New York City Pregnancy and Baby Guide

May 5 2009

You've seen the plus sign on the dip stick...now what? Having a baby in New York City is just as complicated as anything else in this crazy town, from choosing and finding an OBGYN or a midwife for your birth to choosing and finding the right nursing bra. There are so many choices it could make your head spin. We hope our guide to pregnancy and your new baby can help give you a little guidance and support as you travel down the road to parenthood, whether this is your first baby or your eighth.

As always, we will continue to add new content to this page as we create it so check back or subscribe to get our free email updates.

Giving Birth in New York City

Birth Place Alternatives: Where to have your baby in New York City
Finding the right practitioner and place to give birth are challenging tasks in New York City. How do you choose where to give birth?

Choosing a Midwife or OBGYN?
Most people consider giving birth with an OBGYN to be the "safe" choice, but having your baby with a midwife has gone from a crunchy alternative decision to relatively mainstream now.

NYC OBGYNs Supportive of Natural Childbirth and VBACs
Nobody really wants to have a cesarean section, but since C-sections make up about 30% of births in this country (possibly higher in New York City) every pregnant woman needs to know the facts about them in order to be informed and prepared.

What the Heck is a Doula Anyway?
Doulas are people you hire to stay with you and support you during your birth...

Childbirth Education Classes
A childbirth education class is exactly what it sounds like, a class where you learn all sorts of nifty things about your pregnancy and impending birth.

Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby

Eating On The Go: Healthy Fast Food Choices
A little knowledge will help you make smart choices when fast food is the only option

Acupuncture for Pregnant and Laboring Women
Fight your nausea, fatigue, and depression with traditional Chinese medicine.

Breastfeeding

Lactation Consultants and Resources for Breastfeeding
The first step toward successful breastfeeding is having the right information and support from the start...

Maternity Stores: Where to Buy Nursing Bras and Breastfeeding Supplies in New York City
Considering the size of New York City and the strong bias toward breastfeeding, one would think there would be a lot more resources for nursing moms. In fact there are only a very few stores and it can be hard to find breastfeeding supplies...

Baby Gear

What to Expect (to Buy) When You're Expecting
After conducting extensive research (ie emailing all our friends with babies) we have come up with a list of essential things to have that first year.

The Ultimate Guide to Baby Shopping
I've always wanted to write the ultimate post about what you really need (and don't need) to buy when you have a baby...

For the love of Slings
Why am I such a crazy sling devotee? Let me count the ways...

Shopping for Baby

How to Choose and Use a Baby Carrier in New York City
Choosing the right carrier for mom and dad (who may need his own if he is not the same size) is really important and worth investing a little time, thought and consideration into.

Best clothing shopping sites for babies and kids
These sites will keep your kids looking cool and you can do it all without leaving your chair.

Bulk Diapers, Delivered
Did you know that you can also have bulk groceries delivered to your home?

Unique Baby Gifts: New York City On This Date
The work of artist, Tom Matt is the perfect way to celebrate the birth of a new New York baby. Tom Matt does wonderful original pastel cityscapes, but what makes his work perfect for a baby gift is not just what he draws, but what he draws it on.

New York City Mother's Groups

How to Make Mommy Friends and Meet Other Parents in NYC
Let's face it, when you are a new parent New York can be like a sea of humanity: people, people everywhere, but not a soul to commiserate with. Finding the right parenting group can give you an instant social network to share the trials and tribulations of parenthood.

Mommy and Me Classes

Five Cool NYC Mommy and Me Classes
Here are some of the best, cool and unique mommy (or daddy) and me classes that you might even enjoy just as much as your baby or toddler will.

Baby Sign Language Classes
There is no question that kids can communicate before they can speak and if you are consistent with baby signs you will be amazed.

NYC Mommy and Me Music Classes
Babies can respond to music before they can do a lot of other things, so it's no wonder that music classes are often the first Mommy and Me you'll try out with your little donut.

5 Mommy and Me Classes on Saturdays
Remember when your Saturdays could include marathon sessions of, well, pretty much whatever you like to do. Now Saturdays can just feel like marathons of...marathons. Sometimes structured weekend activities help make Saturdays run smoother.

Mommy and Me Swim Classes in NYC
Mommy and Me Swim Classes (or Daddy and Me) are a wonderful way to spend time with your baby or toddler that's enjoyable for both of you.

For a list of indoor play spaces see our Indoor Activity Guide

Fun with Baby

Landmark Sunshine Rattle and Reel
Take your ~~babe~~ baby to the movies.

99 Sensory Activities For Any Child
While these activities all revolve around sensory stimulation, I think they are just great all-around activities for any kid, and a great list to pull up when you are stuck at home and need ideas for how to pass that last hour in the day or when you need a calming or invigorating activity when your child is stuck in a bad mood.

100 things to do with your kids in NY before they grow up
You've decided to hve your baby in New York. Here's 100 reasons why, all the amazing things that you just MUST do with them here before they grow up.

Tools and Resources

Top Baby Names for New York City and Tools for Picking a Cool Name
If you are researching baby names, check out these fun sites that can help you pick a good one and find out which names are top most popular in New York City.

Top 10 iPhone Apps for Moms and Dads

Essential Reading for Living in NYC with Kids
We've dug up some of the best books for living in NYC with kids, covering schools, activities, apartment living, neighborhoods and more.

Parent Like a Rookie
This site written by two Berkley Moms is a must read for lots of fun activities to do with your baby.

Tantruming Toddlers are Neanderthals and So Can You
Dr Harvey Karp follows up his life-saving Happiest Baby book with a book on toddlers and tantrums.