Streamlining Access to Early Parenting Resources

Introduction

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The Problem

Parents seeking perinatal care beyond standard medical providers often struggle with an inefficient, overwhelming search process. Unlike fields with centralized directories (e.g., ZocDoc, Psychology Today), perinatal care lacks an equivalent resource, leaving parents to:

• Rely on broad Google searches and scattered sources
• Sift through excessive, often conflicting information
• Contact providers individually to gather crucial details

This fragmented process is stressful, time-consuming, and inefficient at a time when parents already have limited bandwidth.

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The Solution

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My goal was to provide parents with a streamlined, searchable database of perinatal care providers to help them make quick, informed decisions. Most parents prefer to have an initial phone or video call before committing to a provider, so the directory is designed to minimize the number of these calls needed, making the process more efficient and less overwhelming.

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I designed a digital directory that:

• Prioritizes ease of use – Recognizing that overwhelmed parents don’t have time for complex navigation.
• Balances comprehensiveness with simplicity – Offering robust search and filtering options without overwhelming users.
• Is accessible on any device - Built as a website-based database, not restricted to an operating system
• Doesn’t require login - to save time and effort
• Focuses on three care categories  - doulas, lactation support, and perinatal mental health, identified as the most important based on Nurture’s prior research.
• Offers multiple ways to search - helps parents search even if they’re not sure where to start

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Research & Discovery

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Who is the user?

Our users are new and expecting parents from diverse backgrounds, very often dealing with situational disabilities (e.g., holding a baby in one arm while searching on their phone). The MVP focuses on Richmond, VA-based parents due to Nurture’s local reach.

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Understanding the User Journey

Nurture had already conducted in-depth research on care providers that were available in the Richmond area, and what types of care local parents felt were the most crucial to them. I expanded on this research by interviewing parents to understand what their process of finding care actually looked like.

In order to access a diverse group of interview participants, I applied for and helped secure a UserTesting OneWorld grant, giving us access to the UserTesting’s platform and participant pool.

The goals of my research were to 1. understand what a user’s process is when looking for perinatal care, 2. understand what frustrations are experienced finding perinatal care, and 3. understand what information a user needs to learn about a care provider in order to make a decision about whether to hire them.

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What I heard:

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There's a lot of information out there, so it's kind of hard to kind of sift through that and try to figure out what decision I should make.

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I’m sleepy, I’m busy, I don’t know what I’m gonna need.

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It's terrifying enough that you're bringing a human into the world, it shouldn't be hard to search for or find information to help with your pregnancy, during your pregnancy, and after your pregnancy.

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I Google and just basically poke around. I don’t feel like I’m amazing at that. I do it until I get frustrated.

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There's not a lot of resources available. You have to just use google, roll the dice, and hope it comes out good.

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There’s a big disconnect between OB and the things you need. You would think the OBs would have a list of them and they don’t.

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I feel like I'm in a race against time to secure providers.

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Key insights

Goal: Quickly and easily hire an experienced, affordable, available provider to help them with their pregnancy, birth, or early childhood care.

Frustrations: Busy, overwhelmed, on a deadline, in need of help but lacking a quick way to find it. The necessary information isn’t all in one place.

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From my research, a few critical insights emerged:

• Fragmented provider networks: OBs and other medical professionals often don’t provide comprehensive referral lists.
• Google is the primary starting point, but parents must visit multiple sites and manually track notes.
• Parents don’t always know what care they need: They may start searching for one provider type and realize later they need something different.
• Trust is essential: Online information can be confusing or misleading, making parents hesitant.
• Top decision factors: Experience level, cost/insurance, and availability.
• Finding the right fit matters: Beyond credentials, parents seek providers who align with their values and personality.

Pregnancy, birth, and parenting can be difficult, scary, and full of unknowns. Parents are often busy and feel stretched thin. They want to find care, but don’t have a good and efficient way to search for it. The search process itself can take a lot of time and add to parents’ stress. Parents know they need to find care fast - the baby won’t wait for them!

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User Persona: Meet Gabrielle

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I’m supposed to be reveling in baby bliss but I’m just hitting a wall. Looking for help takes up even more of my energy reserves.

Age: 37 | Occupation: Product Manager | Family: Husband, toddler (3), newborn twins (2 months)

‍Background & Challenges

Gabrielle, a highly organized professional and mother of three, is exhausted after the premature birth of her twins. While she received some lactation support in the hospital, she now needs help with sleep training and postpartum anxiety—but doesn’t know where to start. She’s spending too much time researching providers, comparing options, and making calls, all while managing three kids.

‍Goals

• Find a sleep specialist to help her twins sleep through the night.
• Get trustworthy, in-home support.
• Address postpartum anxiety.
• Reduce time spent researching.

Pain Points

• Overwhelmed by fragmented information and lack of clear guidance.
• Exhaustion from nighttime wake-ups affects her care for her toddler.
• Struggles to find trusted recommendations or even define the services she needs.

Current Search Process

Google searches | Agency directories | Local mom forums | Spreadsheets | Phone calls

Needs & Opportunities

Gabrielle needs a streamlined way to find, vet, and track care providers efficiently—so she can focus on getting the support and rest she needs.

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User statement:

As an overwhelmed mom of a toddler and newborn twins, I need a trustworthy, all-in-one list of care providers so I can quickly narrow down options to find the best fit for my needs.

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The User Journey

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Opportunity: How can Nurture help Gabrielle?

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Defining the Problem

Nurture had already identified that parents lacked a centralized, reliable way to find care providers. To create a product that actually solved the right problems, we used my research to pinpoint the key challenges that parents like Gabrielle face:

• Online searches overwhelm parents with too many results to sift through and no quick way to filter them.
• Finding enough relevant details to make a decision requires checking many different resources.
• Parents are tired, emotionally stretched, and on a tight timeline.
• Without knowing the full range of available care options, parents often learn as they go, and waste time searching for the wrong types of care.

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Finding the solution

Gabrielle needs a centralized, filterable database with multiple entry-points to search from, and comprehensive provider details in a single view—eliminating extra research and guiding her efficiently toward a decision. She needs to be given as much information as possible without overwhelming her, and the ability to filter down that information.

We ideated as a team to discuss various solutions, and worked with Nurture leadership to assess the feasibility of these solutions. Our project funding came from grant money, so we need to be mindful of the cost of any features we implemented. The MVP needed to be impactful but feasible, to encourage further support.

We prioritized value propositions based on 1. benefit to parents and 2. feasibility for an MVP.

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Value propositions

• Centralized, trustworthy provider directory with essential details (certifications, insurance, availability, pricing)
• Simple, powerful search and filtering to quickly find the right fit
• Clear, transparent pricing and insurance info upfront
• Bookmarking tool to save, track, and compare providers
• Shortlisted, high-quality options—no need to sift through endless listings
• Detailed bios & photos to help assess personality and values
• Up-to-date availability (who’s accepting new clients now)
• Trusted educational content on care options, what to expect, and how to decide
• No login required to browse, search, and save providers

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Design Process

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Understanding that clarity and efficiency were top priorities, I developed a structured navigation system:

• A homepage that immediately communicates the directory’s purpose and key benefits.
• A “learn more” page, separate from the main search flow, where parents could find further resources and information if they chose
• Categorized provider listings so parents can quickly identify relevant services.
• An intuitive filtering system allowing users to refine searches by service type, payment accepted, credentials, and other important details.

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User flow and Wireframing

For this phase of the project, I focused on the core user flow: a parent or expecting parent searching for a care provider.

I began by wireframing key screens and interactions, initially structuring the homepage as informational, with a separate “Find Care” page where users could start their search. From there, they could choose to browse all providers or select one of three care categories—doulas, lactation support providers, or perinatal mental health care providers. Selecting a category would take them to a pre-filtered directory with an informational header explaining that type of care.

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Early testing immediately revealed that this approach created unnecessary steps. Most users wanted to start searching right away, making the separate “Find Care” page redundant. We streamlined the homepage to allow immediate search access.

We also found that category-specific headers above the directory listings were taking up valuable space and introducing usability issues. Would the header need to update dynamically as users applied other filters? How would we handle providers who fit multiple categories, like doulas who also offer lactation support?

To simplify the experience, we moved the category descriptions to the separate “Learn More” page and kept the category buttons as simple filters. This removed extra clicks and kept the directory clean and focused on results.

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Visual Design Principles

The visual and interaction design focused on trust and familiarity, inclusivity, and reducing cognitive overload:

• Brand alignment: Used Nurture RVA’s existing identity for trust and familiarity; adjusted colors for accessible contrast ratios
• Calm, gentle aesthetic: Soft colors, negative space, welcoming imagery
• Inclusive representation: Showcased diverse families
• Accessible typography: Easy readability for tired parents scanning information
• Clear call-to-action buttons guiding users directly to key resources.

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Testing and Iteration

Once the prototype was developed, I conducted usability tests with a group of parents.

What we want to learn

• Do users understand how to navigate the Directory?
• Are the filtering options useful and comprehensive?
• Do users find the information trustworthy and complete?
• Are visual elements supporting usability?
• What insights can we gain from the ways in which users navigate through the app?

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Prototype test round 1

Nurture leadership requested that we test our prototype with parents in their own network. Our timing presented a challenge, as we tried to conduct this testing during back-to-school time, and got limited and rushed participation from very few parents. (Important lesson learned: consider the user’s broader life schedule!) Despite low participation, this test uncovered two key UI issues that needed to be addressed.

First, the bookmark icon in the navigation created confusion—users on profile pages expected it to bookmark the current provider, not navigate to the bookmarks page. Removing this icon and moving the bookmarks page link to the hamburger menu solved this problem.

Second, users missed the bookmark icons next to each provider in the list view. Adding a simple outline dramatically improved their visibility.

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In our second round of usability testing (below), this update proved successful and participants had no issues with bookmarking.

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Prototype test round 2

In this test, we leveraged the UserTesting network of participants and were able to get richer feedback and broader opinions from six parents.

Testing insights:

1. Overall, the directory received positive feedback from the majority of participants, with ease of navigation and thorough information being highlighted as strengths.
2. Participants appreciated the ability to search and filter providers by payment options, but expressed a strong desire for reviews and more personalized filters such as location, availability, race/ethnicity served, and specific issues worked with.
3. The visual styling received mostly good feedback, with participants expressing particular enthusiasm for photos showing diverse races and family structures.
4. The length and placement of written content were points of contention, with some participants feeling overwhelmed by long passages of text placed above actionable information.
5. Profile photos, personal bio sections, and filter options were generally well-received, contributing to a positive user experience for most participants.
6. The ability to bookmark providers and navigate the site easily were mentioned positively by all participants, indicating successful usability and functionality.

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Updating the design

Based on the insights from usability testing, I implemented several updates that were immediately feasible and impactful. These changes will be reassessed in the next round of testing to evaluate their effectiveness.

• Streamlined homepage content: Reduced text and prioritized CTAs to guide users more quickly to their next steps. Added direct buttons for categories, repositioned the search bar, and moved the search by payment option higher up.

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• Reordered profile info: Moved key details (payment type, certification, and years of experience) to the top of the profile page for better visibility. Broke up two lengthy paragraphs (overview of services, personal bio) into separate profile sections to avoid overwhelming the user with consecutive large blocks of text.
• Concealed lengthy text in profile: Added "read more" buttons to hide extended text, particularly for mobile users who prefer a quicker, less cluttered browsing experience.

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Updates that require new features, further research, or larger discussions with Nurture’s leadership will be tackled in the next phase of the project.

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Outcome

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Current Achievements & Successes

• Streamlined Search Process: By eliminating account sign-ups and pre-search quizzes, we’ve significantly reduced friction, allowing users to dive straight into the information they need. Even before design updates, 80% of test participants expressed appreciation that they could quickly begin their search without providing extra information.
• Clear, User-Friendly Design: The directory was designed for intuitive navigation, with a focus on user needs.
• Fostering Personal Connections: We’ve integrated profile photos and bios to emphasize personal connections and humanize the search experience. 80% of test participants expressed positive feelings associated with this emphasis.
• Flexible Search Entry Points: Multiple search pathways were designed to meet diverse user preferences, from broad filters to specific criteria. In testing, most users accessed at least two different entry points, and 80% expressed satisfaction with the variety of options they were provided.
• Empowering Decision-Making: We’ve given parents nearly enough information to make decisions—currently, user feedback suggests that 60% feel they have at least enough to get started.
• Centralized, Shareable Directory: By creating a directory that’s easily shareable by OBs, hospitals, and care providers, we’ve begun to break down access barriers. Many partners in the field are eager to get their providers listed and contribute categories of care, while other organizations are actively seeking to join, demonstrating strong interest in expanding the directory’s reach and fostering collaboration.

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Learnings and Next Steps

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Key Features to Add

We're close to launching the directory with the current designs, but there are a few essential features that will truly elevate the directory’s value to parents:

• Reviews: User feedback is critical for trust and informed decision-making.
• Availability and Schedule: This requires significant research. Providers manage their schedules differently—doulas are on-call for births, while lactation consultants and mental health professionals have regular appointments. We need to determine how to present this variability in a user-friendly way. Should we incorporate a detailed calendar or simply note availability (e.g., “available evenings” or “on-call for births”)?
• Sort by Distance: Location is key for parents searching for providers nearby.

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Other next steps

• Home Page Redesign: Consider further simplifying the home page to prioritize action over information, making it even easier for parents to jump straight into their search.
• Expand Geography: While we currently limit the search to Richmond, we should broaden the geographical scope by allowing search by zip code for a more inclusive experience.

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Key Takeaways

• Minority Opinions Can Spark Big Improvements: A single user’s feedback about wordiness pointed to a valuable insight—users need a more action-oriented experience. Streamlining the process and reducing cognitive load is key.
• Respond to the Majority’s Needs: We initially excluded ratings and reviews due to the development complexity, but user demand for these features is undeniable. Without them, parents will turn to other sources for this information, defeating the purpose of the directory.
• The Power of In-Depth Interviews: Users may not always vocalize every need, but paying attention to their stories uncovers hidden insights. For example, while no one directly asked for a bookmarking feature, many users expressed frustration with having to screenshot providers they liked. Our bookmark feature, which was not explicitly requested, turned out to be highly valued.

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Final Thoughts

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As we continue to refine the directory, the insights gained from user feedback and testing will guide our next steps. The goal is to create a resource that not only meets parents' needs but exceeds their expectations—empowering them with the tools to make informed decisions with ease. The upcoming features and improvements are just the beginning, and we are excited to see how the directory evolves to become an indispensable tool for parents in their care search.