Newborn
PEPS Newborn groups for parents and babies to attend together support, educate and build community among new parents. Meet, share, and learn in a parent group.
"We love PEPS and look forward to it each week. It has been very comforting to see that other parents go through many of the same things we do. It helps us not feel so alone."
Interested in doing a daytime group solo plus the evening group with your partner?
If you join both a daytime Newborn Group and evening Newborn Group, you will receive $50** off the combined cost of both groups.
** Discount to be applied toward your second group program fee at the time that you accept placement in that group
ADJUSTING TO PARENTHOOD
PEPS and Postpartum Support Int’l of WA offer a twice monthly group, offering parents additional support for the emotional changes and challenges of adapting to parenthood. >> Learn More
Newborn Groups are for parents and babies to attend together. When a group begins, babies are four months old or younger. The majority of these groups are filled with first time parents.
At a Newborn group, new parents meet, share, and learn in volunteer-facilitated sessions. Each meeting includes time for sharing parenting highs and lows, followed by a discussion of a topic related to the joys and challenges of parenting an infant.
Topics discussed may include: Feeding, Sleeping (Like a Baby!), Soothing a Crying Baby, Infant Development, Enhancing Early Learning, Balancing Work and Baby, Creating Family Traditions, Strengthening the Couple's Relationship, and Self Care for New Parents.
Meetings also include break time for informal socializing and connecting with other new parents.
Schedule
Newborn Groups meet once a week for 12 weeks, at the same time each week, for two hours per session.
You can register for a daytime or evening group. Daytime groups may be in the morning or afternoon, and are for one parent per family (typically moms, but dads are welcome!). For evening groups, parents can attend as a couple, or individually.
Newborn Groups are offered all across King and south Snohomish Counties. You will be matched with a group of 7 to 12 families who live in your part of town. The first meeting is held in the leader's home, and then group members host the other meetings in their own homes, so the location rotates each week.
Cost
The program tuition is $150* if one parent will participate or $200* for two parents from the same household. Once you've been placed in a group and accept that placement, you will receive your invoice via email. Payment in full is expected before you attend the first meeting of your group, and is non-refundable.
* Tuition fees billed at rate in effect on date of program placement.
Reduced Fees for South Snohomish County Residents: Thanks to a generous grant from the Verdant Health Commission, families who live in the Public Hospital District 2 boundaries qualify for a reduced program fee. >>Click here to find out if you are eligible.
Scholarships
PEPS is committed to serving every family who wishes to join our community. We happily provide scholarships, supported by our generous donors. Scholarships are income-based, and typically cover amounts equal to 25%-75% of tuition fees, with full scholarships in special situations. So, even if you don't think of yourself as "low income," if the regular fee is going to be a stretch for you financially, please apply for a scholarship.
You may request a scholarship at any time or wait until you’ve been placed in your Newborn group. We are happy to answer any questions about our financial aid process, please contact Cari Morales.
Register today
Register by clicking here to complete our online registration form. A $10 non-refundable fee will be collected at registration. You can register any time during pregnancy, or after birth, until your baby is four months old. (We recommend registering as early as possible, to increase the chances that we'll find a group that's a good match for you.)
Within a week of completing the form, you will receive a confirmation email. We will next contact you when you've been placed in a group. This can happen any time between your baby's birth and when your baby turns four months old, but most often happens when babies are six to ten weeks old. We'll notify you by email, and ask you to confirm that that the group we placed you in will work for you.
Please note: Due to the current epidemic of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in Washington State, PEPS has implemented a policy requiring that all adults who attend PEPS Groups must be current on their Tdap booster. Getting vaccinated with Tdap at least two weeks before coming into close contact with an infant is especially important for families with and caregivers of new infants. All babies must be current on the DTaP vaccine once they are old enough for the first dose. Families who do not comply with this policy cannot participate in PEPS at this time. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Mary Power, PEPS Program Director: maryp@peps.org.
Questions?
Check out our Newborn Program FAQ, call PEPS at (206) 547-8570 or email carim@peps.org.
You can also attend an Orientation, which offers a chance to get your questions about PEPS answered and to meet other parents and start making connections now.
