Preparing for Birth, and Becoming

Pregnancy is often filled with preparation, birthing classes, and getting ready for the baby. And while that matters, there is another transformation happening at the same time.

The transition into becoming a parent.

Becoming a mother, father, or caregiver is a profound identity shift. It asks you to stretch, to soften, and to redefine who you once were as you grow into someone new.

This is not something meant to be navigated alone.

How the Pods Form

Three times a year, the Forest Collective invites 8 families to join and form a pod, for those expecting a baby within the next 6 months.

Each pod moves through the experience together, building connection over time rather than meeting just once.


The Rhythm

  • Weekly 2-hour gatherings for 8 weeks

  • 2 additional meetups about a month later to reconnect and reflect

  • Guided by Amy Rupp as facilitator and coach

Most gatherings are centered around the mother, with 2 sessions intentionally including those in a support role.

What Each Week Looks Like

Each week offers a different theme, building on the one before.

Our time is shared between:

  • Exploring the transition into parenthood

  • Strengthening the relationships that will become your support system


Between Gatherings

Simple invitations are offered each week to carry into your daily life.

These are meant to be explored personally, and with a partner or someone in your support circle, helping to spark meaningful conversations and lay the foundation for what’s to come.

Building Your Village Before Baby Arrives

Together, we focus on building connection before the babies arrive, so you are not starting from scratch in the postpartum season.

We also take time to gently imagine what life might look like after birth, creating space for intention rather than reaction.

These relationships can become your support system, your village, your steady ground in a season that can feel both beautiful and overwhelming.

What We Explore Together

In our time together, we explore:

  • The nervous system, and ways to support regulation through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

  • Meaningful conversations with partners, including expectations, roles, and support

  • Foundations of postpartum care, so you can enter that season with intention rather than survival

  • The identity shift into parenthood, and what it means to be “born” as a parent

  • Building relationships with others in a similar season of life