LibraCarr, very simply for the same reason that you might meet your friends in the pub sometimes instead of always hosting or attending dinner parties, or indeed having picnics. Most new mothers do also meet in caf?s, in each other's houses and in parks. The pub is just an alternative. Mothers do get a bit stir-crazy suddenly living a life when they spend at least 20 hours a day 7 days a week at home, and a break is delightful. Speaking personally, I first went into a pub with my baby son when he was about 4 months old. I was with a number of other mothers and babies, and we had a very pleasant lunch which though booze-free felt intoxicatingly exciting and like a wonderful glimpse of the return of relative normality. (edited because I cross-posted with LibraCarr - yes, I'm afraid I did think you were disapproving of mothers in pubs, so have deleted my response to that part. Many thanks for your clarification and kind regards)