Survey: Having a baby improves social life

LONDON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A British survey finds new mothers have a better social life than they did before giving birth, with a larger circle of trusted friends they can call on.

CLIC Sargent, a non-profit organization involved with childhood cancer, polled 4,000 women who had recently become mothers. The survey found new mothers reported losing touch with old friends without children but acquired an even larger number of new friends.

Many of the top places they reported meeting new friends involve their children. The top 10 were school playgrounds, mother and baby groups, daycare centers, coffee mornings, childbirth classes, school plays and concerts, exercise classes and health clubs, church, village halls and fundraising events.

''It can be quite daunting for new mums who may think they will lose touch with their pals," said Katie Barlow of CLIC Sargent. ''But in fact it appears from our survey that they gain a larger group of friends who they see much more often."