television shows, entertainers, and authors. In their world, all is sweetness and light, the baby is permanently happy and adorable, life runs with perfect smoothness, and mother retains her pre-natal glamour.

But the real world isn't like that. Babies cry, mothers experience post-natal depression, housework piles up, husbands feel neglected, and social life is seriously disrupted or put on hold.

For non-working mothers, there is often a feeling of isolation -- being cut off from their former colleagues and the mainstream of life.

There are no guidance schools on how to raise a baby. Instead, mothers must get most of their "training'' on-the-job, with advice from relatives, friends and literature thrown in.

Small wonder, then, that the Meet-a-Mum Association (MAMA) is so popular. The original MAMA was founded in Britain in 1979 as a support group offering counsel and assistance to new mothers experiencing post-natal loneliness and depression. Today it has branches all over the country.

The Bermuda association was formed in December, 1986 by Mrs. Judith Ezekiel and 15 of her friends, and from that modest start has evolved into a thriving membership of 200, albeit with a slightly different role to its British counterpart.

"We have retained some of the British Association's role, but we exist more as a resource to assist mothers who are new to the job of motherhood, and also mothers who are new to the Island,'' local president, Mrs. Audrey Kelly, explained.

This the Association accomplishes in various ways: through twice-weekly playgroups, social gatherings for mums only, monthly meetings, and annual socials that include fathers.

Parish by parish networking is accomplished through "contact mums,'' whose job it is to keep member mothers in touch with each other in their neighbourhood.

"Contact mums find out what a mother's interests are, how old her children are, and so forth. They then try to match these mothers with others who have similar interests and children of similar ages. This helps the newcomer to get to know people around them whom they can easily see on a day to day basis,'' Mrs. Diane Newman, MAMA executive committee member, explained.

Contact mums also hold coffee mornings, and arrange the monthly mums-only social evenings.

"The Southampton group, for example, recently held a karaoke night at a local inn which was a great success,'' Mrs. Newman explained.

Meetings for the entire membership take place once a month, and are usually highlighted by a speaker with an appropriate topic on parenting.

Two major social events are held each the year for both mothers and fathers.

However, it is not only mothers who join MAMA. Nannies are becoming members in increasing numbers.

"In fact, because of the number of nannies we have as members, we are trying to develop a special section for them,'' Mrs. Newman explained. "They have the same isolation problems mothers do, and are also interested in the parenting issues because they are the ones who are in the front lines during the day.'' Membership in MAMA is open to any mother of a pre-schooler, and costs $15 a year. The fee includes a monthly newsletter which covers everything from classified ads to parenting features, current events, and news of new births to members.

A myth Mrs. Newman was particularly anxious to dispel is the belief that MAMA is for ex-pat, stay-at-home mothers.

"MAMA's membership is really diverse,'' she said. "We have a lot of Bermudian members, a lot of nannies, stay-at-home mothers and working mothers too. The Association is open to all mothers of pre-schoolers as well as nannies.'' In addition to the newsletter, each new member receives a free resource folder containing a wealth of useful and appropriate information which is particularly helpful to new and newly-arrived mothers.

"The folders contain details of things which are available to mothers and children in Bermuda -- everything from what immunisation shots should be given at what age to parenting issues, what private schools are available, what stores have elevators in them that you can get a stroller in, and so forth -- things you don't know when you become a mum in Bermuda,'' Mrs. Newman explained.

Mothers and nannies interested in joining MAMA should contact Lynn Olson (tel.

236-0211), Maggie Jamieson (tel. 236-4866) or Audrey Kelley (tel. 238-1950) for further information.

Meet-a-Mum play groups are held on Thursdays between 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.

at St. Mary's church hall, Lorraine Drive, off Middle Road, Warwick, and on Wednesdays between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church hall, South Shore Road, Paget.

PROVIDING SUPPORT ... Meet-a-Mum Association president, Mrs. Audrey Kelly, left, and executive committee member Mrs. Diane Newman are actively involved in providing information, counselling and social interaction for mothers of pre-school children.