Today, we’d like to introduce you to Juliana Caspari and Martina Stellmaszek
Hi Juliana and Martina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We each had our first children around the same time, almost 10 years ago, and we bonded over the fact that we often felt isolated and overwhelmed, but couldn’t find support in the Atlanta area. Yes there were Facebook groups, and one-off classes here and there, things like that, but nothing consistent or “real.” Because we didn’t have it, we now truly understand the value and power of community, so we’ve started a mothers club with a special focus on moms-to-be and newborn moms: MESH moms.
If you talk to any mom about the challenges of motherhood, you’ll hear words like sleep deprivation, stress management, keeping the kids entertained, and more. But one thing that nearly every mom goes through but rarely talks about—whether out of guilt or the fear of being judged—is the feeling of isolation. Being home with little humans who demand your time, attention, and energy day in and day out is physically and mentally taxing. There’s really no way around that, but many moms worry they’ll appear ungrateful, selfish, or weak if they mention needing help or needing more human interaction than what their children provide.
We both struggled with those feelings, so we’re committed to unraveling the myth of the “perfect mother” and building a truly supportive community for new moms, starting during pregnancy and continuing through the early childhood years. One of our primary goals is to help moms put all those fears, insecurities, and struggles to rest.
MESH moms is not a virtual or intermittent support group; we’re an active, in-person community offering year-round activities. Because one of our goals is to overcome the isolation so many new moms feel, it’s important that our members get to know each other “in real life” — so real relationships can form. We organize groups based on children’s ages, members’ locations and/or particular interests, and we coordinate regular playdates and meetups, ongoing educational opportunities, and last but not least, some very important adults-only social gatherings!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Creating community doesn’t happen overnight. The nature of relationships, especially the meaningful ones, is that they take time to establish. But since to our knowledge no similar group exists in the Atlanta area, every mom we talk to is thrilled to know we’re here and eager to create the proverbial village with us. Our membership numbers climb every day. That said, we’re still working on getting the word out. And on cultivating the connections between the moms who are already on board.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We’re just two moms, ten years in but still figuring out motherhood, just like everyone else! We’re longtime friends, so we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs raising our combined seven children. We’ve both been working moms, full-time moms, pro-bono working moms… and now we’re founders of MESH moms! We’re thrilled to be re-engaging with our professional skill sets to create a much-needed resource for the Atlanta community.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Personal connections are invaluable. There’s no substitute, no online equivalent. Both mothers and children, even babies, need the in-person community of other human beings to thrive.
Pricing:
- $120 for an annual membership. We are currently running membership specials that can be found on our website. Also, we want to be inclusive and open to all moms. So if the membership fee is a financial hardship for you, then please reach out.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meshmoms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/meshmoms/
- Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/meshmomsclub - Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/company/meshmoms
