Parents who strive to raise their children naturally are often referred to by others (and maybe even by themselves) as “crunchy” or “granola.” In a world where many kids are being raised on fast food, health conscious parents often seek out like-minded parents for natural living support and information. Parenting groups that are geared towards natural-minded families can be a great resource for breastfeeding, cloth diapering parents who may feel isolated as a result of their dedication to natural living.

I’ve found the following websites and organizations extremely helpful because they have helped me connect with other parents in my area who have similar views about holistic health and natural parenting.

“Find Your Tribe" at Mothering Magazine

This website serves as the companion to the ultimate in natural parenting resources--Mothering Magazine. Parents who check out the discussion board will find a section entitled Find Your Tribe that allows them to communicate with like-minded moms who live near them.

Holistic Moms Network

While I don’t have personal experience using this site, it looks like it's worth a visit. The Holistic Moms Network has chapters all over the United States. If there’s not one in your area, they provide you with all the support you need to start your own chapter.

Attachment Parenting International

This organization is not specifically for parents who are into holistic health, but it is my experience that parents who practice attachment parenting often live more naturally as well. This is not always the case, but I’ve met most of my natural birthing, baby wearing friends in the local attachment parenting groups. API is a great place to start if there are no natural parenting groups in your area.

La Leche League

What could be more natural than breastfeeding? The La Leche League’s main purpose is to provide moms with local breastfeeding support. Of course, all families who breastfeed will not necessarily be interested in sustainable living practices and the use of natural remedies. However, your local La Leche League is still an excellent resource and will give you the opportunity to meet other nursing moms in your city.

Yahoo Groups

Of all the parents I’ve met, I’ve probably connected with more of them via Yahoo Groups than any other website. In order to find natural parents in my area, I typed in phrases like “natural moms Orlando” and “attachment parenting central FL” and found local groups in a matter of minutes. “Peaceful parents” and “holistic moms” are other phrases to try--just combine them with the name of your city (or a larger city nearby). If you have no luck searching on Yahoo Groups, do a general web search instead.

Meet Up

This is a site helps people find others in their area based on interest. Some natural terms to search for on Meet Up are “mommy‘s milk” and “holistic health.” This site does charge a fee for starting a group, but it makes doing so a breeze since it‘s a high traffic site with groups of members categorized by interest.

My Space

I'm sure you've heard of this popular social networking site. I've been lucky enough to meet some local natural mamas through My Space even though I signed up to chat with old friends.

Want to meet other eco-conscious, healthy parents in your area? Set aside some time to try some of the sites recommended here. And remember that starting your own group is always an option!