Start building your support circle.
Rooted in Grace can help families think through the practical people and resources they may want around them before and after baby arrives.
Building your village in Southeast Wisconsin
A postpartum doula is one kind of support and deliberately not the only one. A strong village usually blends several: clinical care, feeding expertise, mental-health support, peer connection, and practical help. Each has a distinct role, and knowing which is which saves time when something is hard.
The organizations below are national and statewide resources that Rooted in Grace is not affiliated with and receives nothing for listing. They are here because they are genuinely useful and, in several cases, free. Verify current hours, coverage, and eligibility directly, since these change.
Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 in an emergency. Postpartum Support International’s free helpline is 1-800-944-4773, with a text option at the same number.
Mental and emotional health
Perinatal mood and anxiety changes are common and treatable. Reaching out early makes them easier to address.
Postpartum Support International
Free helpline, free online support groups, and a provider directory for perinatal mental health. Supports partners as well as birthing parents.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Free and confidential support 24 hours a day by call, text, or chat.
Wisconsin crisis support
State directory of county crisis lines and local mental-health services.
CDC Hear Her
Urgent maternal warning signs and language for making yourself heard when something feels wrong.
Feeding support
La Leche League
Free peer support meetings and a volunteer helpline.
Wisconsin WIC
Nutrition support, breastfeeding peer counselors, and pump access for families who qualify.
Find an IBCLC
Board certified lactation consultants, searchable by location. Ask your hospital about follow-up first, as it is often free.
Pregnancy, birth, and general health
ACOG patient resources
Plain-language guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Wisconsin Maternal and Child Health
State programs, home-visiting services, and family health support.
HealthyChildren.org
Parent-facing newborn and infant guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, including current safe-sleep recommendations.
Practical and financial help
If diapers, clothing, or gear are a stretch right now, these are real starting points.
National Diaper Bank Network
Find a diaper bank near you. Several operate across Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee counties.
211 Wisconsin
Free coordinator line connecting families to local services: food, housing, utilities, childcare, and health. Dial 211.
BadgerCare Plus
Wisconsin health coverage information, including postpartum coverage eligibility.
Programs many Wisconsin families never hear about
A surprising amount of postpartum support is already funded and sitting unused, mostly because nobody tells new parents it exists. Eligibility is often far broader than people assume, and several of these programs are not income-restricted at all.
Rooted in Grace is not affiliated with any of them and receives nothing for listing them. Rules, funding, and eligibility change regularly, so treat everything below as a starting point and confirm current details directly with the program.
Health coverage and nutrition
BadgerCare Plus
Wisconsin health coverage. Pregnancy and postpartum eligibility rules differ from standard eligibility, so it is worth checking even if you were turned down before.
WIC
Nutrition support, breastfeeding peer counselors, and pump access for pregnant and postpartum parents and children under five. The income limit is higher than most people expect.
FoodShare Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s SNAP program. Household size and a new baby both affect eligibility, so a previous denial may no longer apply.
WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Seasonal benefits for fresh produce at participating Wisconsin farmers markets, for families already enrolled in WIC.
Free in-home and early childhood support
Family Foundations Home Visiting
Free, voluntary home visits from a nurse or trained educator during pregnancy and early childhood, available in participating Wisconsin counties.
Birth to 3 Program
Free developmental evaluation for children under three. Any parent can refer their own child, and there is no income requirement for the evaluation.
Early Head Start
Support from pregnancy through age three for eligible families, including home-based options in Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee counties.
Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy
Help paying for child care for working, studying, or job-searching parents who qualify.
Safe sleep, supplies, and household costs
Cribs for Kids
Free or low-cost portable cribs and safe-sleep education through local partner organizations, for families who do not have a safe sleep space.
Diaper banks
Free diapers through member organizations. Several serve Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee counties.
Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance
Help with heating and electric bills, plus emergency furnace assistance. Applications run on an annual cycle.
211 Wisconsin
One free call or text connects you to local help with food, housing, utilities, child care, and health. Dial 211 from any phone.
Your rights at work
Several federal protections apply to pregnancy and the postpartum period, and many parents are never told about them.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave for eligible employees at covered employers, including bonding with a new child.
PUMP Act
Requires most employers to provide reasonable break time and a private space, not a bathroom, to express milk at work.
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, including recovery.
Not sure which one you need?
That is a completely reasonable question, and one a consultation can answer. LaTesha can help you think through which kind of support fits what you are describing, whether or not you ever book a visit. If paid support is not the right fit right now, she will say so and point you somewhere useful instead.
Let grace meet you at home.
Tell us what would make the next few weeks feel lighter.