New Norwich Mumbler website to offer vital advice for parents and children
Katrin Oldridge with her children Ada, 2, and Hazel, born in January 2017. Picture: ANDREW OLDRIDGE - Credit: ANDREW OLDRIDGE
A one stop shop website offering advice on baby and toddler groups, family-friendly attractions and parental support is up and running.
The Norwich Mumbler has been set up by mother-of-two Katrin Oldridge, 32, from Foxburrow Road in Sprowston.
It includes information for parents of children from birth to 12-years-old including all Sure Start children's centre activities across the city, mother and baby/toddler groups, antenatal classes, and recommendations for family days out and child-friendly cafés, among other subjects.
The website is a franchise, set up by a relative of Mrs Oldridge - there are currently other Mumbler websites across Yorkshire and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Mrs Oldridge, 32, who has Hazel, born in January 2017, and two-year-old Ada, said: 'I am now on maternity leave and the more I looked into starting up a Mumbler page, the more I thought there would be a real benefit for Norwich parents. Everything is in one place on the Norwich Mumbler. It is about linking families and parents together.
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'It is vital to get out when you are a parent. I feel so much happier after meeting a network of other mums. I didn't expect that being a mother would be so emotionally draining.'
She added it was 'frustrating' having to research different websites for information about different groups and activities.
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The teacher, who works at Millfield Primary School in North Walsham, first moved to Norwich nine years ago and did not know about many baby groups, child-friendly attractions or where to go for support after having children.
She initially created the Norwich Mumbler chat group on Facebook in December 2016 which started with 20 of her friends - it now has 550 members.
'It is a really nice support group,' Mrs Oldridge said.
She also set up a Norwich Mumbler news page on Facebook which shares blogs about subjects including the importance of maternal mental health, among other parenting issues.
Mrs Oldridge added: 'I have had so many lovely comments from parents about the Norwich Mumbler which is lovely.'
She hopes to increase the amount of information on the website and set up a new breastfeeding support group.