A support group for first-time moms set to start meetings next week

Published 5:40 am Friday, February 3, 2023

Square 1, a support group for first-time moms, will begin meeting this week. The group was started years ago by Starla Lawrence after she attended a similar group in Dallas.

“I started the group in September 2014 after visiting Watermark Church in Dallas which had started a group specifically for first-time moms and their newborns ages 6 months and younger,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said the named the group “Square 1” because it is accurate as the starting point for all new first-time moms no matter how prepared they believe they are for motherhood.

“I have four grown daughters, three of whom are moms. I wanted to help my daughter who lived in Dallas find support from other moms when she had her first child in 2013, and that’s how I came upon the group at Watermark,” she said.

Lawrence said the group was more than willing to share their ideas and experiences so she could start a group in Tyler.

The group is offered twice a year, in February and September, with the next group’s first meeting on Feb. 7. The group meets weekly for six weeks at Grace Community Church.

The meetings focus on a different topic each week relevant to motherhood with a different speaker at each class.

Lawrence said the group is open to all first-time new moms with the groups being diverse and welcoming.

“The group is open to all first-time moms in our greater Tyler community. Moms are all ages, we’ve had moms ages 18 to 41, all backgrounds, working moms and stay-at-home moms, married moms and single moms, breast-feeding moms and bottle-feeding moms, moms from Tyler and from towns outside Tyler,” she said.

Topics range from marriage and the way a baby changes the dynamic to motherhood self care with a licensed counselor who speaks on post-partum depressions to easy meal ideas, and much more.

“We tell moms that there is no way to be a ‘perfect’ mom, and a million ways to be a good one. We want them to hear and share ideas that will help them choose what works for their new family. I tell them we are here to encourage them in finding what works best for their lives,” Lawrence said. “There are lots of personal preferences, and that is OK. We strive to encourage them where they are with what they know, and to add to their knowledge, confidence and support each week through ideas that are discussed and friendships that are made with other first-time moms.”

Lawrence said her journey as a first-time mom began in Germany in 1981.

“I became a first-time mom in a tiny village in Germany in 1981 when my Air-Force pilot husband and I were stationed there. He had to deploy much of the time there, and had it not been for other Air Force wives who helped care for me and my new baby, and came alongside to encourage me, I might have really struggled in this new role,” she said. “I was far away from family and very isolated in many ways, even in the language spoken.”

The bonds and support made an impact on Lawrence and she said she hopes Square 1 will make an impact on other first-time new moms.

“Moms today face many of the same challenges. Even though they are not in a foreign country far away from family, they enter a ‘foreign’ world as a new mother. No matter how much they have ‘googled’ regarding having a baby and becoming a mother, they often feel overwhelmed, sleep deprived, and terrified,” she said. “Finding other women who are in the same stage of life is very affirming. Square 1 is all about encouragement in this transition to motherhood.”

“I always say, ‘don’t mom alone’. Motherhood can be very isolating, no matter where you live. Sharing life with other women who are figuring it all out as well brings a tremendous amount of support,” Lawrence added. “Many of the moms from years ago still are in close contact with moms they met in Square 1 because that was such a defining time and those friendships continue well beyond the new mom and new baby stage.”

The entire six-week session is only $10 which goes toward a gift for attending mothers.

The group meets at the church from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Grace Community Church.

For more information, call 903-521-8890.