Frequently Asked Questions

Is PACE for me? Yes, if you are looking for information, support, and community in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Can I join a PACE group if I live outside the DC metro area? No, PACE only serves moms who reside in Washington DC, Northern VA, or Montgomery/Prince George County MD.

I want to be in a group but I tend to observe more than share. Is that okay? Yes! Introverts, extroverts, ambiverts alike all benefit from their PACE groups. We respect that each mom will share to the extent they are comfortable.

Does PACE distinguish between stay-at-home-moms and working moms? Not at all. PACE recognizes that all moms are working moms, whether or not you work outside the home. Similarly, PACE moms come from every type of family configuration, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, marital status, gender identity, and sexual orientation. This includes LGBTQ+ moms, moms who use a gestational surrogate, adoptive moms, single moms by choice, and moms of multiples, all of varying age, races, religions, and cultures.

Do you have groups specifically for twin moms, LGBTQ+ moms, or single moms? Our groups are open to all moms in the DC metro area, however, we don't have groups for specific demographics. We know that moms come to our groups from all different situations, and that's what makes PACE ​special. As such, groups are randomly assigned as PACE collects no identifying or demographic information during the registration process.

Do I bring my baby to the group? Yes, moms attend with their babies. However, it's not necessary that the baby is with you.

My baby cries a lot. Is that too disruptive to the group? No! And even more reason to join a PACE group! All babies will cry at some point, and it’s not a problem if your baby cries the most during one session or all the sessions. It’s also OK if the moms cry!

Can I feed my baby during the group? What if I need to pump? All baby care can be done in the group - nursing, bottle feeding, pumping, diapering, etc. There's truly nothing we haven't seen before, and it's a great place to practice baby care in public.

Can my ​my partner/mom/sister attend the weekly meetings?​ No, all PACE groups are closed and confidential. We strive to create a safe, comfortable environment so that moms can share freely, knowing that their privacy is respected.

When should I sign up for a group? We prefer moms to complete the Inquiry Form before the baby arrives, since knowing the expected arrival date helps us schedule groups. But it’s also perfectly fine to sign up after you've welcomed the baby!

What happens after I sign up? Upon submitting the Inquiry Form, you will receive an email acknowledging that your form has been received. If your baby has arrived, we will contact you as soon as a group is open and available for registration. If not, the email will request that you reply back with the baby's name and birthdate, once the baby arrives. Please do not fill out a new Inquiry Form as you are already in the system.

When will I be assigned to a group? New groups form continuously, based on need and leader availability. You will be offered a spot in a group in the order in which your inquiry/information is received.

Are all of your groups still virtual? Most groups include a mix of in-person and virtual sessions, and we continue to offer a limited number of virtual groups for our first-time around moms. At this time all second-time around groups are held virtually.

​I'm already back at work. Are there any PACE groups in the evenings or weekends? ​No, all PACE groups are held on weekdays during the day. ​However, moms with flexible work schedules often carve out the time each week to participate, finding valuable support during their transition back to work.

Are the groups scheduled for moms in a specific neighborhood? PACE schedules groups based on need, moms' site preferences, and leader/site availability. Our goal is to serve as many moms as possible within these parameters. While not neighborhood specific, we do attempt to geographically organize groups for moms' convenience and ease of meet ups in between sessions.

Who are PACE leaders? All PACE leaders are at least masters-level trained mental health professionals, who are also moms. All leaders go through extensive training to become a PACE leader.

The PACE​​ tuition seems like a lot of money for a support group. Can you break that down for me? Each PACE session works out to about $47 per session, or about $23.50/hour - comparable to, or even a little less than, the average "baby and me" class.​ It truly is a great value!

Are refunds offered? We limit the number of members in each group to enable strong connections between moms. We are unable to offer refunds or transfer moms to a new group. Missed sessions cannot be prorated or made up. We encourage all moms to make every effort to participate in all of their group’s sessions to get the full value of PACE.

Does PACE offer financial assistance? YES! We never want a mom's participation to be prohibited by the tuition, which is why scholarships are available to anyone who requests. All you have to do is let us know how much you are able to pay (typically $50- $300).

What is PACE doing to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive? PACE is actively working to increase the diversity of group members and leaders as we strive to ensure that all mothers feel supported. With a DEI committee, leader training has focused on supporting BIPOC mothers and PACE materials were updated to be more inclusive. We share resources and highlight organizations that support BIPOC mothers and address systemic racism and disparities affecting maternal health. Each year we plan to provide financial support to a different organization that serves BIPOC mothers, as we did this past year. Lastly, we expanded the availability of need-based scholarships for our groups. PACE acknowledges that this is an ongoing journey and we welcome all input and feedback to help us improve in fostering inclusive conversations around parenting-related topics.