When I had my oldest, I joined a small group of new parents at a now closed coffee shop called Chhaya on Passyunk. We would gather in a nook of the shop with our babies. I always sat on this brown leather couch and we would share the joys and how no one was sleeping and how our birth experiences were and how one (or two) tiny humans could make our lives so very, very full. I felt less alone and more confident because of these new friends that I barely knew but that came into community with me each Wednesday.

I loved the baby stage with both of my beautiful kids. My second, though, was born just a couple of months into the pandemic and I missed out on the comfort of being with my family, who live a good distance away, and from almost all of my friends. There were no New Baby Groups happening, because the world was shut down, and I missed the community of other people with new babes. I missed asking if things were normal to people going through it in the moment and I missed talking about laundry piles and late night wake ups with people experiencing those “milestones”. I mostly missed meeting friends that I would forever have that bond with- at whose kids I could look at and wonder how they are already 1 or 4 years old.

So after the pandemic, though I can’t remember the exact timing, Lindsay of The Nesting House meetup (that so many of my friends attended) connected with me- or maybe I connected with her?- and we started New Baby Group at Beehive. While Lindsay is no longer with group regularly, what she started at Beehive has become pure magic 🪄 and we are so thankful. @cristinahoytnutrition and @every.body.advocacy now run our New Baby Group @beehiveupstairs with care, compassion and joy.

We are thrilled to announce that New Baby Group will now be held on both Wednesday and Fridays from 9:30-12 @beehiveupstairs ❤️ New Baby Group is and always will be free. We believe that community should not have a financial barrier. We welcome you to join us and bring your babe. We welcome you to come on time or to come late. We welcome you ❤️