When I was expecting my first baby in 2018, I signed up for a few different traditional hospital prenatal classes. Like so many of us, I learned how to breathe through contractions, when to head to labor and delivery, and a few quick tips on diapering.

Helpful? Sure. But when I came home from the hospital with a newborn in my arms, emotions running high, and my whole world turned upside down, I realized how much more I really needed.

What I needed wasn’t another breathing technique. It was a village.

What parents get elsewhere in the world

In other countries, governments bake community into care.

• Finland has a century-old neuvola system: every family gets free, continuous prenatal and postnatal care, plus guidance on child development.
• The Netherlands offers kraamzorg: trained maternity nurses who come into the home for the first 8–10 days after birth—helping with feeding, recovery, and the little things that make a huge difference.
• Norway connects new moms and dads through barselgrupper, health-center-run parent groups that meet regularly for connection and guidance.

The common thread? Parenthood isn’t treated as a solo sport. It’s structured, supported, and shared.

The U.S. reality

Here in the U.S., we’re largely left on our own. Hospital classes are a good start, but they tend to end before the real challenges begin.

And let’s be honest, practicing breastfeeding holds on a baby doll in a classroom is one thing. Trying to figure it out at 2AM with a screaming newborn and a tiny mouth is another. That’s the moment you need real support, not just a handout you tucked in a folder weeks earlier.

The data reflects this gap:

• American parents are 3x more likely to experience postpartum depression if they feel isolated.
• Nearly half say they felt unprepared for the emotional realities of early parenthood.
• Too many describe those first weeks as lonely, overwhelming, and unsupported.

As a mom of three now, I can say this: the hardest part isn’t learning how to swaddle. It’s learning how to not do it all alone.

Reimagining prenatal classes

That’s why my friend, Georgia Kastaris, created Expecting Together:** to bring the best of those global models to families here in the U.S.

• Small, intimate cohorts so parents don’t just learn, they connect and keep showing up for one another.
• Partners included, always. Most prenatal classes still treat dads and partners like “guests” in the process. They’re central. ET’s program intentionally brings them into every conversation, helping couples navigate the transition together.
• Evidence-based teaching that goes beyond labor. Covering the emotional shifts, relationship changes, partner roles, and mental health strategies that make the difference between just surviving and truly feeling supported.
• Postpartum continuity, so the community doesn’t end when the class ends. Because that’s when you’ll need it most.
• Real connection that continues between sessions. Each cohort stays linked through a private digital space—an intimate, ongoing group where you can share updates, swap advice, and stay connected throughout your journey together.

Why this matters

Every parent deserves a circle of support. Every family deserves to know they aren’t the only ones up at 3AM, figuring it out. And every new baby deserves parents who feel connected—to each other and to a wider community.

That’s what Expecting Together is all about.

The movement is starting in Chicago, and I’d love for you to be part of it.

✨ Check out the upcoming classes—or share with a couple you know who’s expecting. Because prenatal care should prepare both parents for life after the hospital doors open—not just the hours inside.