Frequently Asked Questions

Enrollment & Signing Up for Class

  • There is no minimum age for joining class. We have moms that start very soon after birth and some that wait until their baby has their first shots. Each mom's preference and their family is so unique. We suggest that you think a lot about your personality (will it feel stressful for you to need to get out of the door with a young baby or is it stress-relieving for you to have plans and be around other people?) and discuss with your pediatrician if you aren't sure when to join!

  • We open enrollment for our classes in 3 stages. First, about 6 weeks prior to the first class, we open enrollment for mamas that are currently in class at the Nest. (That way, once you are a part of our program, you are guaranteed a spot in class with your friends - as long as you sign up on time!) Next, we open enrollment to moms who have pre-registered for class. Last, we put the enrollment on our website.

  • No! The earlier you can preregister, the better, but it’s never too late! We always do our very best to accommodate as many mamas as we can. If you do find that the class you'd like to join is sold out, please email us to be placed on the waitlist. We are often able to get moms in off of our waitlist, and if we can’t get you in this session we will make sure you get into a group the following session.

  • Right now we don’t offer moms the option to pre-pay for an entire year, however, the majority of our moms do stay with the Nest for baby’s first 12-18 months! Halfway through each series of classes you attend you will get a link to enroll for the next series and we offer returning moms discounted pricing.

  • We don't allow drop-ins because of the nature of our classes. Our moms form a close community and relationship with one another and we often discuss sensitive issues: marriage after baby, vaginal recovery, feelings of overwhelm, etc. To make sure moms have a "safe space" to share, we can't allow drop-ins. In addition, our classes often sell out, so we just don't have open chairs for single class drop-ins! We are always happy to talk with you over the phone and tell you more about our program or answer any specific questions you have, though!

  • Yes! Please enroll in the class according to your baby's age on the first day of the session. If you are hoping to move ahead with friends or stay behind in a class that your baby is too "old" for, please just email us and let us know! We are super flexible and want to make class work for you so can often make this happen, but it helps us to know your situation ahead of time so that we can make sure the class will be a good fit for you and will work for everyone in your group!

  • At the Nest, 10 and 11 month old parents get to choose which class is the best fit for them! Click here to read the descriptions of the groups. The mommy and me classes are more focused on parent education, whereas the toddler group is more focused on baby/toddler playtime! If your baby is super busy: crawling/climbing/standing, the toddler class may be more appropriate for you. If your baby can still pretty calmly play with toys on a mat, crawling but not yet super busy, mommy and me is likely a better fit for you!

  • Please email us to get on the waitlist! We are often able to get multiple mamas in from our waitlist, and also often open up extra classes if waitlists get long enough!

Information About Our Classes

  • During our baby classes, we start by singing the welcome song. Next, mommies will hear the week's top tips and learn the week's baby signs. We have a set calendar for each session with either a topic discussion, activity, or an expert guest speaker. We end with "check in" time to ask questions of each another and discuss parenting issues that have come up throughout the week... your baby's sleep schedule or lack thereof, how and when to create a routine, ways to stimulate your baby throughout the day, the joys of teething, introducing solids, how to spot growth spurts and much more!

  • The Nest offers one working mom group on Monday evenings. This is a fantastic group of women within the Nest community who are navigating through motherhood and how that is impacting their work life! We discuss all the same things as normal Nest groups but also share and support each other through challenging conversations at work, logistics of being a working parent and all the mom guilt! You'll get more tips once you start class, but for the 5:30 class we recommend bringing baby's dinner and their pajamas to class. That way you can feed them, change them, and drive straight home for an easy bedtime. ;) We always want moms to be stress-free in regards to the timing of class, but this is especially true in our working mama classes! Don't stress if you'll regularly need to leave early or come late because of your work schedule.

  • In these classes, topics are specifically catered to mamas with an older child or older children. Topics may include: fostering positive sibling relationships, finding time for everyone, tackling tricky conversations with big kids, and more. We will talk about the babies but in the context of their whole family which leads to lots of conversations about our big kids as well!

  • This class is appropriate for kiddos who are getting to be too "busy" for our baby classes. Each week, the instructor sets up developmentally appropriate toys and activities, intentionally targeting fine & gross motor skills, pretend play, language development and social interaction. It's very fun and interactive - a mixture of music, play, and parenting discussions/support! In addition to the unstructured play time and our routine of songs each week, there is also a snack/discussion time and a "check-in" time to address parenting questions and needs. We discuss things like, “why is my child hitting?” “How can I get my toddler to eat a variety of foods?” and “How do I teach my tot to share?”

  • You'll get an email from your instructor a week before class starts with all of the info on what to bring and where to go! But... just yourself, your baby, and your diaper bag. We will have nursing pillows, a diaper changing pad, a scale, and comfy chairs and mats. In our 5-11 month classes, we have toys for your active babies to play with! In our toddler playtime classes, you'll bring a snack to the first class but we have all of the fun activities and a craft set up.

  • Because of the sensitive nature of many of our discussions and the priority that we place on creating a safe space for the parents in our classes, we ask that enrolled parents do not bring guests.

  • We like to ensure that the babies get focused time with their mama during class, and also work hard to keep our environment as germ-free and safe for the babies as possible. For these reasons, we can't allow siblings in class.

  • Each series of classes at the Nest always has a fresh calendar with different topics/guest speakers....so you can stay with the Nest for baby's first 18 months and will be always learning new resources and tips to add to your mommy bag of tricks. ;) Among the topics we cover over the course of a year are: sleep, feeding, babyproofing, soothing your baby, relationships after baby, preschools, self-care and more! In our 2nd/3rd time mom classes we also talk about sibling relationships and parenting issues that may arise with the older children, and in our working mommy classes we talk about issues specific to the working mama: traveling for work, breaking the maternal wall, balancing career and family and more.