Mother's Day Events for New York City Moms

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What to do on Mother's Day is always a little tricky. If you are like me, you may be of two minds about what you really want to do for Mother's Day. On the one hand, perhaps unrealistically, you'd love to spend an idealized day with your family sharing a sense of togetherness with your children who are acting like little angels just to make you happy on your special day. On the other hand, perhaps secretly, what you'd really love is to spend a day alone doing the types of things you enjoy, but have been replaced with kid activities...art, culture, strolling in pretty gardens...

 

In this post I've gathered up some events that I hope will be a happy compromise; family activities that are a bit more mom-centric, but have room for kids to be real kids. And if the kids don't cooperate...maybe you can send them off with dad.

New On Mommy Poppins: New York City Pregnancy and Baby Guide

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We have added a new section on Mommy Poppins, The New York City Pregnancy and Baby Guide. With 30 articles about pregnancy, giving birth, breastfeeding, baby gear, plus shopping, finding a mother's group, mommy and me classes and more, we hope this guide will help make navigating your pregnancy and time with new baby easier and more fun.

I have to give a huge thanks to my friend Bess Abrahams (Bess and I have been buddies since we met at the Jefferson Market Library literally as babies ourselves). An active member of the natural birth community in New York, yoga instructor and pregnant with her second child, Bess wrote many of the informative articles in the guide about giving birth and breastfeeding, taking nothing in return except the pleasure of sharing information with other mothers. Thanks, Bess! You're a great friend and mother.

New York City OBGYNs Supportive of Natural Childbirth or VBACs

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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. Often when you do end up having a cesarean birth the circumstances are not ideal for contemplation and fore-thought, so taking the time now to get informed, familiarize yourself with what will happen and know your options can really help you in the event that you are confronted with a c-section during your birth.

Choices: Giving birth with a midwife or an OBGYN?

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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. This cultural shift has come from women wanting more control over their births and becoming more educated about their choices. While midwives are becoming a more popular birth choice among a growing number of women, there are still many misconceptions and fear about giving births with midwives. In this post, we give the basic facts about midwives and information about how to find a midwife in New York City.

News: Kindergarten Crisis Rally, No Idling Law, More Kid Business Closings, New Playgrounds, Dangers of Slings and Co-Sleepers

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With the panic of Swine Flu receding, we can go back to our regularly scheduled anxieties, like whether the quality of life for families in New York City is going to suck as the economy declines. With overcrowded schools, family-friendly businesses closing left and right, and the costs of everything from metrocards to taxes going up while salaries and savings disappear, is the recent age of New York's family-friendliness going to disappear also? On the plus side, news about some new playgrounds, and a new law that will hopefully help reduce air pollution. And on the side-lines, furor over a Consumer Reports finding that some parents saw as an attack on attachment parenting.

Lactation Consultants and Resources for Breastfeeding Your Baby

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You will hear from many sources how great it is to breast feed your baby and the amazing qualities of breast milk, etc. Beyond the old "breast is best" and all the talk about the qualities of breast milk and maternal bonding, breastfeeding has some other distinct advantages for a New York City parent: breast feeding is green and it will save you lots of money on formula, bottles and other paraphernalia, plus you end up schlepping a lot less, meaning less hassle wherever the city streets take you.

Most people know about the benefits of breastfeeding and plan on breast feeding their baby. Many people have no trouble getting started breastfeeding, but it can be difficult for some and it is easy to get discouraged in the emotional days after birth. Another time that can be a challenge to a mother's commitment to breast feeding is the transition back to work when the idea of pumping at work seems impractical or unappealing or you're just not sure how to swing it all.

While it's okay to stop whenever you want, sometimes just a little help at those important stages can bring the mother and baby through the difficult times and get them back on track for many more months of easy breastfeeding. If one phone call and an hour or two of help with a supportive lactation consultant can lead to many more days of happy and easy breastfeeding, that seems like a good investment.

What the heck is a doula anyway?

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Doulas are people you hire to stay with you and support you during your birth. Their role is to help protect the intention you have for your birth, offer practical techniques to help you get through the labor, provide information to you and your partner and offer emotional support. Doulas do not provide medical guidance. We like to think of doulas as very knowledgeable friends who have been to enough births and know when to make suggestions, when to be quiet and when to bring out a little inner fierceness—some people relate the rise of the doula as a replacement for mothers and other female relatives now that families are more spread out (physically and emotionally). There are also prenatal and postpartum doulas who help you before and after you birth.

Beyond Lamaze: Childbirth Education Classes in New York City

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[UPDATED: July 18, 2012]

A childbirth education class is exactly what it sounds like, a class either held over a weekend or once a week for a few weeks where you learn all sorts of nifty things about your pregnancy and impending birth.   One of the nice things about birthing classes is that you practice pain coping techniques that you might use in your labor, especially helpful if you are planning to have a natural childbirth. It's like a dry run and can help build your confidence—ok nothing quite compares to the real thing—but try being mildly uncomfortable by holding ice and observing your breath like you do in Birthing From Within classes and you'll laugh and figure out some things out about yourself before the 40th week. Or try the relaxation techniques of HypnoBirthing.

Many pregnant women also make their first mommy friends in their birthing classes since you are meeting women who may live near you and will be having babies at the same time. Birthing classes are an important milestone for dads-to-be also, helping him become connected to the impending birth as well as prepared.

What you'll learn: signs and stages of labor, basic anatomy, pain coping techniques for women and partners, available pain medications and technology, basics of breast feeding, basic newborn care, cesareans and C-section prevention.

Timing: Most people suggest you sign up for a course so that it coincides with your seventh month.

Price: Usually $300-$500 per couple.

We've rounded up childbirth education classes offered throughout New York City.

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