Welcome To The Parent Collective: Building Lifelines For Expectant Parents
At The Parent Collective, we aren't just offering prenatal education; we're creating lifelines for expectant parents. Our comprehensive programs are designed to empower and support parents-to-be as they embark on the incredible journey of parenthood.
Our Origin Story
The Parent Collective began as a response to my experience having my boys in the UK, where the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has been supporting parents for over 80 years. This prenatal education program is designed to help expectant couples find local community in parenthood.
For my husband and me, the NCT experience was a lifeline. Living far from family and a support network, we found some of our best friends through this program. However, upon returning to the US, I realized our experience was unique. Many expectant parents here don’t have a means of finding friends during this significant transition. Most don't find their parent friends until their child goes to preschool, leading to years of isolation.
While friends without kids have no clue, and friends with older kids may sympathize, they've often forgotten the visceral feelings of new parenthood. The first outing alone with your baby, an explosive diaper at the pediatrician’s office, or the crazed exhaustion from a growth spurt are all unique challenges best understood by those in the trenches with you.
Our Classes
Our classes use education as the glue to build connections. Over four weeks, participants learn about:
Session 1: Understanding late pregnancy and early labor, including symptoms like contractions and water breaking, preparing your birth plan, and what to expect during these crucial stages.
Session 2: Techniques for relaxation during early labor, c-sections, pain relief options like epidurals or natural methods, and choosing between vaginal delivery or surgical options.
Session 3: Feeding advice for newborns, whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Topics include proper latching, effective pumping and milk storage, establishing feeding schedules, and managing challenges like engorgement or nipple pain.
Session 4: Newborn care essentials, such as bonding, soothing techniques for colic or fussiness, establishing sleep routines, practical tips for diapering, swaddling, burping, and bathing, and finding a trusted pediatrician. This class also covers postpartum transition and how to set yourself up for success.
After all due dates, the group meets one last time on Zoom for a post-delivery meet-up to reflect on birth experiences, share stories, and discuss the emotional and practical adjustments of becoming a parent. This includes coping with sleep deprivation, seeking support networks, and celebrating the joys amidst the challenges of parenthood.
Throughout the series, our teachers, who are all nurses and midwives, create an environment that encourages questions, discussion, and opportunities for connection. By week three, couples are often organizing dinners, brunches, group chats, and forming fast friendships. This, I hope, is the lasting legacy of our program. A community to lean on and grow with.
Why We Do What We Do
Many new mothers feel isolated. Their identities shift overnight, making it crucial to have other women experiencing the same feelings to brave the transition with. We help mothers find those friendships while they still feel like themselves.
Venturing out while adjusting to the steep learning curve of having a baby is challenging. Meeting other moms and dads who are in the weeds with you makes it easier to laugh or cry about it together.
Maternity leaves are short, and locking in a support network from day one helps working moms navigate the often-bumpy transition back to work.
1 in 7 women and 1 in 10 men struggle postpartum with some form of anxiety or depression. Having a friend to talk to is a recommended coping strategy.
Expectant dads and partners often don’t know the vital roles they play in both labor and in caring for their newborn and healing partner. We empower them to step into these roles and provide a starting point for important conversations before the baby arrives.
Our parent-centered prenatal education, free from judgment, creates space to prepare for all delivery and parenting choices.
Join Us
We are expanding The Parent Collective and welcome anyone committed to improving the postpartum experience for parents. If you're passionate about bringing this type of support to your community, reach out to learn how you can open a location in your area. Let’s make parenthood a shared journey, not a solitary one.
About the author:
Jessica Hill is an entrepreneur and mother of two who has dedicated her career to supporting mothers, particularly during pregnancy and postpartum. Inspired by her own journey into motherhood, Jessica started The Parent Collective, which provides prenatal education designed to help expectant parents find their friends in parenthood.
If you are interested in creating your own TPC chapter where you live we would love to connect!