Mothers’ Gathering (Mommy & Me)

We know that your first year with your baby can be extremely hard! You might be feeling tired and overwhelmed, we want to help. So much more than just a Mommy and Me class, our Mothers’ Gathering classes provide education and support to moms who are looking for information and friendship. Not just a baby group, or a class where moms will be told how to parent their child, but a place to gather the information and tools to determine what fits best for you and your child.

The Benefits of Mommy and Me can be significant for both Mom and Baby. In our Mothers’ Gathering class, our philosophy is there is no one “right way” to parent. What works for you, might not work for another mother. What might work one week, may not work the next. In the class, we give you tips and strategies for your parenting toolbox, helping you to find confidence in your parenting skills and choices.

Our Mothers’ Gathering moms are grouped with other moms whose babies’ birthdays are generally within several weeks or a few months of each other. This allows you to connect with other moms experiencing similar successes and challenges and provides you with a network of support.

Our Mothers’ Gathering groups are ongoing and are divided into five sessions over the course of one year. Each session lasts eight weeks. The first session starts when the babies are around 4-10 weeks old, and then sessions continue until the babies are about one year old. At the conclusion of our fifth session, we celebrate our Haven Babies with a proper cap and gown graduation ceremony to commemorate all the developments and achievements throughout their first year of life.

Each of the five sessions includes eight classes. Classes are held once a week and last 90 minutes. Moms can join at the start of any new session (or mid-session, if space is available). Many moms stay with their group for all five sessions through the whole first year of their baby’s life, and some transfer into the Working Moms group after their first or second 8-week session. Many moms will come back to later join us for our Second Time Mothers’ Gathering class.

There are typically four to twelve moms and babies enrolled. Each class includes a specific topic led by an instructor, an open-forum discussion, and Q&A time. For babies, the class includes singing songs, developmentally appropriate toys, movement, and other activities to aid their cognitive, social, and motor skill development.

A Note About Second Time Mothers’ Gathering and Working Mothers’ Gathering Classes

Unlike our original Mothers’ Gathering Classes, our Second Time Mothers’ Gathering Class and Working Mothers’ Gathering Class are tailored for moms who are welcoming their second baby, as well as moms who are returning to work. Both of these situations present significant transition and change. The Second Time Mothers’ Gathering Class and Working Mothers’ Gathering Class cover all the same topics as our original Mothers’ Gathering classes, but they also focus on pertinent issues such as time management and emotional guilt. These classes are not typically offered in our original five-session format that spans baby’s first year and are generally limited to one or two 8-week sessions. However, moms are always welcome to join an ongoing Mothers’ Gathering Class with other moms of babies around the same age if they would like to continue enjoying friendship, support, and education through their baby’s first year.