’t think straight living in a one bedroom apartment with her husband, dog, and colicky son. Keiko struggled to balance the needs of her toddler and newborn. Heidi’s son wouldn’t tolerate daycare. Other issues within the group were more devastating: Elizabeth and Melissa suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety. Jane’s daughter was diagnosed with developmental delays. Anna’s husband left her when their baby was two weeks old. Banding together, the Mommy Group members ultimately found their footing and managed to muddle through the first two years of their children’s lives with dignity, love, humor, and friendship.

Reaching out to other Mommy Groups around the country, Gold discovered that mothers across all class, geographic, and racial boundaries appear to be searching for the same thing: “a way to raise our children while retaining—or remaking—our Selves.” A heartfelt memoir and a revealing look at the state of modern parenthood, The Mommy Groupis a companion any mom will want by her side.