In the U.S., our medical system is focused on keeping mothers and babies safe, but it was never designed to guide families through the realities of early parenthood. Appointments are rushed. The focus is clinical. And when it comes to preparing for life with a baby, most parents are left turning to Google, TikTok, or Reddit to fill the gaps.

I'm Georgia Kastaris, the founder of Expecting Together, and I discovered just how stark this gap was when I found myself pregnant in London in 2023, 3,000 miles from my and my husband's support networks. Instead of the isolation I had braced for, I encountered something I had never seen back home: a system of prenatal social clubs where parents were brought together by due date, location, and shared experience. Learning was paired with community. Guidance came not only from experts, but from the comfort of sitting alongside others going through the same thing at the same time.

Watching first-time parents leave these sessions with both practical knowledge and genuine friendships made me realize what American families were missing. We had somehow created a system where one of life's most universal experiences had become profoundly lonely.

That gap is where Expecting Together was born.

We create prenatal social clubs that bring expecting couples together by due date, geography, and shared values. Each group is led by experienced nurses and educators who provide expert guidance, but just as importantly, a trusted space for real conversations. Parents walk away with both practical knowledge and a built-in community to lean on through the first months of family life.

I built Expecting Together because I had seen what parents elsewhere receive, and I knew families in America deserved that too. We are starting local, in Chicago, but our vision is national. Because parenthood should not feel isolating—it should feel connected and supported, with the right education and community by your side.

With gratitude,

Georgia