Georgia Kastaris | Expecting Together: The Prenatal Social Club Every Parent Deserves

Collabs Creative
10 hours ago
3 min read

TL;DR

In this episode, Georgia Kastaris shares how her program Expecting Together reimagines prenatal care by pairing expert education with curated community. Small-group cohorts give expecting parents real support before baby arrives—helping them build confidence, friendships, and long-lasting connection.

Reimagining Prenatal Care: How Georgia Kastaris and Expecting Together Are Building Villages Before Baby

For most new parents, preparing for birth means signing up for a hospital class, reading a few books, and Googling “what to pack in your hospital bag.” But the truth is, the real preparation for parenthood rarely happens in a fluorescent-lit classroom or on page 143 of a baby book.

That’s the gap Georgia Kastaris saw—and set out to fill—with Expecting Together, a first-of-its-kind prenatal social club based in Chicago.

In this week’s episode of The Mama Making Podcast, we dive deep into the “why” and “how” behind Expecting Together, and explore what it looks like to build a business that prioritizes community, education, and belonging in equal measure.

From Health Systems to Human Connection

Georgia didn’t begin in the birth world. With a career rooted in healthcare innovation, she spent years working behind the scenes to improve medical systems. But it wasn’t until she became a parent herself that she truly felt the emotional and relational gaps in prenatal care.

Even with access to great providers, she still felt isolated—and it struck her that what she really needed wasn’t just information, but connection.

That realization sparked the idea for Expecting Together: a space where expecting parents could prepare for birth and postpartum while forming deep, local connections with others walking the same road.

What Is Expecting Together?

Expecting Together is more than a prenatal class—it’s a relational prenatal experience designed to foster long-lasting support. Parents join small cohorts (typically 8–12 families) curated by due date, neighborhood, and life stage. Over a series of sessions, they explore essential prenatal topics—like birth planning, newborn care, and postpartum wellness—while also building friendships and trust.

Each group is guided by expert facilitators and includes time for discussion, reflection, and shared learning. And unlike traditional classes, Expecting Together encourages vulnerability, storytelling, and real-time processing.

Because the goal isn’t just to learn—it’s to belong.

“We don’t need more checklists—we need more circles,” Georgia shares in the episode. “What expecting parents are really craving is connection. To not feel like they’re doing this alone.”

Why Connection Matters

Studies show that social support during pregnancy reduces stress, lowers the risk of postpartum depression, and improves birth outcomes. Yet most prenatal systems in the U.S. focus almost exclusively on the clinical side of care.

Expecting Together flips the script. Georgia’s model borrows from European-style group care systems—where parents meet in cohorts for prenatal appointments and education—and layers on a deep commitment to emotional well-being.

By normalizing honest conversations about fear, identity shifts, and the realities of early parenting, Expecting Together helps families feel more confident heading into one of the most transformative seasons of their lives.

And just as importantly—it helps them build a village to lean on after the baby arrives.

Creating a Movement, Not Just a Model

Since launching, Expecting Together has grown from a simple idea to a fully operational program serving families across Chicagoland. Cohorts are thoughtfully formed, facilitators are trained in inclusive and evidence-based education, and the model is already changing the way families think about birth prep.

But at its core, this is about more than logistics. It’s about human connection.

In the episode, Georgia talks candidly about:

The challenge of launching a mission-driven business in the maternal health space
Her hopes for expanding the program beyond Chicago
Why “just Google it” is a terrible approach to preparing for something as complex as birth
How building Expecting Together changed her as a parent and professional

It’s a powerful conversation for birth workers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who believes we deserve better systems of support for new families.

Why This Matters—For All of Us

Whether you’re preparing for your first baby or you’ve long since exited the diaper stage, this episode is a reminder that the way we care for families matters.

Expecting Together challenges the idea that parenting must begin in isolation—and proves that even in a busy city, we can still create space for real, heart-centered connection.

It’s not just about surviving the postpartum period. It’s about entering it surrounded.