When I was on the Bowmanville Garden Walk last year, before I even got pregnant, I noticed Family…read morePicnic in the neighborhood as I was walking around. I made note of it in hopes that I'd successfully achieve a pregnancy and might check out the programs here, and once I was pregnant signed up for their mailing list. They offer a variety of services from doula and lactation support, childbirth and early childhood classes, to various parent & baby groups. I was here because I attended a music program for babies that was held here and hosted by a partner organization. The space is really lovely and welcoming to parents and children; there are gathering spaces, chairs, pillows, and whatnot. You'll need to take your shoes off when you enter so don't wear lace up thigh high boots! There are great east facing windows that let in enough light that I think when I was here we didn't even have the lights on. I'd like to attend a group that they have here (and as of September 2023 they have a check-in offer for just that, so I hope to use it soon!). The other two parent/baby groups at the music class we went to have been in attendance here because they knew one another, and it would be great to have a community closer to my neighborhood. Parking is ample--it's not a permit zone on Damen itself, though I'm not sure about the side streets. I'd encourage any new parent to see what they have to offer.

My husband and I recently took the 5 week labor class, a breastfeeding class, and a new parent…read moreclass, and it was a wonderful experience all around. The owners/class facilitators are so welcoming and kind, and we learned so much as soon to be first time parents. I really liked the small group feel and that there was no judgment, they really encourage everyone to make choices that work best for them and their baby. It is also very affordable compared to some other classes I looked at. I would highly recommend all of the classes, especially the 5 week series, to any new parents in Chicagoland that want to understand the labor and delivery process better and learn about all the potential choices you'll be making together,

Being newer to Chicago, I was very excited about meeting new moms and making friends. I was able to…read morenot only accomplish this, but was able to learn a lot from Linda. She is extremely knowledgeable on all baby/mama topics and has lots of resources (including local ones) to share. I highly recommend this group and will plan on doing it again if/when it is time for baby #2. Thank you Linda!!

This group was one of the best things for my postpartum experience. Linda is full of so much…read moreknowledge and wisdom and led the group in a way that was informative, structured and non-judgmental, but also allowed the group to flow into different topics of conversation depending on wha was on everyone's minds that day. Linda provides weekly recaps after each meeting with helpful links and resources. My group has stayed in touch beyond the session concluding and I am thrilled to have some mom friends in the city with babies of similar ages!

Sandra has been beyond helpful! We were struggling with how to best parent our 4 year old - from…read moredefiant behavior to staying in bed to not listening. Enter Sandra. She's a real life Supernanny without the cameras. Her approach is based on the RIE method which was new to us. We have had her come to our home weekly for the past 2 months and the change is noticeable. She will step in and coach you through how to both acknowledge your child's feelings and assert your role as a parent in a loving way. We can't imagine where we'd be without her! She's been instrumental in helping us become patient, understanding parents. Although we are still learning but we definitely are on the right path thanks to her guidance. If only we had called earlier.....

We met with Sandra to help with our two year old as we were having major bedtime struggles. Our…read moredaughter was going to bed at 11pm in our bed because she was resisting sleep so much. We were all beyond tired (also having a newborn who was waking through the night) and at a loss of how to get back on track. Sandra immediately assessed our situation and started sharing some parent coaching tips to help us know how to respond to our daughter's protests (and more importantly said, her needs). Sandra also followed up with articles and podcasts, all of which were beyond helpful. I have to say that Sandra left us with not only hope that things would get better if we continued her recommendations, but relief that we didn't have to resort to external tactics (we were using a sticker chart as reward for sleep and it was failing miserably). Instead, we found that we as loving parents have the power to respond in certain ways to help meet our daughter's needs. She started going to sleep around 9pm within days of having Sandra over. That is still later than we like but after a lot of work and many weeks we have reached a spot where our daughter no longer protests bedtime. And just yesterday she told me when she was tired and ready to go to bed! It has been a difficult journey and we probably could have gotten there sooner had we done more work with Sandra and sooner. I am so happy that what Sandra has shared with us can now be useful for other situations as well such as potty-training.

I contacted Janeen as our 9 month year old son was waking up every couple of hours, so I ended up…read moreco-sleeping as it was easier (and I did love it) but I was so over getting woken constantly to nurse him back to sleep all the time. I was exhausted and crabby and the situation had to change. He also took really short naps and as he freaked out so much whenever we tried to put him in his crib, I was nursing him to sleep in the bed and watching the monitor like a hawk for every nap and at bedtime until I would join him. I was always worried he would roll off the end of the bed or get trapped at the edges which were pushed up against the wall with the crib pushed up on the other side. So even his short nap times weren't much of a break for me, I had to sit pretty quietly close to the monitor, staring at it every few minutes with the sound on max. Quite a crazy situation I got myself into! And this was my second child! So not my first rodeo, but the first slept like a dream right away. I knew what needed to happen, he needed to learn to put himself back to sleep, not through me nursing him. And he needed to sleep in his crib. I read a lot of sleep books, and searched the internet for solutions. I didn't know which way to go, I tried CIO without a plan and it didn't work out and I just felt terrible. I tried the no-cry solutions and they didn't do much for me. I needed a one-person coach to guide me. Janeen came to our house and gave some tips on what to change with our son's sleeping arrangements. One change we made had an immediate effect, Jack took a 3 hour nap that afternoon! The first few nights of CIO with check ins (our plan chosen over 3 suggested options) were hard, but he put himself back to sleep from the very first night. I heard him wake 4 times and only nursed him once. For about a week I nursed him once, and then he started sleeping right through from 7pm-7am!!! We could not believe it. And now he takes really long naps and I am getting so much more done! I'm feeling so much better. I don't worry he's going to suffocate or roll off the bed constantly, it's such a relief. I loved having Janeen to email every day for the 2 week period, I asked tons of questions and always got a reply pretty quickly, even on the weekend days. I also had an excel chart to fill out each day which was a really helpful tool to get Jack on a schedule and to see the progress. I cannot recommend her enough! She was very nice and personable when I met her and I tell all of my mom friends with similar problems she's the lady to go to if you want to go this route. I am eternally grateful! I understand this might seem like quite an expense to some families, but for all the time she spent with coming to our house and then emailing and for all the tools I was given, it was priceless. There is so much information out there, and so many friends and family members with opinions and solutions, but if you just want a clear route with an expert with immediate and lasting results, Janeen is the answer.

We had an incredible experience with Janeen. We were basically zombies because our daughter was…read morewaking up every 90 minutes during the night. After two nights our daughter was sleeping through the night with one dream feed. Janeen was really accommodating-- and gave us various options using gentle methods. She also answered all of our questions in a timely fashion and gave us good feedback and tips throughout the two week process. I really felt in good hands and we are in such a better place as a family as a result. I highly recommend Janeen for all your baby sleep (and parent sleep) needs!

Martha and her team have made me a better mom. I was struggling with postpartum anxiety and my…read morehusband was looking for any resources to help me. I never thought that I would have care for my newborn or that that would be something that I would need. I reluctantly agreed to have Martha come for one evening and see how I felt, and my journey to motherhood has never been the same since. Martha, Shirley, peace, amma, Doreen and Esther all took care of my daughter, with the love that a parent would have for their own child. In addition to this, they taught me so much! They helped me with learning how to properly feed my daughter, how much food she needed, talk to me through some of my health anxieties, helped me enhance my daughter's development, and worked with my daughter to become a great sleeper. All of this while I was able to get good rest and be a better mom. I am eternally thankful for Martha and her team and if we are lucky enough to have another child, they will be my first call. If I could give one piece of advice to any new parents it would be to use Chicago Newborn Care.

Martha and her team are absolutely wonderful. Our baby went from refusing a bottle and pacifier,…read moreonly contact napping during the day, and giving us inconsistent nights. Thanks to Martha, Shirley, and Peace, our baby takes a bottle and pacifier, naps in her crib, and has been sleeping much better at night. They all go above and beyond in continuing to support us, help with our baby's schedule, and answer our questions. I couldn't recommend them more! Martha and team are very kind and knowledgeable and great at what they do.

Sydney and Pippin were amazing resources. They came in at a critical time at the end of my…read morepregnancy and made me feel like I had known them the whole time. Their support in the last few weeks when new questions came up was invaluable. They shared unbiased resources and helped me to make my own personal decisions and design questions to ask my midwife team. During delivery Pippin was a godsend. She gave my partner the support he needed to feel empowered and breaks to help keep him strong while at the same time not overstepping or interfering. Her presence was so soothing both during and after birth. We feel so lucky to have found Pippin and Sydney. I highly recommend them for any pregnant person looking for labor support!

My gratitude for Third Coast knows no bounds! I loved their three person team approach and felt so…read moresupported by not one but three knowledgeable and kind women. I thought doulas mostly just helped you during your delivery but no, they were with me the WHOLE time. Throughout my entire pregnancy Lauren, Shawna, and Renee were there to answer questions, give me resources, and talk me through my fears and concerns. When my son was born and had to go to the NICU, they stayed in close contact with me the whole time. I never felt like a client but like a friend that they cared for. What a gift. And then when my baby came home (he's doing great!) that's when Lindsay and Jennie, our postpartum doulas came into our lives. Literally how can so many awesome ladies be in one company? It's really hard to hand over your newborn, especially one that's been in the hospital, but I felt so comfortable with them. They cared for him AND for me so well. I don't know what we would have done without them! Third Coast is really like family to me now. I'm so happy to have found them and had them with me on this journey.

Let me just say that Janelle is a life (and sleep saver)! I've nannied for years and saw all…read moredifferent techniques done but Janelle really takes it home. She is so great at what she does! I highly recommend her!!!

Janelle is amazing! I HIGHLY recommend her if you are a tired parent. I never thought we would get…read moremy two year old out of our bed, but with her detailed and thorough guidance we did it in under two weeks. I am so incredibly grateful for her knowledge and support she provided throughout her program. Besides my toddler sleeping indepently for 10-11 hours every night in her crib, we also got our nights back. Janelle is kind and understanding and non judgemental to anything you may have been going through with your baby, and she helps you fix even when you think it's going to be impossible for your child!

I owe everything to this institution. Back in the late 80s this place made my summer breaks…read moreworthwhile. I read the classics, mastered algebra and played a variety of team sports. This place set the foundation for my college years. Hats off to you guys. I did well and owe it all to you. Thank you.

From the owner: MEF is a nonprofit organization that offers tutoring and mentoring to Chicago students 4th-12th…read moregrade.

I recently had my first baby and worked with Brandi during my pregnancy and postpartum…read more Brandi was amazing during the entire process! She always took the initiative to check in and see how we were doing, was always proactive about sharing endless resources, was always extremely prompt in answering questions I had and providing tips and was always so positive and chirpy. As a first time mom I had so many questions and Brandi made me feel so empowered in asking questions- there was no such thing as a silly question. My birth was a dream come true and Brandi was extremely instrumental in how my experience turned out! Please do yourself a favor and hire Brandi to walk alongside you during your beautiful maternity journey.

A few days ago I delivered my second baby. Brandi gave me so much support before during and after…read morethe birth. She gave me resources and made sure I knew my rights, and helped me with pain management while pushing, held my hand and encouraged me the entire time. She still checks on me and baby which means so much to me. This was my first time having a doula and It was definitely a great experience. If I were to do it again, I would want Brandi by my side! Thank you soo much Brandi for all you've done!!