Helpful Products

It’s summer, and we all know what that means: barbecues, camp, parties, beaches—and sunburns, stings and sand in all your cracks.

To combat the season's little annoyances (bug bites) and major dangers (drowning), we've rounded up the best new health and safety products for your family. So have fun with abandon and leave your worry at home.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. So since moms have a lot of needs (we're talking G-rated ones here), it's no surprise that they find creative ways to fulfill them.

New York City mothers are particularly imaginative, especially when it comes to making the most of our strollers. We use them the way suburban moms use their SUVs: They're our shopping carts and storage spaces.

With that in mind, three fabulous local mompreneurs came up with five smart, stroller-enhancing products, and we're giving one of each away.

Everyone knows that if you plan to spend anytime outdoors under the burning sun, you better slather on the sunblock. (Your skin will thank you for it for years to come.) However, infants have extra-special needs when it comes to sun protection, particularly New York City babies, who are invariably out and about all day in strollers or slings on shadeless streets.

So where's an SPF-obsessed parent to start? As a mommy who's currently shuttling around a newborn babe, here are the five sun-care products I won't leave home without.

New York City is an amazingly photogenic backdrop—no wonder you can scarcely turn a corner in this town without running into a movie shoot. As a film school grad myself, I'm continually inspired by the city's versatility. From scenic parks to urban texture to character-filled cafés and storefronts, NYC is a fantastic photo studio, perfect for showcasing your family.

When crafting an authentic family portrait, I try to pick places where the family members spend time in their day-to-day lives, such as their home, a nearby restaurant or playground, or a special place where kids can be themselves. That said, there are also lovely locations that I frequently suggest where I can get creative shots that tell a unique story about my subjects. Each spot has its own unique benefits, and I've highlighted six of them here, and used my photographs to illustrate how lovely they are.

You don't usually take a class to learn a skill you hope never, ever to use. And when's the last time you heard a teacher cheerily order,
"I want you to hit the baby—hard!” Welcome to infant CPR.

The bright-eyed expectant couples in my class were horrified to discover that I have a two-year-old and an infant—and that this was my first CPR session. I admit, I procrastinated in part out of fear. When I was pregnant with my first child, the thought of a medical emergency was just too scary to even contemplate. Plus, with childbirth classes, breastfeeding classes, working and all of the others things my husband and I were doing to prepare for parenthood, infant CPR seemed like something we could skip on our insanely long to-do list.

But once I had my second child, I started to worry about my lack of knowledge. My daughter's environment was always very controlled. Her poor baby brother, however, was born into a world of toys with tiny pieces, big-kid food and an overzealous older sister. Suddenly I felt a very strong urge to learn CPR, just in case. Here's what I got out of the class, and why I think all new parents should have these skills.