The Greater Philadelphia YMCA looks to expand a maternal wellness program

The first weeks after Katie Corr gave birth to her second child were a blur of day and night, feedings and diaper changes. She felt unmoored.

“Outside of naps, you don’t have anything anchoring your schedule,” said the 37-year-old Havertown mom.

She had joined a new maternal wellness group at her local YMCA in Haverford when she was pregnant, and the group of women continued to meet once a week after they had all given birth. Children could come along to the sessions or be dropped off at the Y’s in-house childcare center while the women talked and participated in guided fitness activities.

Corr had enjoyed the group’s camaraderie during pregnancy. Now, at home full-time with a toddler and infant, it was the anchor she needed.

The Haverford Y was one of six Greater Philadelphia YMCA locations to pilot the Maternal Wellness Initiative in 2025 with the goal of providing emotional and physical wellness resources before and after the birth of a child. The program is free and comes with a year-long Y membership at no cost for those who maintain attendance at the weekly meetings.

“We’re not just a place where you can come in and use a treadmill,” said Aimee Smith, associate director of aquatics and health programs at Greater Philadelphia YMCA. “We’re looking to improve people’s lifestyle and overall wellness, not just their physical health.”

The program, funded by grants from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation, is currently offered at the Y’s Christian Street, Columbia North, West Philadelphia, Haverford, and Willow Grove branches.

Now in its second year, Y leaders hope to expand the initiative to more locations.

The program enrolls expectant parents who are between 12 and 20 weeks pregnant, so everyone in the group is in a similar stage of pregnancy. The prenatal sessions focus on recognizing health problems such as preeclampsia and accessing breastfeeding support.

Halfway through the program, the groups take a break — so everyone can have their babies. They reconvene later in the year for postpartum sessions, which feature exercise options that can be done with a baby in tow, such as stroller walking.

About 100 people participated in 2025, and Y leaders anticipate similar enrollment this year.

Leaders from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation said they wanted to support the Y’s maternal wellness program because community support and access to services are critical for expectant and newly postpartum mothers.

“When mothers have the support they need early on, families are stronger and children have a healthier start,” said Lauren Maloney, executive director of the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation, which contributed $50,000 over two years.

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation has put $580,000 toward the Y initiative, which the foundation’s executive director, Heather Major said “reflects our commitment to transformative community models.”

Corr was already a member of the Y when she heard about the maternal wellness initiative from a friend and decided to sign up.

Corr was grateful for the routine, socialization, and physical activity the Y program offered. She especially appreciated the weekly calendar date in the weeks after her son, Owen, was born, and was feeling especially restless.

The Y said it has heard from past participants that the program helped reduced feelings of loneliness and stress, and improved their self-confidence.

Corr said that what she appreciated most was that the weekly meetings were a rare opportunity to focus on herself.

Doctors’ concerns for the health of new mothers is often in the context of how well their baby is doing, or how well they are able to care for their child, she said.

“This is the only regular program in my life that focuses exclusively on the wellness of the mother as a person,” Corr said.