A Guide to Maternity Groups, Prenatal Classes, and Mom Communities
Pregnancy is transformative in ways you can’t predict until you’re in it. Your body changes, your identity shifts, your priorities realign — and suddenly you need people who get it. Not advice from random pages on the internet, but real women right there in the thick of it with you.
I met one of my best friends in a childbirth education class at Wild Was Mama in Greenpoint — back before it became The Wild. We were both pregnant with our first babies, trying to figure out what to do with a birthing ball, and bonding over our shared terror and excitement. That class gave us more than childbirth education — it gave us each other. We both had girls first. Then, two years later, we went through our second pregnancy together and had boys. Our kids love each other. Our girls very proudly talk about how they have been best friends since they were born 9 years ago. The boys can’t stop laughing and playing whenever they’re together. In the first years we were both in Brooklyn doing everything together, then we both moved away, but stayed connected, talking and texting at crazy hours, and crossing oceans to have vacations together! Dreaming that one day we will be neighbors again!
You might join a group and get along with everyone — swapping gear recommendations, laughing through the chaos, watching your babies play together. That’s great. But honestly? All you need is one. One mom who really gets you in that deep, vulnerable way. The groups give you the space to find her.
So while you’re pregnant, start showing up. Take prenatal yoga classes, sign up for childbirth education, and join a mom community. We’ve curated a list of the best classes and groups in NYC to help you start.
Start with Classes: Where Friendships Begin
Carriage House Birth (Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Glendale) – The conscious spot founded by doulas Domino Kirke-Badgley and Lindsey Bliss. They’re all about equipping you with knowledge, surrounding you with community, and centering equity in birth work.
Prenatal Yoga Center (Upper West Side) – Deb and the team here have 20+ years of experience making pregnant bodies feel amazing. Their signature method combines yoga, functional strength training, and childbirth education in classes that flow seamlessly. Workshops cover everything from infant CPR to labor comfort techniques.
Love Child Yoga (West Village) – Boutique studio offering prenatal yoga alongside midwifery and lactation support. Members get a free lactation consultation, which alone makes it worth checking out.
Canopy (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) – Gorgeous space for gentle, community-focused prenatal yoga. They also offer birth courses and classes for after the baby arrives.
Mom Groups & Communities
Neighborhood-Based Communities
Park Slope Parents (Brooklyn) – The heavyweight with 7,500+ families, $55/year. Over 100 specialty groups organized by due date, neighborhood, career, and interests, plus 350+ annual events. Serves Park Slope and the surrounding brownstone neighborhoods.
MamansBK (Williamsburg/Greenpoint) – The North Brooklyn group for millennial moms who want something different. Thoughtfully organized monthly meetups, an engaged WhatsApp community, and that fun mix of chic and genuine support.
Brooklyn Baby Hui (North Brooklyn) – Active on both Slack (for pods and deeper connections) and Facebook (10,000 members). Casual, real-time advice and neighborhood connections. Peer-to-peer and no-frills.
HRP Mamas (Downtown Manhattan) – Expectant and new mom groups for Tribeca, Battery Park City, FiDi, West Village, SoHo, LES, Chelsea, and East Village. Peer facilitators trained in perinatal mental health.
First Time Upper West Side Moms (Upper West Side) – Despite the name, everyone’s welcome. 5,000+ members, $10/year, with playdates, happy hours, and events in multiple languages.
Premium Communities (Paid Memberships)
MyShaPods (NYC, LA, Austin, Miami) – Curated pods matched by due date and values with trained facilitators. Around $350/year gets you expert Q&As, topic-based chats, 100+ annual IRL events, and brand discounts.
The Moms Groups (Manhattan & Brooklyn) – Therapist-led weekly groups for expectant, new, working, and second-time moms in 32 locations. Founded by parent coach Renee Sullivan for deeper support alongside community.
Citywide Networks
Big City Moms – 75,000+ mothers citywide. Known for the twice-yearly “Biggest Baby Shower Ever” plus daily classes, seminars, and family events.
If You Need Mental Health Support
Postpartum Resource Center of New York – Weekly updated list of support groups for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Facilitated by trained professionals.
Finding your people takes some showing up, but it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. Try a few classes, explore different groups, and give yourself permission to find the ones that really click. When you do, it makes everything easier.
If you’re expecting or newly postpartum and looking for a way to document this chapter, we’d love to work with you. Check out our maternity and newborn photography or get in touch to chat about creating something beautiful for your family.
