A workout buddy: The happiness-boosting combination of exercise and adult conversation cannot be overemphasized. “It took me six weeks to leave the house with my first,” says Jill Booth, a mom of two in Fairfax, Virginia. “I wish I had someone to push me out the door and remind me that there were things I knew how to do with my body that didn't involve latching on.” Plus, if you're counting on your own motivation to get your workout shoes laced up, you could be waiting until Junior is off to college before it kicks in. An exercise partner offers inspiration and accountability — two things that may be in short supply right now.
The “I won't judge you if our kids' playdate turns into happy hour” friend: When you bring home a baby, your social life may take a punch to the gut. Just because you can't hit the town doesn't mean you have to hole up at home solo. “Some of my best memories are of our babies supposedly brought together to interact but instead ignoring one another on the floor while my friend and I sat with glasses of sauvignon blanc,” laughs Cari Thomas, a mom of one in Santa Barbara, California.
The single friend: Because she's not burdened with soccer games and buried under mountains of laundry, she'll have more time for you than your mommy friends — and she'll likely never tire of holding the baby. “And because she doesn't have to line up her own babysitter, she can be there at the drop of a dime,” adds Douglas. Keep her number close.
