San Diego Perinatal (Pregnancy and Postpartum) Support Groups
PLEASE NOTE: Community groups are not vetted by PHA and, as a result, PHA does not endorse any of the below groups or the information that may be shared within them. We do our best to update this list regularly, but please contact facilitators ahead of time to learn more and verify all information.
Browse our ever-growing list of educational, support, and therapeutic groups below.
If you are unable to find what you are looking for, please contact our warmline and a trained PHA volunteer would be happy to assist you in finding a support group near you.
If you would like to add a perinatal support group to our resource page, please email info@postpartumhealthalliance.org.
COVID Resources: In response to local health recommendations, many facilitators have moved their groups online. Please view our NEW list of virtual support groups below.
IN-PERSON SUPPORT GROUPS
PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, community health officials strongly discourage in-person gatherings of any size. For this reason, many community support groups have temporarily suspended services or moved online. Due to this rapidly evolving situation, we strongly encourage you to contact facilitators ahead of time to verify all information and vet safety protocols.
Banker’s Hill
Milestones Mommy + Me (Temporarily Online)
Open to all moms with babies 0-12 months; this is an 8-week, supportive + educational group series designed to help you combat information overload, navigate your experience, and surround yourself with people who “get it.” Created and facilitated by Renata Cameron, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and mom of two, each 8-week series meets once a week for 90 minutes. Located at the Future Generations’ Center for Healthy Families – 3355 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103. Group registration opens monthly. www.sdmommyandme.com
Daring Women: Daring Greatly (Please Contact)
This group is based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown around shame, vulnerability and courage. The curriculum is designed to help participants develop greater self-awareness and gain new skills and comfort with having the permission and courage to show up and be seen.
This group would be a good fit for anyone who struggles with perfectionism, scarcity mindset, comparison or feeling not enough– themes we see so often in reproductive and perinatal mental health. This is an 8 week workshop that meets on Thursday mornings April 9 – May 28 from 10:30am – 12:30pm. Cost is $550. Contact Rachel Rabinor, LCSW for more information and registration: rachel@rachelrabinor.com
City Heights
New Parent Support Group (Temporarily Suspended)
Fridays (4:00- 5:30 pm) the Center for Community Counseling will be holding a weekly new parent support group. We invite parents and their children (0-24 mos old) to discuss relevant topics to their transitions into and experiences with parenthood. Topics will include but aren’t limited to building strong family connections, self-care, and creating support. There is a suggested donation of $12, however, there are accommodations that we are happy to make for those who cannot afford the fee.
If anyone is interested in learning more about the group and waitlist, please contact the CCCE either by e-mail at csp@ccce@gmail.com or by phone at 619-594-4918. Please be sure to leave contact information so we can get back to you as soon as possible. Our clinic is located at 4283 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego CA 92105. For further information on the clinic, please go to http://www.centerforcommunitycounseling.org.
Clairemont
NICU Families Support Group (Please Contact)
Many parents are on auto-pilot while their babies are hospitalized and it is only after they go home that the traumatic effect starts to be felt. Learning how to adjust to life after the NICU can be difficult. Join us for a monthly support group specifically for parents who have experienced the NICU. In this safe place, you can share your story, express your fears and celebrate your progress with other parents who uniquely understand what you have been through. Every 3rd Tuesday of the month from 6-7:30PM , please call to pre-register 619-219-4313 carafairfaxlcsw@gmail.com
Little Frogs and Polliwogs (Moved Online)
Support and education for mother of crawlers and walkers who are coping with depression and anxiety. Education is based on positive parenting and nurtures the child/parent attachment. Join us for a safe, honest conversation about the realities of parenting a very young child. Learn how to cope with and manage behavior changes in your young child and understand why they behave the way they do. Cara, Early Childhood and Family Therapist, facilitates this group on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Space is limited for each group. Please call to learn more and find out which group has openings. Please call to pre-register 619-219-4313 carafairfaxlcsw@gmail.com
Downtown
Circle of Security Parenting Group (Moved Online)
At times all parents feel lost or without a clue about what our child might need from us. Imagine what it might feel like if you were able to make sense of what your child was really asking from you. The Circle of Security® Parenting™ program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. More information, upcoming dates, and contact info online at: www.jillianearlylcsw.com/circl
Encinitas
The New Mom School (In Person Classes)
Our life-changing classes equip you with everything you need to know as a new mom. Moms are placed in a class based on their baby’s birth month so that all moms are experiencing the same phase in motherhood. Our team of experts is comprised of the very best in the community who visit your class throughout the series bringing the most current, research-based information to help support you through your journey as a new mom. Each week you will learn so much more than you ever expected or thought you needed to know, all while making lifelong friends, strengthening the bond with your baby and of course laughing and crying! Let’s just be honest, there’s a lot of crying after a new baby. So, while everyone (including you) is focused on your new baby, we focus on you! Each class series is 10 weeks and meets for 90 minutes each week. To view the schedule and register for class, visit: https://thenewmomschool.com/encinitas-classes/. Email hi@newmomschool.com with any questions!
General Support Group (Temporarily Suspended)
A general support group for new moms to discuss the changes and challenges of new parenthood. For more information email info@headwaytherapygroup.com.
Postpartum Therapy Group (Temporarily Suspended)
A support group for moms struggling with depression or anxiety. In this group, you will learn the importance of coping skills and self-care; understand how you have changed; improve your relationship with your partner; and developing your attachment with your baby. For more information, email info@headwaytherapygroup.com.
Bringing Baby Home Group (Temporarily Suspended)
An educational group to help support parents adapt to the challenges of growing their family and building a solid relationship foundation to support one other. For more information, email info@headwaytherapygroup.com.
Moms in Bloom (Please Contact)
Hillcrest
Transitions Women’s Group (Please Contact)
Are you going through a life transition, such as a new relationship, the birth of a child, divorce, parenting challenges, medical condition, menopause, empty nest, or loss of a loved one? We all go through periods in our life when a little extra support could be helpful. Our goal is to create a community of women in support of one another as we re-define identities, build self-awareness and esteem, take on new roles, or adjust to life stages. In doing so, we hope to identify and work towards our preferred ways of living and engaging with the world around us.
Email Mona to reserve your spot. Fee: $300 (prepaid) Duration: Ten 90-minute weekly sessions. Group Facilitator: Mona Klausing, LMFT, Licensed Therapist & Co-Director NISD Counseling: 3636 Fifth Avenue, Suite 104, San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: 619-786-5850; Email: mona@nisdcounseling.org, Web: www.monaklausing.com
Modern Dating & Relationships, A Group of Women (Please Contact)
What does it mean to be in a relationship? What does it mean to be a partner? How do I maintain and develop my individual identity while playing an active role in my intimate relationship? If you are a woman age 18-34 and have ever asked yourself the above questions, you are in the right place. Join us in building a community of women who are eager to explore their relationships with themselves and their partners in a safe, collaborative space. Weekly topics include relationships in the media, relationships in social context, nontraditional relationships, technology and relationships. There are eight weekly sessions on Saturdays from 2:00-3:30pm. $80 prepaid (payment plan available) or $10/session. Facilitated by Elana Richmond and Rachel Tumlos, pre-licensed marriage and family therapists working under the supervision of NISD Co-Director, Mona Klausing, LMFT #101243. Located at 3636 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor, San Diego, CA 92103. Call or email to reserve a spot: 619-786-7184 or info@nisdcounseling.org.
Kearny Mesa
Postpartum Support Group (Temporarily Online)
A FREE Postpartum Support Group at the Sharp Mary Birch Outpatient Pavilion- Room A & B at 5075 Health Center Drive, San Diego CA 92123. No registration needed, drop-ins welcomed! For questions, call 858-939-4141. Groups held on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:00 am.
Basic Training for New Dads (Please Contact)
Expectant fathers enjoy an informal, hands-on class that provides practical information and a real boost of confidence about handling the baby’s impending arrival. Participants connect with other expectant dads, and also have the opportunity to talk with a “veteran dad” who has been through the class and brings his infant with him to the class. Dads-to-be get to hear directly from the new dad about his experience—and practice diapering, swaddling, soothing, and burping the baby.
Classes will be held in the La Jolla/UTC area. Participants will be notified of the specific location in advance of the class.
The location will be outside & socially distanced in a park. A mask requirement will be strictly enforced.
La Mesa
Postpartum Support Group (Temporarily Online)
Free support group Monday at 9 am at the Sharp Grossmont Women’s Center, run by Lori Alford, LCSW. For more information please call 619.740.3483
Postpartum Support Group at San Diego Breastfeeding Center (Temporarily Suspended)
https://www.sdbfc.com/support-groups
Well Mamas Tribe (Moved Online)
Build your tribe of support to ease your transition with your new baby. Develop and practice new coping strategies to reduce feelings of insecurity and fear in your role as a mama. Gain confidence and skills to better bond with your baby during 4 hands on coaching session that cover topics such as reading your babies cues, sleep/feeding support and infant massage. 8-week group. Sundays 1:30-3pm. Cost $240. Facilitated by Claudia Rios-Gastelum, LMFT & Itzel Ballew, LMFT www.wellmamastribe.com
Well Mamas Tribe (en Español) (Moved Online)
Construir tu grupo de apoyo-la tribu maternal-para reducir el estres durante tu transition maternal. Desarrollar y practicar nuevas estrategias para reducir inseguridades y temores que bienen a raiz de tener un bebe. Crea confianza y habilidades para vincularse mejor con su bebé durante la sesiónes de entrenamiento que cubre temas como entender las señales de sus bebé y el masaje infantil. 8 semanas. Lunes 6-7:30pm. Tarifa $240. Este grupo esta facilitado por terapeutas familiares que son bilingües (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists): Claudia Rios-Gastelum, LMFT #97284 y
Itzel Ballew, LMFT #101210. www.wellmamastribe.com
Point Loma
New Mothers Support (Please Contact)
New Mothers Support Group, Kaiser Permanente, Point Loma. A FREE group for the public and for Kaiser members. Offered on the third Thursday of the month from 1-2:30pm. Call 619-221-6114 for more information.
Point Loma – NTC
Journey of the Lotus Postpartum Support Class (Temporarily Suspended)
A space where Postpartum mOMs and mOMs experiencing Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorders can come and feel safe, supported, move, connect, ground and share their practice with baby. This support class takes mOM on a journey to a mindful recovery, each class is designed to explore the important matters of the path, providing tools and resources while building a blooming community. Using powerful tools such as Peer Support, Breath-Mindfulness, mOMmy-Baby Yoga and Reiki, the path of recovery is much stronger. The Benefits are endless. Newborns up to pre-crawling (around 9moths in age) are welcomed. I asked that you are cleared from your physician to practice yoga. Anywhere from 3 weeks post delivery vaginal birth, 5-8 for C-section. Class Details: Every Tuesday at 11am. Location: Co/Create Community 4031 Pacific Hwy. San Diego, Ca. Cost: $11. Class updates on Instagram. @diana.curiel.bamford and Website: https://www.thejourneyofthelotus.com/journey-of-the-lotus-8-part-petal-p
South Park
Baby Garten New Mom Support Group (Please Contact)
Free Moms Support Group led by Jaimi Martin, LCSW. This group is a FREE group for New Moms held every Wednesday of each month from 1:15pm – 2:15pm. Usually guest speakers are present. Babies welcome! Located at the Baby Garten Studio, 1947 30th Street, South Park CA 92102. For questions or to RSVP, please email jaimi@womanhoodcounseling.com.
Vista
Breastfeeding Support Groups
Due to this rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly encourage you to contact facilitators ahead of time to verify all information and vet safety protocols.
Mission Valley
Breastfeeding Support
Free support group to new breastfeeding mothers. The support group is held every Tuesday from 10:30am-12:00pm by Heather Shabestari, BS, IBCLC, CLEC at Hapa Yoga studio, 4242 Camino Del Rio N #10, San Diego, CA 92108. Facilitator answers questions new mothers may have and provides a baby scale to the participants. Drop in’s welcome.
North Park
Boobies and Babies
Lactation consultant supported group
Open house style, Tuesday’s 2:30-4pm Weigh in available
https://clients.
University Heights
Breastfeeding Support
Free support group to ALL New Mothers – breastfeeding or otherwise. The support group is held every Wednesday from 11am – 1230pm led by a Certified Lactation Educator. The group is held at Nature’s Whisper Yoga Studio, 4205 Park Blvd San Diego, CA 92103. Pre/Post feed weights, supply issues, difficulty latching, concerns about weight gain, returning to work and pumping, weaning, breastfeeding supplies for sale, meet other Moms and discuss any and all topics related to Mothering. Contact info@mothertomothermidwifery.com.
Infertility Support Groups
Due to this rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly encourage you to contact facilitators ahead of time to verify all information and vet safety protocols.
Escondido
This group is for a woman at any point in her infertility journey. It is a safe place to share and get support for the impact of infertility on your life, and to learn coping strategies for the emotional, physical and relational stresses of reproductive difficulties. You will learn and practice techniques for relaxation and focus based on mind/body work. In addition, you will receive information and support in the areas of self-esteem, decision-making, relationship difficulties, and preventing and managing anxiety and depression. Cost is $50/group ($45 with code PHA15). Six session commitment and registration required. Located at127 East Third Avenue, Suite 201, Escondido, CA 92025. Current group held Mondays at 6:00PM. Contact: Rachael Stracka, LCSW at inpsychcenter@gmail.com or 760.489.1092
Mission Valley
“Trying to Conceive”
Fee: $20 per individual/$30 per couple
Date: Every Wednesday from 6:00-7:00
Location: 2333 Camino Del Rio S, #160, San Diego, CA 92108
Contact Info: kirsten.badre@gmail.com or 619-798-6106
Website: www.kbadre.com
Banker’s Hill
6-week Mind-Body Fertility Support Group
For women experiencing primary or secondary infertility. The group focuses on both skills and support, offering women coping strategies for the anxiety, stress, loneliness and isolation that so often accompany the fertility journey.
In addition we explore issues related to fertility challenges, including the impact on identity, self-esteem, sexuality and relationships.
April: 17, 24
May: 1, 8, 15 and 29 (No group on 5/22)
Time: 12:15 – 1:45pm — Please feel free to bring your lunch
Cost: $300 for 6-week group (or $60 per group*)
Location: Banker’s Hill, San Diego
Maximum Group Size: Ten. This group is intentionally kept small to provide an intimate environment for maximum connection and benefit for participants.
Registration: An intake is required for all new clients. Intake appointments last 45 – 50 minutes and can be scheduled in-person, by phone or by video. There is a $130 fee for the intake appointment.
* Cigna insurance accepted
Perinatal Loss Support Groups
Due to this rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly encourage you to contact facilitators ahead of time to verify all information and vet safety protocols.
SD County (multiple locations)
Empty Cradle
Our monthly group meetings provide a forum for the open discussion of feelings and concerns. Parents are free to share in whatever way is most comfortable for them. Although there are no simple answers to the complex emotions surrounding the death of a baby, mutual reassurance is obtained in the group setting. We offer 5 peer support meetings at 5 different locations each month. www.emptycradle.com
North Park
Perinatal Loss Group