Resources

 

We love connecting our clients with community resources! If you’re looking for something that you haven’t been able to find, please reach out to us and we’ll do our best to help.

Note: Unfortunately most of the written resources on this list - like most resources around pregnancy, birth, and parenting - contain cishet normative language. We will note written resources we know to use inclusive language with three asterisks***.

Jump to a topic:

Abortion

Access:

NOTE: “Womens Choice Network” is not an abortion care provider. They are a religious anti-choice organization that aims to prevent people from accessing abortion care. Read more about the (un)ethics of “pregnancy resource centers.”

Practical Support:

Emotional Support:

Legal Questions:

 Allergy Support

 Art Therapy for Expecting & New Parents

  • Virginia Perry offers virtual art sessions related to birth, parenting, and other life transitions.

Baby Sign Language

Parent wearing newborn in a baby carrier Pittsburgh postpartum doula

Babywearing

  • Laura McCarthy is a babywearing educator in Pittsburgh offering classes and hands-on appointments to learn how to wear your little one and become acquainted with different types of carriers. She also offers virtual services if you aren’t in the PGH area.

  • Plus Size Birth created a guide to the best plus size baby carriers and wraps

  • School of Babywearing created a handy checklist for the T.I.C.K.S. Rule for Safe Babywearing (PDF download). This is a great way to remember the things to check for anytime you wear your little one!

Birth Plans

  • ***Motherboard Birth is a user-friendly resource for creating a birth plan. (All our birth doula clients get a free account to build their birth plan!)

  • ***The book Transformed by Birth by Britta Bushnell, Ph.D. has a wonderful chapter about creating a birth plan that we highly recommend (along with the whole book!)

Birth Trauma & Recovering from a Difficult Birth

Birthing in a Larger Body

Black parents playing with toddler and laughing Pittsburgh birth doula

Black Birthing Families

Pittsburgh resources:

  • The Birthing Hut is a group of Black doulas and educators offering 1:1 support for families, as well as Blacktivist Birthkeeper Training for aspiring Black doulas.

  • Brown Mamas is a Pittsburgh-based grassroots organization created by and for Black moms. They have a working moms support group and offer mentorship opportunities.

  • Elephant Song Doulas is a collective of Black birth workers in Pittsburgh offering birth and postpartum doula support, culturally relevant childbirth education, and lactation support. Check out their founder Kie on TikTok.

  • Healthy Start Center for Urban Breastfeeding is an organization in Allegheny County providing 1:1 lactation care for Black parents. They also offer classes and have a home visiting program.

  • Jeaonna Hodges is a Black traditional midwife serving clients of every background in the greater Pittsburgh area. They are also an experienced doula and lactation counselor, and their team is staffed by Black birth workers and wellness professionals.

  • Kangaroo Birthing & Maternity Concierge offers individual and group support for growing families, as well as postpartum meal services.

  • Mahogany Harrington is a Black yoga instructor in Pittsburgh offering prenatal yoga classes. Learn more about her on our blog!

  • Masters of Maternity is a Black-owned tech startup connecting expecting parents in Pennsylvania with local resources.

  • Melanin Mommies PGH centers historically marginalized Black pregnant or parenting mothers, helping to address and overcome intergenerational trauma. They have programs to support mental health and teach Black infants and kids how to swim.

  • Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle offers weekly support for Black nursing parents, hosted by Ngozi D. Tibbs, IBCLC

  • ***Selena Eisenberg is a Pittsburgh-based Black traditional midwife and educator. Learn more about them on our blog!

  • ***SisTers PGH: a Black and trans led non-profit organization that serves QTBIPOC (Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Color) trans, and nonbinary people in Southwestern PA

  • Yoga Motif is a Black-owned yoga studio in Pittsburgh offering virtual prenatal yoga classes.

Online support groups & other resources:

See also: Rights in childbirth

Books for Parents

Preparing for birth and new parenthood:

Parenting your baby:

As your little one gets older:

Parents kissing during c-section PIttsburgh Magee doula

Cesarean Birth

  • ***Prepare for a Mindful Cesarean Birth is a beautiful article written by one of our mentors, Virginia Perry. This resource explains what to expect in the operating room during a cesarean birth, as well as ways to bring love, intention, and connection when welcoming a baby via c-section.

  • How to Have the Best Cesarean is an article written by Sarah Buckley, MD, an internationally-renowned expert on the hormones of birth. She discusses the differences between what parents’ and babies’ bodies physically “expect” from the birthing process, how cesarean births differ, and ways families can bridge the “hormonal gap” to promote recovery and bonding in the early postpartum time.

  • ***Motherboard Birth offers thorough educational resources to help parents understand their options for a cesarean birth, and even create a cesarean birth plan. Whether a c-section is your plan A, B, or Z, it can be beneficial to have a cesarean birth plan on hand just in case.

  • This article about family centered cesarean births can be a helpful resource if you know in advance that you will be birthing by cesarean

  • Evidence Based Birth published an article on the evidence for skin-to-skin after a cesarean birth. It discusses how the current widespread practice of routinely separating parents from babies after birth stacks up against the evidence.

  • The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) is a great resource for parents who birth by cesarean. Whether planning for or recovering from a cesarean, hoping for a VBAC, or overcoming an emotionally difficult birth, you'll find education and support here.

  • Special Scars, Special Hope is an organization providing resources for people who have uterine scars other than the typical “low transverse” scar common with cesarean births. They share articles and birth stories, and they have a Facebook support group.

See VBAC section below for resources concerning vaginal birth after cesarean.

Parent securing baby in car seat Pittsburgh postpartum doula

Child Safety

Car seats:

Some experts estimate that up to 90% of car seats in the US are installed/used unsafely!

Here’s what you can do to make sure your car seats are safe:

We highly recommend working with someone one-on-one to learn how to properly install your baby’s car seat!

  • PaTECHS maintains a list of car seat fitting stations in/around Pittsburgh staffed by certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs)

  • Amanda Cagle is CPST who offers virtual car seat education and installation sessions. She can help you become comfortable installing and removing your car seat and securing your little one as safely as possible every single time. 

  • Find a certified CPST near you by using this directory. We recommend using your state and county to search. There are dozens of CPSTs here in Allegheny County!

  • Learn about Pennsylvania’s car seat laws

  • Car seat recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

  • Car seat FAQs for parents and caregivers

  • Car Seats for the Littles is a blog by a CPST that answers common questions about car seats

  • Search for recalls on your car seat

First aid, CPR, and choking relief:

Medication safety in pregnancy and lactation:

  • Infant Risk is a research center providing evidence-based information regarding the safety and effects of medications, alcohol, exercise, herbs, environmental factors, and more on pregnancy and lactation. They offer a hotline you can call to ask specific questions (highly recommend this!), as well as an app you can use to check the safety of certain medications.

Sleeping baby Pittsburgh newborn sleep consultant

Product recalls:

Sleep safety:

Water safety:

Plant safety:

“Poisons Help: Emergency Identification for Mushrooms & Plants” is a wonderful resource for anyone with children or pets. Poison Control, Animal Poison Control, and many emergency doctors and veterinarians refer directly to this group.

If someone ingests a plant or fungus and you are concerned it may be poisonous, you can post in this group and they will identify the specimen to help you know whether you need to seek emergency care.

This isn’t a typical Facebook group - it is run by a team of expert botanists and mycologists and has strict rules about posting and commenting. The reason for this is that the experts who volunteer are located all around the world, and the group admins call and wake them up if their expertise is needed to help in an emergency.

If you have preventative questions (i.e. "This is growing in my yard. Is it poisonous?"), the group gives links to other plant and fungus ID resources that will help you with that.

Parent playing with baby Pittsburgh doula

Circumcision & Intact Care

Cloth Diapering

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Support

Parent in wheelchair holding toddler Pittsburgh lactation consultant

Disabled Parenting

Pittsburgh resource:

Online resources:

Essential Oils Safety

Fertility

  • ***Baby Making for Everybody is written by midwives Marea Goodman and Ray Rachlin. It centers queer families and solo parents and is useful for anyone who is in the planning stages of growing their family.

  • Rebecca Fett’s book It Starts with the Egg is a helpful dive into the science of factors that affect fertility, including people who planBab to conceive through IVF.

  • Real Food for Fertility by Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson-Jack outlines the current science around fertility nutrition for both people with eggs and sperm. There are some delicious recipes in the back!

  • Lisa Hendrickson-Jack’s book The Fifth Vital Sign can be useful for diving into menstrual health (not necessarily geared toward fertility, but overall health).

Friends & Family

Baby nursing Pittsburgh lactation consultant

Lactation & Infant Feeding

One-on-one lactation support:

  • Marlee offers in-home lactation consults for new parents in the greater Pittsburgh area, in-office lactation consults in her East End office, and virtual support visits. If you're having challenges with nursing, bottle feeding, or a mix of the two, learn more about the ways Marlee can help.

  • Ngozi D. Tibbs is an experienced lactation consultant (IBCLC) serving the greater Pittsburgh area who has a balanced approach to lactation and a warm presence. She offers virtual support and home visits.

  • Joy McTavish is an IBCLC who offers a holistic approach, taking the family’s whole “ecosystem” into account. She is based in Seattle and offers virtual appointments nationwide.

  • Healthy Start Center for Urban Breastfeeding is an organization in Allegheny County providing 1:1 lactation care for Black parents. They also offer classes and have a home visiting program.

Pittsburgh support groups:

Parent smiling while nursing baby Pittsburgh breastfeeding help

Comprehensive lactation course:

***The Practical Parent’s Plan for Nursing a Newborn is our online, self-paced course to learn about nursing and lactation before your baby arrives. It’s an approachable class that focuses on the practical aspects of making nursing work in your own life, and will help you avoid common pitfalls. (Our doula clients have free access to this course included with their package!)

Other online resources:

  • Kelly Mom is a helpful resource for digestible, evidence-based information about lactation (including nursing, pumping, and bottle feeding). There are many pages addressing questions about whether certain issues are normal - something that can comfort nursing parents (or help you know when to seek out additional support).

  • African American Breastfeeding Network is an organization that prioritizes lactation education and support for Black parents

  • Chocolate Milk Cafe offers virtual support group meetings for Black parents who are nursing

  • Breastfeeding after a Cesarean is a pretty thorough resource that includes real stories in addition to well-researched information

  • La Leche League International is an organization dedicated to helping parents breastfeed through peer-to-peer support groups and education. We find their website a bit difficult to navigate, but if you know what you're looking for it can be a good resource. They also host a Facebook support groups for people nursing twins and multiples.

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER):

Some parents experience strong feelings of depression, anxiety, or other negative emotions when nursing or expressing milk. This is known as Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER), and unfortunately there isn’t much research on the subject. D-Mer.org is the most thorough resource we’ve found, and they also host a Facebook group for peer support.

If this is happening to you, please know that you’re not alone (and you’re not a bad parent!). Marlee would also be glad to help you explore your options if D-MER is affecting your desire/ability to continue lactation.

Lactation policy and advocacy:

Peer-to-peer milk sharing:

Lactating person pumping milk Pittsburgh breastfeeding help

Pumping and milk storage:

Inducing lactation and relactation:

Parent feeding baby with bottle Pittsburgh breastfeeding support

Formula:

  • If you have questions about supplementing your baby with formula or feeding exclusively formula, Marlee is happy to assist

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has a publication regarding safe infant formula preparation at home. We highly recommend following this protocol (especially using boiling water, since powdered formula cannot be sterilized on its own).

  • Baby Formula Expert is a website run by Bridget Young, Ph.D. who has a doctorate in nutrition and is also a certified lactation counselor (CLC). This is a great resource for helping to figure out what kind of formula might be best for your baby, as well as answers to commonly asked questions.

Baby led weaning:

This is a wonderful baby led weaning support group on Facebook to help caregivers learn to introduce solid foods to babies safely and respectfully

LGBTQIA+ Families

Organizations and providers serving the LGBTQIA+ community in Pittsburgh:

  • ***Open Space Counseling, Consulting & Wellness has a number of mental health professionals from the queer and trans community, and offers counseling and support groups specifically for the trans/nonbinary and LGBQIA+ communities

  • ***Felishatee Rodriguez is a Latinx LGBTQIA+ therapist specializing in needs of the BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ communities, trauma, and more.

  • ***PGH Equality Center: promotes education, advocacy, and social justice for all LGBTQIA+ people and allies in Western Pennsylvania

  • ***SisTers PGH: a Black and trans led non-profit organization that serves QTBIPOC (Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Color) trans, and nonbinary people in Southwestern PA

  • ***Dreams of Hope: queer youth arts

  • ***PFLAG Pittsburgh: support, education, and advocacy for parents and families of queer children

  • ***Proud Haven: Helping LGBTQIA+ youth and adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the Pittsburgh region find resources and housing options

  • ***QBurgh: Pittsburgh’s queer news source

Queer couple with baby Pittsburgh LGBT doula

LGBTQ+ Facebook groups for Pittsburgh folks:

Queer and trans affirming reproductive healthcare in Pittsburgh:

Queer conception & fertility resources:

Pregnancy loss support:

Supportive online groups for gestation:

Queer and/or gender expansive postpartum & parenting resources:

Queer parents playing with newborn Pittsburgh queer doula

Supportive online groups for postpartum & parenting:

Queer family-building stories:

  • The Longest Shortest Time podcast has a heartwarming series of episodes about family called The Accidental Gay Parents that tells the story of a young couple who adopted their niece and nephew. Later on they welcomed a biological baby of their own into their family. Trystan shared about his experience as a pregnant man at a storytelling event hosted by The Moth. They have gone on to found Trans Fertility Co. listed above.

  • Gay Parent LGBTQ Magazine has hundreds of articles and stories about queer family building and raising

Brain with rainbow colors virtual birth doula

NICU Families

Child and parent laughing Pittsburgh postpartum doula

Parenting Support

  • Visible Child is a practical parenting approach rooted in child development principles and healthy nervous system regulation. There is a Facebook group for information and support with this mindful parenting perspective, a paid membership site, and founder Robin Einzig also offers consultations.

  • Human at Birth by Kristen Long Fegan is another online resource for respectful parenting

  • NurturePA offers a virtual peer-to-peer parenting support program. Parents are paired with a mentor who can offer information and act as a sounding board.

  • The Longest Shortest Time is a podcast (no longer producing new episodes) featuring stories from real families about the struggles and joys of parenthood

  • The Child Development Network introduces basic developmental stages that can be helpful if you’re just starting to learn more about child development

  • Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh offers resources for parents of children with Down Syndrome, from prenatal diagnoses through adulthood.

Pelvic Floor Health

  • The Longest Shortest Time podcast produced a couple episodes about pelvic floor dysfunction that are super helpful if you're just starting to learn about this issue: Healing after Childbirth and Ask a Pelvic Floor PT Anything. 

  • The Interstitial Cystitis Association provides information about pelvic floor physical therapy. They describe the process of physical therapy to treat pelvic floor disorders, which can be life-changing for people suffering from pelvic floor disorders.

  • Pelvic floor health isn’t only important in regards to vaginal birth! This article explains how parents who give birth by cesarean can still benefit from working with a pelvic floor physical therapist.

Parent holding newborn Pittsburgh postpartum doula

Perinatal Mental Health

Crisis lines:

Therapy, counseling, and relationship coaching:

Additional resources:

Rainbow in a cloudy sky Pittsburgh bereavement doula

Pregnancy after Loss

  • Pregnancy after loss can bring its own unique challenges and joys. Return to Zero H.O.P.E. has a helpful page with some tips for this sensitive time. 

  • Return to Zero H.O.P.E. also offers online support groups for people who are pregnant after loss.

  • Pregnancy After Loss Support (PALS) offers online support groups for pregnancy after different types of loss so you can interact with others who have had similar experiences.

Pregnancy Loss

  • Pregnancy after loss can bring its own unique challenges and joys. Return to Zero H.O.P.E. has a helpful page with some tips for this sensitive time. 

  • Return to Zero: H.O.P.E. also offers online support groups for people who are pregnant after loss. Topics in the past have included:

    • Ending a wanted pregnancy

    • Support for grandparents

    • Support for infant loss parents

    • Parenting after loss

    • Pregnancy loss support for BIPOC

  • Pregnancy After Loss Support (PALS) offers online support groups for pregnancy after different types of loss so you can interact with others who have had similar experiences.

  • LGBT Pregnancy & Infant Loss Facebook group

Pregnant person practicing yoga Pittsburgh childbirth class

Prenatal Yoga

Parent holding newborn with hospital bracelet Pittsburgh Magee doula

Rights in Childbirth

Survivors of Abuse & Violence

Crisis lines:

Emergency shelter and services:

Child abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment:

Additional resources:

Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC)