Our Trusted Circle
Finding the right support during the early parenting years can feel overwhelming. Below are professionals and organizations in the Oak Park and Chicago areas that I personally recommend.
Infant Care & Health
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Dr. Cindy Rubin, MD, IBCLC, FAAP. In Touch Pediatrics and Lactation.
In-home pediatric and breastfeeding medicine care for newborns across Chicago's western suburbs, led by board-certified pediatrician and breastfeeding medicine physician Dr. Cindy Rubin.
Website: https://intouchpediatrics.com/, Email: info@intouchpediatrics.com, Phone: (708) 725-0887
In Touch Pediatrics & Lactation and Snuggly Start are partnering to better support new families. More information on this page.
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Chicago Family Doulas
Chicago Family Doulas is a full service doula agency that supports families throughout the Chicagoland area. They are a well loved agency that supports families through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. They offer birth doulas, postpartum doulas and childbirth classes. Their team of doulas provides daytime and overnight care for newborns.
Website: https://chicagofamilydoulas.com/, Phone: 312-765-3012
Midwifery & Birth Support
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Corinne Westing, CNM. Birth Roots Community Midwifery.
Inclusive home birth and reproductive wellness care in Oak Park, led by certified nurse midwife Corinne Westing (they/them), offering trauma-informed, evidence-based care for clients across the gender spectrum and all family configurations.
Website: https://www.birthrootscommunitymidwifery.com/, Phone: 708-669-4013
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Chicago Family Doulas
Chicago Family Doulas is a full service doula agency that supports families throughout the Chicagoland area. They are a well loved agency that supports families through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. They offer birth doulas, postpartum doulas and childbirth classes. Their team of doulas provides daytime and overnight care for newborns.
Website: https://chicagofamilydoulas.com/, Phone: 312-765-3012
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Paula Castanos
DONA Birth trained doula. Working at Chicago Family Picnic.
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Magda G. Creative / Maggie, Chicago Photo Doulas
A Chicago-area birth doula and family photographer capturing unposed, documentary-style maternity, newborn, and family moments.
Website: https://www.chicagophotodoulas.com/
Postpartum & Maternal Wellness
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Chicago Family Doulas
Chicago Family Doulas is a full service doula agency that supports families throughout the Chicagoland area. They are a well loved agency that supports families through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. They offer birth doulas, postpartum doulas and childbirth classes. Their team of doulas provides daytime and overnight care for newborns.
Website: https://chicagofamilydoulas.com/, Phone: 312-765-3012
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Rebecca Durance, LCSW, PMH-C
A licensed clinical social worker specializing in perinatal mental health, offering warm, non-judgmental therapy for women navigating anxiety, trauma, and life transitions.
Website: https://www.rebeccadeurancetherapy.com/, Email: rebecca@rebeccadeurancetherapy.com, Phone: (708) 406-9222
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Flourish Counseling & Wellness
An Oak Park and Chicago group practice of over a dozen perinatal mental health specialists offering counseling and medication management from fertility through pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood.
Website: https://womenscounselingchicago.com/, Email: contact@flourishcounselingltd.com, Phone: 312-659-4718
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Niche Physical Therapy
An Oak Park physical therapy practice founded by Dr. Kendall Lynch, specializing in pelvic health, pregnancy/postpartum recovery, and dance medicine.
Website: https://nichephysicaltherapy.com/, Phone: 708-942-7050
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Mom League
A postpartum community platform offering expert-led newborn classes and playgroups for new parents, with a Chicago chapter as part of its multi-city network.
Website: https://mymomleague.com/
Support For Dads
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Micah Shapiro, LCSW, PMH-C, Shapiro Psychotherapy Associates
Therapy for new dads, couples, and anyone navigating new beginnings from adjusting to fatherhood to relationship challenges.
Website: https://www.shapiropsych.com/, Email: info@shapiropsych.com, Phone: (847) 268-3442
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Welcome to Fatherhood
A Chicago nonprofit co-founded by Sir Royce Briales and Dr. Raheem Young, offering community, resources, and support to help fathers of all ages navigate parenthood with confidence.
Website: https://www.welcometofatherhood.com/, Email: David@WelcomeToFatherhood.com
Family & Sibling Support
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Garden Health Group
A River Forest collective of mental and physical health therapists offering counseling, bodywork, and holistic wellness support for life transitions including parenting.
Website: https://www.gardenhealthgroup.com/, Email: info@GardenHealthGroup.com, Phone: 708.866.6766
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Sanna Stella, Seeing Your Light, Counseling, PLLC
Specialized counseling with a multicultural therapist who integrates personal experience and passion with clinical research and training for those affected by adoption, chronic illness, and individuals balancing a public life with their personal life. In-person in Chicago & Oak Park, and across Illinois via telemental health.
Website: https://seeingyourlightcounseling.com/, Email: info@seeingyourlightcounseling.com, Phone: (464) 245-5656
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Empower Family Therapy
An Oak Park-based, private practice founded by Tina Shrader, LMFT, offering home-based and in-office relational family, couples, and child therapy for Oak Park and Chicago-area families.
Website: https://empowerfamilytherapy.com/, Email: hello@empowerfamilytherapy.com
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Alexis Rhodes, MS, CCLS, IPPE-C, People Medicine
Founder of People Medicine LLC, a Certified Child Life Specialist (MS, CCLS) and birth doula offering in-home and virtual support to Chicagoland families, from birth work through medical experiences and major life transitions, using play, education, and coping strategies to ease hard moments.
Website: https://www.peoplemedicinellc.com/, Email: alexis@peoplemedicinellc.com
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Chicago Family Picnic
A Lincoln Square birth center and family gathering space founded by mother-daughter team Sue Gottschall and Rebecca Nguyen, offering childbirth classes, doula and lactation support, and parent and play groups for families from pregnancy through the toddler years.
Website: https://www.chicagofamilypicnic.com/, Phone: (872) 204-5787
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Le Village Cowork
A coworking space with onsite Montessori-inspired childcare for working parents, with Chicagoland locations including one in Lyons.
Website: https://www.levillagecowork.com/
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Pilgrim Community Preschool
A NAEYC-accredited, nonprofit play-based preschool serving Oak Park families since 1966, housed at Pilgrim Church.
Website: https://www.pilgrimschool.net/, Email: office@pilgrimschool.net, Phone: (708) 848-5869
Community Organizations
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Collaboration for Early Childhood
An Oak Park-based nonprofit connecting families in Oak Park, River Forest, and neighboring west suburbs to early childhood care, education, and community resources.
Website: https://collab4kids.org/, Phone: 708 613 6122
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Illinois Action for Children
A statewide nonprofit and the largest administrator of Cook County's Child Care Assistance Program, connecting families to affordable child care, early learning, and community resources.
Website: https://www.actforchildren.org/
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Family Focus
A Chicago-area nonprofit strengthening families through home-visiting, parenting, and family support programs, with a center presence across Chicago and the northern suburbs.
Website: https://www.family-focus.org/about/ , Phone: (312) 421-5200
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CEDA - WIC
One of the country's largest nonprofit Community Action Agencies, offering utility assistance, WIC, housing help, and family support services across Cook County.
Website: https://www.cedaorg.net/en/find-services/women-infants-and-children-wic, Email: wic@cedaorg.net, Phone: (865)WIC-CEDA