The Nashville New-Mom Guide: Where to Go, What to Do & How to Find Your Village
Looking for the quick version to share with a friend?
I made a simple, shareable Nashville New-Mom Guide with places to go, classes, and communities to know.
Having a baby can make your world feel a lot smaller, especially in those first few months. And while everyone talks about preparing the nursery, packing the hospital bag and choosing a pediatrician, there’s another thing worth doing before your baby arrives: start building your village.
You don’t need to have a whole group of mom friends lined up before you give birth. But knowing where you can go, who you can meet and which communities are out there can make those early months feel a lot less isolating.
So I asked Nashville moms where they actually go with their babies, where they’ve found community, and which places make getting out of the house feel a little easier.
This list is for babies 0–12 months, but you don’t have to wait until your baby arrives to start exploring it.
And one thing I noticed while putting this together? You don't necessarily need to find your people all at once. Sometimes it starts by going to the same story time every Tuesday. Or signing up for a class while you're pregnant. Or becoming a regular at a coffee shop where the stroller is welcome.
You go once. Then you go again.
Eventually, you start recognizing people.
And that's how a village starts.
Find Your People: Intentional Mom Communities
If your biggest question is “Okay, but where do I actually meet other moms?”, start here.
These are the places where community is part of the point, rather than something you might happen to find while you're there.
New Mom School – East Nashville
416 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
If you're pregnant and already wondering how you're going to make mom friends, this is one to look into before your baby arrives.
New Mom School offers 8-week, in-person classes grouped around your baby's birth date, so you're meeting other moms who are going through the same stage at roughly the same time. Classes combine practical education with conversation and connection, creating a built-in group of moms to grow alongside.
And importantly for the pregnant reader: you can join the list while you're still pregnant. New Mom School specifically encourages expecting moms to get their support system in place before motherhood begins.
Hello Motherhood
103 Confederate Drive, Franklin, TN 37064
Think of Hello Motherhood as a Franklin-area option for moms looking for that same combination of education and community.
Their Mommy & Me series is organized by baby's age, including 0–2 months, 3–6 months and 7–12 months, so you're meeting moms who are in a similar season. They also offer prenatal classes and newborn-care education, making this another one you can put on your radar before baby arrives.
MAEVE Eastside Neighbors
East Nashville
MAEVE is a little different. It's a member-supported community built around motherhood, friendship, support and an actual village.
Members have access to meetups, playdates, workshops, Moms' and Parents' Nights Out, community service opportunities and a private online community. New members and their children are also matched with a school-year playgroup, which makes it easier to form relationships that can continue beyond a single class or event.
The Bunny Hive Nashville
2008 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212
The Bunny Hive is a parent-and-child studio and social club with classes and events designed to bring families together.
For the baby stage, look for age-appropriate offerings such as baby-focused classes, music and movement, sensory activities and other parent-and-child programming. The bigger draw for many families is that it gives you a consistent place to show up and see the same people rather than having to manufacture a mom-friend meetup from scratch.
The Mom Walk Collective
Nashville walks meet at different locations in Nashville, Franklin, Hendersonville, Smyrna and Lebanon
If sitting around making small talk isn't your thing, try walking.
The Mom Walk Collective organizes local walks designed specifically to help moms meet one another and build community. Nashville-area walks have taken place at locations including Centennial Park, Shelby Bottoms and other local parks, so check the current schedule for the Nashville chapter before heading out.
HerAfter
Nashville-area events; locations vary
HerAfter is another local mom community worth following. They have a focus on self-care and host curated events + hangs for moms craving real connection and fresh creativity.
Go Somewhere Every Week
Here's my favorite piece of advice for making mom friends:
Don't try to make mom friends, just go somewhere regularly.
It's much easier to have a conversation with another mom when you've already bumped into each other three times.
And baby story time is perfect for this.
Nashville Public Library Baby Story Time
Multiple locations around Nashville
Nashville Public Library has baby-specific programming at branches throughout the city, including Baby Story Time, Babies & Books and Lapsit Story Time. Current programming includes options for babies 0–12 months at several branches.
A few locations to put on your radar:
Richland Park: 4711 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209
Bellevue: 720 Baugh Rd, Nashville, TN 37221
Donelson: 2714 Old Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN 37214
Inglewood: 4312 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216
Library story time is the best free, low-pressure place to get out of the house, sit around other parents and potentially start seeing some of the same faces every week.
Tenn Little Birds
East Nashville: 819C Woodland Street, Nashville, TN 37206
Tenn Little Birds offers Music Together® classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their grownups, with a special Babies class for little ones under 8 months. You’ll sing, move, play instruments and connect with other families in a relaxed, welcoming environment. They also offer Music Mornings for babies 12 months and under, a gentle 4-week introduction to music class and the Tenn Little Birds community.
Music City Music Together
Green Hills: 4004 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215
Franklin: 1010 Perrone Way, Franklin, TN 37067
Music City Music Together brings babies, toddlers and preschoolers together with their parents and caregivers for 45-minute weekly music classes filled with singing, dancing, instruments, chants and rhymes. Classes are designed to be relaxed and playful, with babies welcome from birth. They offer classes in Green Hills and Franklin, making this an easy one to add to your weekly routine.
Move Your Body With Your Baby
Sometimes your village starts with a workout.
SOMOS Pilates Nashville
For new and expecting moms, SOMOS offers pre/postnatal Pilates designed specifically for pregnancy and postpartum recovery, with modifications to meet your body where it is. Their dedicated class also welcomes babies ages 0–12 months, so you can bring your baby along while you get some movement in.
They have locations in The Nations and East Nashville, and if you're brand new to reformer Pilates, their Pilates 101 class is a good place to start.
Nurture Nashville Yoga
West Nashville: 992 Davidson Drive, Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37205
East Nashville: 1106 Woodland Street, Suite 3, Nashville, TN 37206
I have known and loved Jenni with Nurture Nashville since I first moved to Nashville in 2014. If you want to a calming environment where you feel deeply cared for, this is it.
Nurture specializes in pregnancy and postpartum movement, and offers both prenatal classes and baby-friendly postpartum classes. Their BYOBaby Yoga is designed for newborns through about 8 months, with infant massage, songs and movement for both parent and baby.
They also offer postpartum circles that combine gentle movement with time to talk and connect with other new moms.
This is another one you can bookmark before baby arrives. You can start with prenatal yoga, then already know where you'll go when you're ready to get out with your newborn.
Dads Need Community Too
Moms aren't the only ones who need a village. Nashville has fewer dad-specific groups, but there are a few places to start if you're looking for other dads, a casual outing, or some support as you figure out this whole fatherhood thing.
Nash Dads
A local dad community with opportunities to connect through playgroups, outings, and dad-focused gatherings. A good starting point for finding other Nashville dads and seeing what's happening locally.
Dad Walks Nashville
A casual group for dads who want to get outside and meet other dads. They walk to McCabe Greenway in Sylvan Park the 2nd Saturday of the month if you want to join.
Daddy Stroller Social Club
A national organization with a Nashville chapter that brings dads together through stroller walks, meetups, and wellness events. Their mission also includes raising awareness around postpartum depression in dads and creating more opportunities for connection.
Training Camp for Dads at The New Life Center
For expecting dads, this free workshop is a chance to meet other fathers and talk honestly about the transition into fatherhood. It also covers practical things like diapering, swaddling, and car-seat installation.
When You Just Need to Get Out of the House
Not every outing needs to be educational.
Sometimes the goal is simply: I have been inside my house for three days and I need to see another human.
Here are a few Nashville places that make good low-pressure outings.
The Hangout Cafe
4602 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216
A casual neighborhood cafe with coffee, food and a big outdoor play area. It's the kind of place where you can grab a drink, bring the stroller and not feel like everyone is staring at you if your baby starts crying.
El Fuego
3917 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216
We love El Fuego and go way too often. You will be in great company with tons of other families, there are kids running wild everywhere! There is a huge outdoor seating area and it’s super casual so you can just walk up to order when you're ready… if baby has a total meltdown you can just skedaddle.
Nectar Urban Cantina
206 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214
Nectar has a casual atmosphere, coffee, breakfast and lunch options, and an outdoor backyard with playground equipment. It's another very family friendly option for when you want to get out without turning the outing into a whole production.
Places to Wander
This category might be the most important one. Sometimes you don't need a destination, you just need somewhere to go.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37205
Cheekwood is an easy place to spend an hour or two walking outside, especially when you need a change of scenery.
And a very practical detail for the newborn stage: there is a nursing room in Botanic Hall, along with family restrooms and changing tables.
Nashville Zoo
3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
One of my personal favorite places to wander with the stroller. We first got a membership when my daughter was under one and have renewed every year since. Sometimes I miss the simplicity when she was a baby and I could just quietly walk the bamboo lined paths instead of riding the carousel 18 times. Enjoy the peace while you can!
Radnor Lake
1160 Otter Creek Road, Nashville, TN 37220
For when you need trees, fresh air and a little less stimulation. I recommend bringing a baby carrier rather than stroller so you can walk the trails. It’s also much easier to go during weekday mornings because weekends get busy and parking is limited.
Tennessee State Museum
1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208
The Tennessee State Museum is free, indoors and air-conditioned, which makes it a particularly appealing option when Nashville weather is doing its thing. There is also a nice play space with a pretend supermarket, dress up corner, books and activities if you’ve got older children with you.
And honestly? You don't have to stay long. Walk around for 30 minutes, see a few things and leave when you're ready. It’s right next to the Farmer’s Market so you can treat yourself to a coffee or lunch after you visit.
And Sometimes the Outing Isn't Really for the Baby
This deserves its own section.
Your baby does not need every outing to be enriching, educational, or even particularly interesting.
Sometimes you need to wander around HomeGoods with a coffee. Sometimes you need to walk around the mall in the air conditioning because it’s 97 degrees outside.
Sometimes you put the baby in the stroller and go somewhere simply because you are a person who needs to leave the house.
That counts, too.
You Don't Have to Do All of This
If you're pregnant and reading this while surrounded by baby registries, nursery furniture and approximately 700 decisions about what kind of bottle you should buy, here's the part I really want you to take away:
You don't have to figure out your entire village before your baby arrives.
Just pick one place. Maybe it's a mom group. Maybe it's prenatal yoga. Maybe it's a library story time you save for later. Maybe it's a coffee shop you decide will become your Tuesday morning place. Maybe it's a class where you'll meet three other moms who are due around the same time.
The goal isn't to come home from your first outing with a new best friend. It's to keep showing up.