Mothers and More group is a 'lifesaver'

As Erika Hachey put it, participation in mothers groups saves her sanity.

"We don't have any family in the area," said Hachey, who is a stay-at-home mother of three children: 5, 3, and 17 months old. "I rely on moms groups to help fill that void."

Hachey, who lives on Far Oaks Golf Course in Caseyville, has been involved in the Metro East Chapter of Mothers and More for the last four years.

The group of diverse mothers, she explained, offers support and encourages her to get out of the house. "When you're home all day with the kids, you need to get out and meet people," she said.

Hachey encourages other mothers to join the Metro East Chapter of Mothers and More, which is part of the national non-profit organization that serves more than 7,500 mothers across the United States. The metro-east group began more than a decade ago and has grown to 70-plus members, a majority of whom reside in O'Fallon, Shiloh and Belleville.

O'Fallon resident Melissa Buchheit described the Mothers and More group as a "lifesaver."

"I don't know how you would thrive without getting together with other moms and their children," said the stay-at-home mother of three.

Finding new members isn't a challenge for the local Mothers and More chapter, group leaders said. "We are a growing chapter," said co-leader Jen Whitaker of O'Fallon. "We've had 20 new members join within the last six or eight months."

She attributes the recent boom to the chapter's Web site, www.metroeastmoms.homestead.com, and her co-leader's ability to recruit mothers on Scott Air Force Base. Her co-leader is Kara Turner, of O'Fallon.

Both Whitaker and Turner got involved in the mothers group after relocating to the area.

"I didn't know anyone here," Whitaker said, but learned about the Mothers and More group from a neighbor. "It was a great way to meet people."

Within a year, the 39-year-old became co-leader of the group.

Turner, 34, became co-leader after less than six months with the group. However, she was no stranger to Mothers and More. Turner was active in a New Jersey chapter before her husband was transferred to Scott AFB. She was looking for a local Mothers and More group even before she arrived in the metro-east.

"My daughter, Avery who's 3, loved the playgroups," Turner said. "I joined (Mothers and More) the day we moved in."

At that time, Turner was pregnant and wanted to make friends before her son, Gavin who is now 9 months old, was born. "I was very anxious to make connections quickly," she said.

The advantage of joining a mothers group is connecting with people in similar situations to yours, Turner said. "The moms provide support," the stay-at-home mom said, and the events and outings teach non-natives about St. Louis and the surrounding areas.

On average, Mothers and More hosts four activities a week for mothers and children and usually a mom's night-out event once a week.

"I couldn't do all the events if I wanted to," said Whitaker, who works part-time at home while caring for her 3-year-old son Aidan.

This month alone, the group's planned events include Wednesday Walk-n-Talks at an O'Fallon park, an excursion to the Edwardsville Children's Museum, park play days, a book club meeting, a family dinner night and a scrapbooking night.

The group meetings offer mothers a chance to be child free, as childcare is provided.

"It's great to get away for a little while and talk to adults," Buchheit said. "I try not to ever miss a meeting."

Most of the events occur during the day, Turner said, but that doesn't stop moms who work part time or full time from joining the group and attending evening and weekend outings.

"It's not just for stay-at-home moms," Whitaker said. "It's a diverse group of women," including locals, military families and other newcomers to the area.

Turner described Mothers and More as a "really neat network of mothers." The group is also open to stay-at-home dads and adult caregivers. "We're open to everyone," she said.

In addition to emphasizing fun and friendship, the Mothers and More group is focused on education. Recently, Turner said more than a dozen moms learned infant CPR from a trained instructor at the O'Fallon Police Department.

Mothers and More also reaches out to mothers who have just had babies, are facing medical challenges or have military spouses deployed for long periods of time.

The moms aren't the only ones reaping benefits in Mothers and More

"The kids learn to be social," Whitaker said.

Mothers and More facilitates five playgroups several times a month. "We have a wide variety of ages and activities for all kids," said Shiloh resident Jen Ulsas.

Hachey noted both she and her children enjoy the playgroups, which allow the moms time to get to know each other and the children an opportunity to make friends. The mothers provide valuable information to each other about local schools and advice on child rearing, she said, and the children learn how to share and get along with their peers.

The local chapter of Mothers and More is run by a board of 17 volunteers filling nine positions -- most are filled by two people. There is a yearly membership fee of $45. Scholarships are available for mothers experiencing financial hardship.

For more information about the national organization, visit the Web site www.mothersandmore.org.