Today has been a hard day for me and about 100 other fellow moms. Like many others, I browsed around on Baby Center Canada while pregnant and found my “birth club”. I joined the April 2013 group and started posting about my pregnancy woes, worst food aversions and all the other stuff pregnant women like to focus on. We migrated over to Facebook after a while, as most do to avoid the public forums that sites like BCC have (Facebook, although not truly protecting our privacy, at least give you the option to make a group secret). For over 3 years we’ve been an online support group of moms from across Canada sharing our lives, giving advice, debating, meeting in real life, and just generally hanging out on the internet becoming friends.

We’re not special, there are hundreds of other groups just like us online. But, we are close and have formed a bond and it’s something that has really impacted me and the way I have grown as a mother, friend and person. I know I’m not alone when I say that the group has affected the choices I’ve made in my parenting, my relationships, my health, even my sex life. Let’s just say, we’re a pretty tight knit group (despite the bickering that obviously occurs in a “room” full of women).

Today our group suffered a shocking and terrible loss. One of the moms in the group woke up to find one of her twin boys had peacefully passed away in his sleep last night. Born prematurely 2 years ago this January, Bennett lived with multiple health issues, but day to day was a thriving little boy- happy and sweet, always lovingly hanging out next to his brother Grayson.

There are no words to explain the shock, sadness, confusion and anger that arose in all of us today. There are no words for us to say that can fully convey how we feel. Nothing we can do to make it better, nothing we can say to take away the pain, no advice our group can come up with the solve this. All we can do is love.

In times like these you realize the power of this silly thing called Facebook. You understand how you can affect those around you and how sending thoughts, from no matter how far away, can still be received and surround someone with warmth and love.

I am always talking about the importance of mom friends and trying to spread the message that motherhood can be lonely but that there are ways around it. Of course face-to-face friendships are amazing and nothing beats a real life friend who can meet you for coffee or a play date whenever you want, but a group of women holding you close and surrounding you with all the strength and love and grace that they have- from every direction, even thousands of miles away- now THAT’S the sisterhood of the motherhood.

We <3 you Lynn