What the heck is a doula anyway?

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

[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.

Top Baby Names for New York City and Tools for Picking a Cool Name

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but would it have self-image issues, would it get sick of everyone misspelling its name or that there were three other kids with the same name in it's class? Would a rose want a trendy name, an unusual name, or maybe an unusually trendy name, as is popular now. Picking a baby name can be hard, but the good thing about living in New York City is that just about anything goes. You don't have to worry that giving your child an unusual name will lead to teasing. Actually I don't think kids in New York today know that certain names are unusual...cool, unconventional names are more common than traditional names.

If you are researching baby names in New York check out these sites that can help you pick a good one, find baby name meanings, plus find out which names are top most popular in New York City.

Learning about our world: Sheep Shearing Events and Felt Exhibit

We think of New York City as the "real" world, but then there's that other real world: the one where our food is grown and our clothes are made. We can be fairly isolated from these everyday realities. But even in New York, there are ample opportunities to learn about where things come from.

This weekend is Sheep Shearing Weekend with a couple of events to learn about how wool is turned from a sheep's winter coat into the fabric that makes our clothes and other things. Find a sheep shearing event in the city or drive out for one in the 'burbs. For extra credit check out an art exhibit about felt that takes it to the next step to show how wool is made into felt and many beautiful objects made from felt.

Free NYC Weekend Activities for Kids May 1-3: Cherry Blossom Festival, Wildflowers, Spring Fairs, Free Comic Books & Bikes

Yeah, it might rain, and you've been thinking about getting surgical masks to even take the whole family out to the grocery store...but there is too much going on this weekend to just stay at home. So get the family, grab the Purell--and probably an umbrella or two--and brave the elements for an amazing weekend of cherry blossoms and wildflowers, spring and school fairs, ring swinging, a block party and bike tour, a family festival to end all festivals and free bikes and comic books.

If you're concerned about public places and swine flu, sani-hands is giving out free samples of their sanitizing wipes on Friday, May 1 in Times Square from 10am-1pm, or just make sure to wash your hands frequently.

Beyond the Pipe Cleaner: 5 Mother's Day Gift-Making Activities for Kids

Yes, your child will most likely come home from school with a Mother's Day gift. Perhaps a ziti collage or a bouquet of paper flowers suspended on pipe cleaners. And you will ooh and ah. And appropriately so. But why leave all the fun to school when you could celebrate Mother's Day as a family, making Mother's Day crafts together (you for your own mom, them for theirs) or Moms could even send dads off with kids to make Mother's Day gifts for a few hours and that would almost be gift enough.

Many kid venues offer Mother's Day gift-making workshops where kids can glue tissue paper flowers together, but we've gathered some unique events where kids of all ages can step the Mother's Day gift-making up a notch, even if Dad has to pitch in a bit.

The Best Family-Friendly Bars in New York City

Just because you have kids, doesn't mean you can't enjoy going out for a beer once in a while. And taking the kids along is fine as long as you choose your watering holes wisely. Bringing your kids to bars is a great way to hang out as a family, while you get to go out and have some fun, too. In order to keep the other patrons happy as well, these are some good general guidlines: arrive early, stick to bars with ample space (outdoor if possible) and bars that welcome kids with kid-friendly food.

If you're game for taking the kids to a family-friendly bar, here are the best ones to try:

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The 5 Best Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Romanticizing Motherhood

Sure you could get a piece of dazzling jewelry, but where's the fun in that? Mother's Day is all about paying tribute to the magic of Motherhood, so choose a gift that stands up and salutes to all that is precious, magical and beautiful about moms.

Here's our list of Mother's Day Gift Ideas that will warm moms' heart and give her joy for years to come. 

 

 

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