Mat Leave Moms brings community and connection to new mothers in the Halifax area

Mat Leave Moms encourage new mothers and their babies to get out of the house.

Mat Leave Moms is a social group in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) for mothers. The group was established to connect moms on maternity leave, but the community keeps the door open for mothers at all stages.

“We focus on offering events that are fun,” said Shannon Lynn, one of the founders of Mat Leave Moms. “We focus a lot on making social connections and mostly just getting out of the house.”

Lynn said she and her friend were on maternity leave together in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic made it hard to gather, but they didn’t come up with Mat Leave Moms until their second babies were born.

“We found ourselves with our second children on mat leave together,” said Lynn. “We wanted to make some connections of our own. We didn’t know many other moms, so we were just out one day, and we had this harebrained idea.”

Lynn said Mat Leave Moms “blew up overnight” after she made an Instagram profile for the group. She said it’s a big transition to become a mother and group members appreciate the support.

“It’s been a long winter, and it feels good to get out and find support and talk to other moms and hear their experiences,” said Anna Jacquart, who had a baby in January.

A typical group outing involves a walk or hike somewhere in HRM followed by a beverage at a local business.

Lynn said a lot of moms talk about the impact the group has had on their lives.

“We’re really excited about the community we’ve built.”

Lynn said the group is really about fun, connection and living by their motto.

“Get out of the house,” she said. “Because sometimes it’s just a really hard thing to do with kids.”

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