At some point, every parent hears or says the cliched "it takes a village" statement in regards to needing support. Parenting is simply too big a job for one person. Maybe even for two people.

But even those parents who are fortunate enough to have the luxury of friends, family or hired caregivers' support sometimes still find themselves feeling isolated, overwhelmed or in doubt about what to do.

This is where online parenting groups can fill in a few gaps. Although there are plenty of dads who blog and join cyber parenting groups, the online parenting community is dominated by moms.

Melissa Scherrer joined a popular local Facebook group called Broads With Babies when she moved to Milwaukee about a year ago.

"I was asking parenting questions in my status updates, when another mom suggested I join the group because it might be more helpful in answering my questions," says Scherrer, who lives in Bay View and has one daughter.

Sure enough, it was. Through recommendations of the group, she determined a local Montessori school to be the best fit for her daughter’s education.

"Through the board I was able to connect with moms that already have children in the school, they gave me amazing advice on how to navigate the application process in an effective way," says Scherrer.

Ackelyn Wicklund, who has a 7-month-old son, joined the group about a month ago. She is also a member of a Mommy & Me Facebook page that was created by the hospital where she gave birth.

The Mommy & Me group takes the Facebook approach and extends the support offline as well with a weekly meeting at the hospital featuring guest speakers and the chance for new moms to share "brags and bummers." They also provide a weekly chair massage and baby weighings.

The Broads with Babies group has been particularly helpful to Wicklund with a lot of day-to-day stuff.

"In the short month that I've been a member of Broads, I have borrowed an Ergo carrier to decide if it was comfortable for me and took my son swimming for the first time when I met up with another mom at Hoyt Park pool on Father's Day for a single mama solidarity meet-up," she says.

"I also purchased three items, sold an item and found homes for the formula canisters and baby food jars I was saving because I figured someone could put them to good use."

Wicklund says she also received solid personal advice from group members.

"The ‘broads’ gave me advice on how to solve – or not worry about – several problems I was facing. One of them wasn't even related to child-rearing, but I was steered in the right direction on how to deal with a dental emergency I was having," she says.

As a single parent, Wicklund says she receives very little reassurance and emotional support in her day-to-day life.

"It makes me really glad that I can receive that from other moms online. I am particularly fond of Broads because it seems like it's mostly ‘alternative’ types of moms," she says.

Milwaukee’s Amber Little started Broads with Babies. Later, Amanda Rose started an offshoot Facebook group called Broads & Barter, a place for moms to sell, search and barter.

Jennifer Lynne Wolf is a high school teacher and the mother of a baby boy. She has been a member of Broads With Babies since February, and when she asked the group for donations for a 16-year-old student who was pregnant, the outpour of support was extraordinary. 

"I received a ton. I was able to give this girl clothes, bottles, a Pack 'n Play, changing table, bassinet, diapers, burp towels, a bamboo and all sorts of stuff," says Wolf. "It was great to see a community come together for someone they don't even know."