Village Groups
Join us!“Thank you! This group was a huge part of my pregnancy journey and I looked forward to our meetings every month. I’ve also really enjoyed the developing friendships coming out of it. ”
Lead Facilitator:
Vaishnavi Tallury, MA, OTR/L, PMH-C is a licensed Occupational Therapist with 15 years of experience in pediatric, school-based OT, and a certified yoga instructor. She is gifted at supporting, encouraging, and empowering women in their perinatal journeys.
While on maternity leave with her second child during the summer of 2022, Vaishnavi unexpectedly found herself feeling lost, stuck, tired, and like she just needed to “OT-herself.” Having knowledge and skills in rehabilitation, she knew what she needed to do, but just didn’t have the capacity to do those things. This struck her with the question- how can we better prepare women for the transformation into motherhood? In speaking with other mom friends, she found she was not alone in this struggle and two common themes emerged: 1.) It takes a village and 2.) We were prepared for the challenges of bringing home a newborn but not adequately prepared to take care of ourselves in this new role of “mother.”
Vaishi immediately knew this was her calling and that she would utilize her experiences as a yoga instructor, occupational therapist, and most importantly mother, to help prepare expectant mothers for Matrescence. The perinatal period begins during pregnancy and continues up to two years after giving birth. Through the lens of occupational therapy, Vaishi works to support mother and baby as a holistic unit to promote connectedness and well-being.
Vaishi lives in Washington, DC with her husband, two daughters, and 13-year-old dog who still acts like a puppy. She is excited to serve mothers and babies during this critical perinatal period.
Local Maternity Thread is launching a Village Group Cohort this May for expecting parents in the Petworth/Columbia Heights area due in fall 2026! If you're looking to connect with neighbors who are navigating pregnancy at the same time as you, this group is for you. Designed to foster community, share knowledge, and build a local "village" of support, the group will meet bimonthly in-person and cover topics like taking care of your pregnant body and mind, navigating changing relationships, and preparing to care for a newborn.
Who: Open to all expecting families living in the Petworth/Columbia Heights area who are due in late September-early November 2026. Village Groups are designed to be hyper-local so it’s easier for families to connect in-person throughout the perinatal period. If you can walk to our meeting location (BLOOMBARS, see below) or Local Maternity Thread’s Petworth clothing closet at 9th and Upshur, you’re in!
What: Meet with other local expecting families for mutual support and information sharing during pregnancy.
When: Primary meetings are from 3-4:30pm on the last Sunday of each month:
Sunday, May 31
Sunday, June 28
Sunday, July 26
Sunday, August 30
Additional social gatherings will be announced during the first meeting.
Where: BLOOMBARS //3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010
Cost: We are a volunteer-run organization and aim to keep the cost of participating in this group low so that money is never a barrier to participating. However, we do have costs to cover. Please enroll at the rate that works for you.
Sliding scale:
$30 - Subsidized rate
$75 - Suggested rate
$115 - Community supporter rate
We look forward to supporting you in your pregnancy journey!