Karen - Pre and Post-Natal Program Director for West Toronto; Eastern Canada Regional Director

My name is Karen, and I’m thrilled to be bringing this fantastic program to Toronto.

Finding out that I was pregnant with my son Charlie was the most exciting and terrifying moment of my life!  As an only child, and the first one to have a baby out of my circle of friends, I was filled with questions about being a mom.  A social person by nature, I began reaching out to local community groups in order to meet other new moms, and life long friendships were built!  I am continuously amazed how the miracle of birth can automatically bond two women who may have never crossed paths if it weren’t for their little babes!  All of a sudden, my son and I couldn’t keep up with our busy social lives!  Morning mom and baby yoga, lunch with a mom from pre-natal class and afternoon swimming lessons…my son and I both fell asleep each night exhausted from our day of adventures!

In the spring I brought together an amazing group of moms and babies for a weekly yoga class followed by some fantastic guest speakers.  We learned about the merits of homemade baby food, how to take amazing photos of our little one, and how to enhance communication through the power of music and infant sign language.  In seeking out these guest speakers, I realized just how many fantastic programs our city has to offer.  However, when your time and budget are limited it can be overwhelming to figure out which activities will work best for you and your little one.  I wanted to create a program that allowed moms and their babies to experience all kinds of activities in order to find the programs that best suited their interests!   Mommy Connections is the perfect fit!

This past year with my son has been the most exciting, rewarding, and FUN year of my life.  I believe that it’s critical for the physical and emotional health of a new mom to make sure she gets out and connects with other moms, to share stories, solicit advice and laugh. And for all of you moms who may be welcoming baby number two or three, the advice from fellow moms is always useful no matter how experienced you are.  Plus, it’s just as rewarding to be able to pass on all of the wisdom you have achieved!

The birth of my son has allowed me to become more connected to my husband, my friends, and my community, and I want to help other new moms make the most of this precious time that they have with their new addition.