Launched in 2015, Tiger Tot Mommies is a group at University of Missouri Health Care that offers moms and their children fun activities and a chance to interact with other moms and children.
Anyone can join Tiger Tot Mommies, not just patients of MU Health Care. Here are five reasons you and your children should attend an upcoming session.
Here are five reasons you and your children should attend an upcoming Tiger Tot Mommies session.
Meet new people.
As a parent, having a local support network is invaluable. It can help you to relieve stress, fight boredom and expand your horizons. Your children also will be enriched by interactions with other kids.
“The groups are very laid back,” said Kelly Schellman, RNC, IBCLC, lactation consultant and nurse clinician. “It’s a fun way to meet and share experiences with other moms who have little ones the same ages.”
Try something new.
Tiger Tot Mommies offers a variety of topics — from yoga and infant massage to making homemade baby food. Attending Tiger Tot Mommies is a great way to try out something new or discover a skill or hobby you hadn’t previously considered.
Get support with your new baby.
Having a newborn can be an overwhelming — often isolating — time. Tiger Tot Mommies is designed to be as stress-free as possible to help you decompress and find support. Also, certified lactation consultants attend Tiger Tot Mommies and can answer any questions you may have related to breastfeeding. You can also get a weight check on your baby, if needed.
“This group was designed to help mothers,” said Carrie Kuster, RN, IBCLC, nursing supervisor. “We're there to offer assistance and be a resource for our moms and families. We all gain knowledge, lean on, grow with and become Tiger Tot Mommies together."
It’s free!
Tiger Tot Mommies is completely free to attend for you and your children. Trying out something like yoga or infant massage, that typically have a fee, is a great way to see if they’re right for your family before shelling out the cash.
Find a “change of scenery.”
Especially during the winter months, parents with small children might feel trapped inside their own homes because bundling everyone up to go out and about can seem daunting. However, coming to a Tiger Tot Mommies session is a low-stress activity that gets everyone out of the house, trying something new and interacting with other people. Just meeting and mingling with other moms and children can be a refreshing change of pace for everyone.