Group Prenatal Care
An in-depth, interactive approach to prenatal care at Cooley Dickinson OBGYN & Midwifery
Check-ups, support and education in a group setting, where partners and co-parents are encouraged to attend!
Each group starts when folks are between 20-26 weeks and finishes when they are 32-38 weeks pregnant. Each session includes group discussion, and time to ask questions. The first half hour is belly checks with a provider, followed by activities, facilitated discussions, and time for questions.
Why Group Prenatal Care?
- Get to know other expectant parents
- Create a support network for pregnancy and beyond
- Opportunities to share and discuss pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting
- Seven, every-other-week sessions replace individual prenatal appointments while the session is running
- Two-hour sessions that start and end promptly
- Meet with the same provider each session
From Recent Patients:
“We opted into Group Prenatal Care in the second trimester, as a way to meet other parents-to-be and have more time with the midwives. It was a very positive experience. During one particularly memorable meeting about halfway through the six bi-weekly sessions, we talked about how to ask for and receive help postpartum, and the emotional landscape during this time. It was meaningful to hear that others were having similar feelings– dealing with similar choices, experiences, highs and lows. And the icing on the cake: the crew of babies! I will always cherish the memory of our joyous cohort reunion, with nine fresh humans in tow.”
– Melissa, Mom of Lucy (click here to read the full testimonial)
“I can honestly say attending Group Prenatal Care at Cooley is one of the best things my husband and I have ever done for ourselves. We were on the fence about joining, but being newer transplants to the area we thought it might help us meet some more people about to enter parenthood. We’re almost one year into being parents and a subset of our prenatal group are now our best parent friends.”
– Sara Young, Mom of Paloma (click here to read the full testimonial)
2025 Group Schedule
Group 1: Midwife Tara Starling | For due dates between 2/3/25 and 3/16/25
October 24 (2024), November 7, 21 (2024), December 5, 19 (2024), January 2, 16, 2025 (Thursdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 2: Midwife Rachel Marino | For due dates between 3/17/25 and 4/27/25
December 11 (2024), January 8, 22, February 5, 19, March 5, 19 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 3: Midwife Sara Eggemeier | For due dates between 4/28/25 and 6/8/25
January 15, 29, February 12, 26, March 12, 26, April 9 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 4: Midwife Amy Walker | For due dates between 6/9/25 and 7/20/25
(Thursday) March 6, (Thursday) March 20, April 2, 16, 30, May 14, 28 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm, except where noted)
Group 5: Midwife Tara Starling | For due dates between 7/21/25 and 8/31/25
April 10, 24, May 8, 22, June 5, 19, July 3 (Thursdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 6: Midwife Rachel Marino | For due dates between 9/1/25 and 10/12/25
May 21, June 4, 18, July 2, 16, 30, August 13 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 7: Midwife Amy Walker | For due dates between 10/13/25 and 11/23/25
June 25, July 9, 23, August 6, 20, September 3, 17 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm)
Group 8: Midwife Sara Eggemeier | For due dates between 11/24/25 and 1/4/26
August 27, September 10, 24, October 8, 22, November 5, 19 (Wednesdays, 6 – 8 pm)
To Register
Ask our front desk team to schedule you at your next appointment, or call us at 413-586-9866.
Questions?
Email Grace at obgynmidwiferyprograms@cooleydickinson.org with your name and due date. Use the subject “Group Prenatal Care.”