One of the consequences of having babies has been for my wife and I to become at least a little more connected to the community. After I went back to work, she searched for support resources to help her through post-partum anxiety issues.
There are books, books, and more books to tell you how to live your life and raise your baby. If you don’t have an ideology, someone else will sell one to you, perhaps even setting you up with a weekly email reminder. But what helps is having real people to talk to. There is almost too much information online; enough to make any new parent worry themselves to death.
One of the local best resources is Jewish Family and Children’s Service You don’t have to be Jewish to join a new mom’s group or the “This isn’t what I expected” support group. These groups provide a supportive environment where new moms can meet others in the same situation. JFCS is national, but does not appear to have a centralized URL; just google them with a city name. There are also support groups through the hospital. It’s not about information; it’s an opportunity to meet people.
Support groups turned into playgroups and provided at least a starting point for meeting people in our community. Otherwise, when you are new to the area, it is hard to find out where to even begin. But having kids and having to figure out what to do with them is a powerful motivator to get out, get connected, and get involved.