10 of My Favorite Resources in Chicago for Expecting and New Parents

It takes a village to raise a child AND support expecting and new parents! Read below for some of my favorite resources for this time in life throughout Chicago! They listed in a very loose chronological order of when you might need them.

1. Prenatal Fit
   • This studio made me realize just how strong a person can be during pregnancy! They offer yoga, pilates, ballet barre, body strength, Zumba, and more. It is SO FUN and so IMPORTANT to connect with other parents who will have babies right around the same time. For me, it became such an amazing community in those first few months of having a newborn. They offer a number of Parent&Me classes for this time including stroller bootcamp, yoga and more. Prenatal Fit also has workshops from outside specialists in baby care, labor and delivery, nutrition, infant massage, and CPR training. And they offer a free trial class!
2. Bloom Yoga Studio
   • They offer the full line up of yoga! For new and expecting parents, they have prenatal yoga, baby& me yoga (such a great way to bond with baby!), and toddler&me yoga! There are classes offered both in the studio and at nearby parks. They are located in Lincoln Square, right off the Rockwell Brown Line Stop. I will tell you from personal experience that this is a great spot to recenter yourself amidst everything going on in life.
3. Division Chiropractic and Alchemy Acupuncture and Herbs
   • Self-care is such an important part of being a parent with a more full battery. Division Chiropractic and Alchemy Acupuncture and Herbs work closely together (in fact, they are housed in the same office on Division!) to provide patient-centered holistic care. They offer acupuncture (Michelle healed my sciatica during my pregnancy!), chiropractic (because a pregnancy can really mess with your spinal alignment!), massage, and herbal medicine! And they have such an amazingly diverse team, which is always awesome.
4. Becca (Bee) Hammond
   • Postpartum Doula, Abortion & Miscarriage Companion – Bee is amazing as a person and in her work. She realized this passion of supporting new parents after her own difficult birth and postpartum in 2011. She is sex & body positive, LGBTQ+ affirming, passionate about reproductive justice and strives to be anti-racist. I highly recommend checking out her services as you are going through pregnancy and beyond!
5. Chicago Family Doulas
   • Anna and team provides holistic and personalized care for parents and babies throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery, and in the postpartum. They offer a number of classes in baby care, labor and delivery, nutrition, infant massage, and CPR training. My personal experience was when I reached out to them in the postpartum because I just needed sleep. My 6 month old baby woke up EVERY 2 HOURS and I was a solo parent for half of every week. And I also had a toddler who loved early mornings. I was a total mess because I just needed sleep. I worked with them to hire a night nurse to care for my non-sleeping baby (and she helped him sleep in slightly longer stretches) while I was able to recharge. That did WONDERS for my overall outlook on this parenting adventure. Anna will work with you personally to match you up with a care provider that will compliment your family’s personality.
6. Birth Center of Chicago
   • I hear nothing but good things about this place from my clients! They are a freestanding birth center with midwifery care. Their mission is to treat each patient not as a patient, but as an individual. Check them out!
7. Dandelion Art Therapy
   • Caroline and team provide art studio-based therapy in both individual and group settings. They are a great way to sort out life’s messes by creating an artistic mess.
8. Neighborhood Parents Network
   • Chicago parents connecting with Chicago parents on every topic related to parenting. Such a good resource to connect with for everything from pregnancy to high school. I really can’t say enough of how amazing and awesome this group is for so many.
9. Chicago New Moms Group
   • They provide a supportive and nurturing community for new moms to connect and learn together in a safe and nonjudgmental environment. I’ve had a number of clients for whom this organization has been incredibly beneficial during that postpartum period. (Because it is hard for most people.)
10. Bubbles Academy
    • They ignite wonder through the arts and play. Bubbles is truly a magical place. The staff is one of the most diverse and inclusive teams I have ever come across. Each staff member is amazingly talented in the arts: visual, musical, literary, and/or theatrical. They offer a number of class options for infants all the way through preschool. I’ve seen first hand in their preschool how each class is really centered on building social emotional skills as my youngest son just aged out of their preschool.

I hope this list helps you as much as these resources have helped me during the early parts of my own parenting journey. Let me know in the comments other resources I missed. There are SO MANY in this great city of Chicago. And if you’d like to chat a bit with me about photographing this time, I’d love to connect!