
Sarah, © Percy Dean/British Red Cross
Sarah was 24 when she had her first child. Now, she is 32 and a mother to four.
Looking back, Sarah says she realises she had been feeling lonely since the birth of her first baby. Things came to a head two years ago when she moved to a new area and didn’t know anybody.
Research by the British Red Cross and Co-op has shown that many young parents find themselves in the same position as Sarah. Despite its joys, becoming a parent is one of the big life transitions that can lead to loneliness.
“How do you make new friends when you don’t know anyone?”
“It was very scary to move somewhere where I didn’t know anybody, I’ve never been alone like that before,” Sarah said.
“At first it was very difficult. I didn’t have anyone to talk to or anyone who could come to visit me. I was just spending most of my time at home, I didn’t have anyone to see or anywhere to go.
“It sounds weird but I didn’t know how to socialise, how do you make friends when you don’t know anyone in this city? I didn’t even have any way of meeting people.”
Luckily, joining a support group for young mums run by family support charity Home-Start helped Sarah make new connections.