Older Mothers: NYC Mom Groups, Meetups and Resources for Parents Over 35

Although the average age for first-time mothers in the U.S. is mid-20s, many New York City women are on a different schedule. In the city, it's not uncommon to see thirty- and fortysomething moms proudly pushing strollers down the streets—often double ones. Becoming a mom later in life has many potential advantages, like maturity and financial security. But there are challenges too, like connecting with your peers. Sure, you can make plenty of mommy friends on the playground, but if you're hoping to meet other parents who grew up on Sesame Street before Elmo, you may want to join a specialized playgroup or meetup.

We previously posted about general parent groups in NYC. In honor of Salute to Moms 35+ Week, which runs May 13-19, we've rounded up some of New York City's best resources for mothers with a bit of life experience under their belts.

So Glad We Waited
In 2000, New Yorker Lois Nachamie, a board-certified psychotherapist and couples counselor, wrote a book called So Glad We Waited: A Hand-Holding Guide for Over-35 Parents (with a forward by another older NYC mom, actress Debra Winger, who had her second child after 40). The book spawned the So-Glad-We-Waited Network, which includes playgroups and support groups. New groups form in the fall and spring in a variety of NYC locations, based on interest. To join, call 212-866-5620.

Motherhood Later Than Sooner
After becoming a mom at age 42, Robin Gorman Newman launched her older mothers website and blog, as well as a meetup group for moms 35 and up in the New York area. Events are held in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester and Long Island, and are open to moms who had children in their late 30s or 40s. The group is planning a number of activities in celebration of Salute to Moms 35+ Week. Join the meetup group for details.

Upper West Side New 35+ Moms & Dads
This recently formed group isn't just looking for older moms and dads. Its founders hope to "bring together interesting, smart, lefty parents trying to juggle their lives as entrepreneurs, intellectuals, artists or professionals." If you fit the bill, join for picnics, movie nights and other social gatherings.

In Season Mom
If you have questions or concerns about being an older mother but don't want to join a group, consider contacting Cynthia Wilson James, a former childbirth educator who delivered her two daughters after age 40. In addition to her website, which features interviews with moms who conceived and gave birth in their late 30s and 40s, James also offers phone consultations on a variety of parenting topics, including pregnancy and motherhood after 35.

If reading a book is more your speed, here are some great ones that cater to moms over age 35.

• But I Don't Feel Too Old to Be a Mommy!: The Complete Sourcebook for Starting (and Re-Starting) Motherhood
  Beyond 35 and After 40
   
• You Make Me Feel Like an Unnatural Woman: Diary of an Older Mother
   
• Hot Flashes Warm Bottles: First-Time Mothers Over Forty
   
• Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting
   
• Your Over-35 Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide: All the Answers to All Your Questions About Pregnancy, Birth, and Your Developing Baby
   
• Older Mothers: Conception, Pregnancy and Birth After 35

Finally, for women hoping to become pregnant after age 40, there's Resolve, offering both peer- and professional-led support groups like Women’s Parenting After Egg Donation and Moving from Infertility to Adoption in a variety of NYC locations.