I plan to sign up for PACE since I'm new to the area and a FTM, even if it is better in person I just need to connect with other people going through the same thing, it's so weird and lonely right now and I have been really bummed about missing some of the other mom group things with Covid. I also just found a virtual group starting in October called "Pregnant2Parent", geared to before birth and I plan to sign up for that as well, it is 7 weeks, info below if anyone is interested.

Please contact Jennifer Grosman, PhD at jengrosman@yahoo.com or Elizabeth Fritsch, PhD at drelizabethfritsch@gmail.com for more information or to register for a group.
Cost: $140 (total) for seven weekly group sessions
When: Groups available weekday evenings through Zoom
Please note, while these groups are geared towards first time parents, groups may be available for second time moms if there is sufficient interest.

Anonymous wrote:I thought PACE in person was worth the money, but there is zero chance remote PACE will be. Half the benefit was practicing getting out of the house in a safe environment, and navigating things like lunch with baby after. Join literally any other free new mom group instead. It’s ballsy to charge the same price right now.

Yes, the lunch after was key. And the point was to practice leaving the house with a baby!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved it in person 4 years ago but don't think it would be at all worth that much money to do remotely, unless you have no other way to connect with new moms. My neighborhood listserv has a new mom's group, or you could find people on Nextdoor or though mutual friends for a lot cheaper.

+1

I LOVED it in person but I don't know how it would translate remotely.

I agree. I'm 5 years out from PACE but I still talk to the women regularly.

Anonymous wrote:I was going to do PACE but a friend recommended a similar group called Mamas Circle that was only $200 and it was amazing. I was so hesitant because it was virtual but I was feeling really isolated so gave it a shot and it was the best thing I have done on maternity leave. Joan the facilitator was wonderful and it was the highlight of my week! I was surprised to make real connections and our group is continuing to meet up every week on zoom. Highly recommend! here's the link: http://www.sienawellness.com/mamascirclenewborns.html

+1!! Mamas Circle was so much better than my PACE group. I think a lot depends on who is in your group and the facilitator but I felt Mamas Circle was much more real and honest and we're on our whatsapp much more. Any of these groups are really about the other moms you meet.

I thought PACE in person was worth the money, but there is zero chance remote PACE will be. Half the benefit was practicing getting out of the house in a safe environment, and navigating things like lunch with baby after. Join literally any other free new mom group instead. It’s ballsy to charge the same price right now.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, PACE for me was not worth it and I had a negative experience. It ended up being a group of predominantly super affluent, older, competitive white women being gossipy and clicque-y with each other, almost like a sorority. There was no diversity. And many of the women just seemed to want something to do on maternity leave and had relatively easy babies and lots of support.

The group presented itself like it was a support group for women not from DC and yet plenty of women in my group had local family and lots of help (night nurses, house keepers, nannies) and didn’t seem to be struggling in their motherhood transition. Many women held back from sharing challenges or struggles in group chats, and would then set up get togethers outside of our meetings and only invite the “cool” girls in the group to gossip behind the backs of the women who were struggling and vulnerable and had been more open during the sharing time. Our facilitator clearly did not recognize the one woman who had very obvious PPD and was on the group outskirts or do anything to refer her to therapy. Ironic since she herself was a therapist. If you want to pay 400 to be part of a sorority of mean rich girls, join PACE. Otherwise look elsewhere.

as someone who did both pace and mamascircle virtually i would highly recommend virtual groups in these times as in person is anyway not happening anyway.
And while both groups were great resources, they serve different needs. PACE has a lot of structure, each session has a theme related ot having a baby that is very useful for first time moms. even if the facilitator is not great, hearing the experiences of the other women is helpful. Also the group stays in touch later through whatsapp and has been an immense source of support. Something about the way pace is conducted - almost like group therapy , makes everyone open up to each other and hence sets the foundation for open conversation and sharing even later.

Mama's circle is different in that there is no theme to each session but pressing concerns each week are gathered and then discussed. The facilitator Elizabeth does a great job. The women here are not all first time moms so the range of issues discussed could vary accordingly. The group has also stayed in touch through whatsapp and is again a source of support and a lot of information, however in my experience you feel more connected with the pace group just because you have shared so much more with them through the course of the sessions.

Also PACE tries to put you in a group in your neighborhood. Mama's circle is mostly NW DC /bethesda folks. Not that it matters now with everything being virtual but if you want to stay connected beyond the sessions/ meet in a socially distant way if possible etc PACE migth be a better option depending on where you live.

I was going to do PACE but a friend recommended a similar group called Mamas Circle that was only $200 and it was amazing. I was so hesitant because it was virtual but I was feeling really isolated so gave it a shot and it was the best thing I have done on maternity leave. Joan the facilitator was wonderful and it was the highlight of my week! I was surprised to make real connections and our group is continuing to meet up every week on zoom. Highly recommend! here's the link: http://www.sienawellness.com/mamascirclenewborns.html