New Moms in Chicagoland and Oak Park: 8 Ways to Build Your Village and Be Supported

When you become a mom, no one really prepares you for how beautiful—and overwhelming—the transition can be.

One moment you’re preparing for a baby, and the next you’re navigating sleepless nights, tiny socks everywhere, and a love that stretches your heart in ways you never knew were possible.

As an Oak Park mom of three and a postpartum doula and parent educator, I’ve seen firsthand how important community is in the early years of motherhood.

One truth keeps coming up: motherhood isn’t something we were meant to do alone

And yet, many parents today find themselves navigating this season without the built-in support systems earlier generations had.

Building Your Village as a New Parent

For generations, mothers raised children surrounded by extended family, neighbors, and community. Today, many of us are building those circles in new ways. It may mean stepping out of our comfort zones—joining a local parent group, trying a class with your little one, or sharing a small moment of connection with another parent on a walk, at the park, or while waiting in line at your local coffee shop.

Motherhood has a way of bringing people together. Sometimes simply sharing the experience of parenting can spark a meaningful conversation with someone new.

Give yourself grace and patience along the way. A village rarely appears overnight, and you are not doing it wrong if it takes time. Trust that the support and connection meant for you is out there.

"What you seek is seeking you" - Rumi

You never know when a simple hello might lead to your family’s new friends.

Resources and Support for New Moms in Chicagoland and Oak Park

Here are eight reminders and a few places to begin that can help you find connection, support, and confidence as you grow into this new season of life.

1. Trust Your Own Voice

   The parenting journey is deeply personal. Every child is different, and every parent is different. Even within the same family, what worked for one child may not work for another. The most important voice is your own. Your intuition is always guiding you. When you feel unsure, pause and listen within—the guidance is there. If you’re looking for support in strengthening that inner connection, you may enjoy:

   1. Life Recipes & Meditations Podcast – guided meditations designed to help you tune inward and trust your inner voice

   2. Peaceful Mama: The Mind, Body & Baby Connection – a guidebook about turning inward and embracing the growth that comes with the motherhood journey.

When you feel unsure, pause and listen within—the guidance is there.

2. Start Building your Village where you are and with Grace

   Parenting was never meant to be done alone. It takes a village, and wherever you are right now is the perfect place to begin building yours. Having even a few people around you who understand this season of life can make a big difference as you navigate early parenthood. Local meetups, library storytimes, baby classes, neighborhood walks, and parenting groups are wonderful places to meet others. Introduce yourself. Start a conversation. Sit next to someone new. You never know when a simple hello might lead to a meaningful connection and new friend. Here are a couple local resources you may want to try:

   1. Collaboration for Early Childhood Oak Park - They offer loads of events, resources, and support. From the Baby Expo for Expecting and New Parents every Spring to Park Meet-Ups and Baby Bundle packs and more. Check out their Get Started guide.

   2. New Parent Meetup led by Amy Pappas LCSW. Check out local new parent groups such as this one offered in Chicago for expecting, new or seasoned moms.

   3. New Moms - Organizations like New Moms Oak Park offers occasional workshops and groups where parents can connect with others and find meaningful support during the early stages of parenting. Search what is in your community.

   4. MomMail and Local Facebook Groups - The Oak Park area has a listserv you can subscribe to where you'll get a weekly email with everything from things to do around town to childcare and gently used baby gear for sale called MomMail. Also - check out local facbook groups like Oak Park Moms for resources and support.

   5. Not finding anything? Create one on Meetup. Consider starting something on your own through a site like meetup or facebook or just posting a flyer at your local coffee shop. Everyone is looking to connect!
      

3. Find a Class or Local Resource to Support You

   As mentioned above, this is a season of life when saying yes to support can make all the difference. From sleep deprivation to healing your body after birth to adjusting to a completely new rhythm of life, early motherhood is a tender and transformative time.

   It’s natural to feel overwhelmed as you navigate so many physical, emotional, and practical changes. Seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a courageous step toward caring for yourself and your family. Here are some resources:

   1. Chicago Family Doulas. Doulas are not just for birth. Postpartum doulas are trained to provide emotional, informational and practical support from feeding to routines to soothing to help you rest and get support through that challenging first year.

   2. Brain to Belly Kids Yoga. Explore parent-and-baby yoga classes that support connection through gentle movement and mindfulness. Classes are offered throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs and create a welcoming space to bond with your baby while meeting other parents.

   3.  Singing Mamas Oak Park group - A group that started in the UK that has its first US meeting right in Oak Park - join for singing, connection, and well-being for new moms and their little ones.

   4. Fit4Mom Oak Park. Try a mom-and-baby fitness class designed to help you rebuild strength after pregnancy while connecting with other local moms. It’s a great way to move your body, get outside, and meet parents in the same season of life.

   5. Snuggly Start Infant massage Give this gift to you and your baby, learn techniques to soothe, support even the fussiest of babies with this gentle touch while meeting other parents in classes.

   6. Music Together Classes - Check out a class like this to integrate music into your baby's life and start that music early and see them grow through the classes.

      
      

4. Create Small Rhythms that Support you and your family

   In the early years of motherhood, even small routines can make a big difference.

   Simple rhythms—like a post-dinner walk, a weekly library visit, or a quick reset of your home before bedtime—can bring a sense of calm and stability to days that often feel unpredictable. These small practices aren’t about perfection. They’re about creating moments that help you breathe, reset, and begin again.

   1. Consistency. Babies thrive on consistency. Even early on, try to create a rhythm such as NEST - nourish, energize, sleep, tend, as seen in Nurture Method.
      

5. Remember: You are the Perfectly Imperfect Parent for your Perfectly Imperfect Child

   There will be days when you feel like you’ve done everything wrong and wonder if you’re cut out for this at all. In those moments, remember this simple truth: You are the perfectly imperfect parent for your perfectly imperfect child. Being you is exactly what they need. Motherhood isn’t meant to be easy—the greatest things in life often ask the most of us, while offering deep growth, fulfillment, and joy along the way. More than perfect reels or carefully planned activities, your child needs you: your laughter, your comfort, your encouragement. The love and consistency you bring shape them in ways you may not see right away, but they matter deeply.

   1. Be present, be positive, be you! Listen to this guided meditation if you need that reminder.

      

      No one knows your child the way you do. Trust the quiet wisdom that lives within you.

6. Lean on your Village on Hard Days

   Every parent has moments of sadness, discouragement, loneliness, or feeling inadequate. It’s part of the journey. Motherhood stretches us in ways nothing else does. When those moments come, reach out. Call a friend or family member. Go for a walk—nature and movement are often deeply healing. Ask someone to hold the baby while you take a breath. Often, the simple act of sharing how you’re feeling opens the door to deeper connection.

   1. Maternal Mental Health Hotline. Pregnancy and postpartum are life-changing, bringing joys and challenges. It's OK to feel overwhelmed, sad or anxious. You’re not alone, and help is always available. For urgent mental health needs, dial 988 for immediate crisis assistance. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for free, confidential support, 24/7.

   2. Remember: It's Courageous to Ask for Help. Check out this article for 5 simple ways to ask for help - without feeling guilty. There are helpers out there, saying yes takes courage but it makes all the difference in the often challenging first months with a baby. This is a time of life to learn on family, friends, or neighbors.

   

   Sharing books with your baby early and often is a gift for their growing mind and for the memories you’ll make.

   
   

7. Weave Reading into your Family Rhythm

   I remember hearing this advice when I was a young mom with three children under the age of five: always say yes to reading to your kids. I took this to heart and by the end of the day I was often exhausted, but I tried to always read to them—and it paid off. Not only in their love of reading, but in the memories I now look back on most fondly. Here are a few simple ways to make reading a natural part of family life:

   1. Read Early and Often. Reading doesn’t have to happen only at bedtime. Look for small moments throughout the day when you have more energy—after breakfast, during quiet time, or before naps. In the early years, especially from birth to age three, a child’s brain is developing rapidly, which is why experts encourage reading early and often. These simple moments build language, imagination, and connection. Believe me, as you child begins reading on their own and the closest you come to sharing a story is an audiobook together on a road trip - you'll miss that time shared over stories.

   2. Visit your local library. Libraries like the Oak Park and Chicago Public libraries are wonderful places visit and borrow books to read in your home. The libraries offer storytimes and activities - offering an opportunity to connect with other families as well.

   3. Keep books visible and within reach. Place a few on the coffee table or rotate them near your child’s bed or crib so they become a natural part of everyday life. (You can also find some of our favorites in the free Nurture Method Companion Workbook.) Reading together supports language development, imagination, and connection for babies, toddlers, school-aged children, and beyond.
      

8. Weave Moments of Connection into Your Day: Practice Presence

   One of the biggest challenges of early motherhood is learning how to stay present in the middle of busy, emotional, and sometimes overwhelming days. This is exactly why co-author Arden Joy and I created The Nurture Method - mindfulness with babies.

   1. Nurture Method shares practical, science-backed tools and techniques I’ve used as a doula, family wellbeing educator, and mom of three to help bring more consistency and calm to daily life—creating an environment where babies can thrive and families feel more connected and supported in the early years of parenting.

9. 

   Connection doesn’t require more time—just more presence in the moments that are already there.

   Your Village Is Closer Than You Think

   Motherhood is not something you are meant to figure out all at once or all by yourself. It’s something we slowly grow into—with support along the way.
   

   Let these reminders encourage you to try something new with your little one or reach out if you need support. It takes a village, and we’re fortunate to live in a community with many resources and opportunities for connection.
   

   Creating well-being in family life is a journey—one that begins with noticing what is working, trusting the process, and honoring the growth that comes with raising little humans. What you are doing matters more than you may realize.
   

   This article offers encouragement and ideas for connection, but it is not a replacement for the care of your doctor, therapist, or other qualified professional. If you feel you need additional support, reaching out to a trusted professional can be an important step.

And if today simply means getting through the day and caring for your baby, that’s enough too. Tomorrow is another small step on the journey of motherhood. 🤍

2. 

   As a Chicagoland mom of three and a postpartum doula for many years, I’ve seen how powerful community and connection can be for families. These are the longest, shortest years—and the work of raising children is some of the most meaningful we will ever do. Here’s to your journey and the sacred unfolding of it🤍