Mothers deserve support

Free weekly groups for expectant and new moms, from pregnancy through the first year and beyond, plus weekly lactation support led by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. Grounded in both the emotional and the practical aspects of new motherhood, and led by facilitators with real experience.

Come with a question or come to listen. Nobody is expected to have it worked out, and both laughter and tears are welcome.

CostFreeIncluded with membership, every week of the year

WhereOn ZoomSo a nap, a feed or a bad morning does not cost you the session

Who leads themEducators and IBCLCsInternational Board Certified Lactation Consultants, and experienced mothers group facilitators

What they arePeer SupportMothers who have been where you are, not a clinical service

The groups we run

01Expectant Mom GroupsFor the pregnancy months. A weekly space to talk about a big life transition and the many emotions that arrive with it, sometimes all at once, alongside the practical work of getting ready. Topics range from what you actually need and what can wait, to setting up the first few weeks, to the questions you have not asked anyone yet. Meet the mothers who are due when you are, and reach your due date already knowing people. For expectant mamas.

02New Mom GroupsFor the first year after birth, led by educators. Sleep, feeding, play and the shape of a day, plus everything else that comes with it. Room too for how you are doing, not only how the baby is doing: the tenderness and the boredom, the love and the loss of the person you were before. The stretch when the days are long and the nights are longer, and it helps enormously to hear that someone else had the same week. For moms with a new baby, whether it is their first or their fourth.

03Lactation SupportWeekly drop-in groups led by IBCLC-certified lactation consultants, who are also listed in our provider directory if you need one-to-one help. Latch, supply, pumping, returning to work, weaning, and more. Bring your questions and get answers directly from experts. The right support matters enormously in the first six weeks, while supply is being established. If you are having difficulties, please know we are here to help. For breastfeeding moms.

Dates and times are posted on the event calendar. Zoom links are sent to members in their cohort groups and posted to subgroup calendars. If you are a member and cannot find the link for a support group, just ask us.

Our peer support groups are for mothers. We do not currently run one for fathers, but Postpartum Support International hosts free online support meetings for dads and partners, which we are glad to point you to: postpartum.net.

What to expect

Groups open with introductions, then turn into a conversation. Members bring what is on their minds that week, and the facilitator keeps it moving and makes sure everyone gets a turn.

What is said in the group stays in the group. Sessions are for members only and are not open to observers.

Our groups are peer support, not therapy or medical care, and they do not replace advice from your doctor, midwife or therapist. If something feels heavier than a hard week, please speak with a clinician as well as coming along. Our maternal mental health page explains what these conditions are and where to find help in New York.

Why peer support works

The Evidence

What the research shows

Peer support is one of the better-studied things a new mother can have, and the results are striking.

The largest trial followed 701 mothers across Ontario who had been identified as at high risk of postnatal depression. Half were offered support from another mother who had been through it herself. At twelve weeks, 14 percent of the mothers who received that support scored above the threshold for postnatal depression, against 25 percent of those who did not. More than 80 percent of the women who took part said they were satisfied and would recommend it to a friend.

A second trial, following 100 first-time mothers from late pregnancy through the first two months, found the same direction of travel: depression scores fell significantly among the mothers who had peer support, and held steady among those who did not.

Both studies tested one-to-one support by phone rather than groups like ours, so the findings are not a claim about our particular sessions. What they establish is the underlying point: another mother who has been where you are makes a measurable difference. It is the reason our groups are free and run every week, rather than being something we offer when there is room in the calendar.

Dennis C-L, Hodnett E, Kenton L, et al. Effect of peer support on prevention of postnatal depression among high risk women: multisite randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 2009. · Kamalifard M, Yavarikia P, Babapour Kheiroddin J, et al. The Effect of Peers Support on Postpartum Depression: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial, 2014.

An open invitation

You are always welcome to join us.

Support groups are included with membership, every week of the year. If you live in the neighborhoods we cover, you are welcome to apply. Not sure which group fits? Write to us and we will point you to the right one.

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