Caribou Baby Has it Going On This Weekend and Next
by Karen on 2/08/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Caribou Baby in Greenpoint can really stock their calendar with solid events and I thought I would give a shout out to some of their upcoming ones. One of my all-time favorite class teachers, Ellynne Skove of GoGo Babies, will be teaching a Baby Massage Workshop this weekend. I would go just to have her [...]
Pregnant or New Parent with Burning Questions?
by Karen on 1/26/12 | 0 Comment(s)
If you are pregnant or a new parent and have some questions like “what is a doula?”, “how bad is this labor pain going to be?” to “do I need a carrier and how do I know which one?”- count yourself lucky! All those questions and more will be answered this Monday night at a [...]
Want to “Raise a Good Sleeper”? We Have a Discount if You Do!
by Karen on 1/21/12 | 1 Comment(s)
Who wouldn’t want to raise a good sleeper?! Imagine this: a full night’s good sleep for you and your partner…. and upon waking, you find you have a cheery baby who has also had a good night’s sleep! Not that she is making any promises, but Dr. Janet Kennedy (aka the NYC Sleep Doctor), will [...]
Germs, visitors and going outside with new babies
by Karen on 1/15/12 | 3 Comment(s)
Germs, Visitors and Going Outside by Dr. Hugh Gilgoff Who’s Allowed Near the Baby? The birth of your baby is a time of utter joy and celebration. Friends, family, and even complete strangers on the street want to see and even touch your beautiful little one. The problem is that your baby does not yet [...]
Call For Submissions: Spirituality and Motherhood
by Karen on 1/04/12 | 0 Comment(s)
With all the creating, inspiring parents I meet in Brooklyn, I thought some of you might be interested in this “call for papers” from the Museum of Motherhood (MOM Museum) for their one day conference entitled “Spirituality & Motherhood.” The call is for submissions from a variety of professions ranging from academic theorists, front-line practitioners, [...]
Free Baby Proofing Seminar
by Karen on 12/28/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Babyproofing seems likes pretty standard issue stuff. Put up some gates, install tot locks, put medicines away. But, in reality, there’s a lot to it. There are safety gates, window guards, stove knob covers, cabinet locks, plants, steps and fireplace guards (and variations of all of these). It’s helpful to get some advice on what [...]
Adoptee or Adoptive Parent Support Groups and Playgroups
by Karen on 12/20/11 | Comments Off Comment(s)
Whether you are an adoptive parent or an adoptee, there is a playgroup and peer-support group called All Together Now (ATN), where you can gather, connect and share resources. There is something for all ages: an adoption playgroup for 3-8 year olds, Tweens Peer-Support Group, Parent Group Discussions, and Volunteer Opportunity for Teens. For 3-8 [...]
Avoiding Toxic Chemicals- Mount Sinai Workshop
by Karen on 11/29/11 | 0 Comment(s)
How do exposures in the womb and during early childhood put our children at risk for disease later in life? Join Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC) for a half-day workshop that examines the environmental causes of some of the most common diseases: ADHD, autism, breast cancer, obesity and infertility. Learn how to keep [...]
Are You Paying Your Nanny Enough? (Nanny Survey Results Are Out!)
by Karen on 11/02/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Are you paying your nanny enough? According to the 2011 Park Slope Parents Nanny Survey that came out today, “nannies (in Brooklyn) are earning an average of $14.89- twice the NY minimum wage of $7.25- and are receiving an average of 11 paid days off a year”. Their findings also noted that despite the higher [...]
New Developments for Bija Kids
by Karen on 11/01/11 | 0 Comment(s)
I dropped by Bija Kids a few weeks ago to host one of our Meetups- and marveled at their new studio design with two open airy spaces that accommodate both yogis and kids. Lauren Maples, the owner of Bija Kids, mentioned that she was considering offering a drop-in playtime for the cold weather- and, she [...]
New La Leche League in Kensington (and other meetups listed too)
by Karen on 11/01/11 | 0 Comment(s)
A new Kensington La Leche League group is starting this Wednesday morning. This mother to mother breastfeeding support group is open to all. To find out where they are meeting, email [email protected] For other Brooklyn LLLs, I’ve listed the contact information below: (If you are looking for general breastfeeding support, visit our Marketplace listings on [...]
Crib bumpers: no longer recommended by AAP
by Karen on 10/19/11 | 3 Comment(s)
Not surprisingly, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced yesterday at their national meeting in Boston, that bumper pads should not be used in cribs. Rumors have been circulating that this announcement was imminent. Why now? Previously, the AAP had warned only against the use of “puffy bumpers”, buy now they suggest not using all kinds [...]
Acetaminophen New Dosing Chart- and When to Use It
by Karen on 10/17/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Acetaminophen in concentrated infant drops will no longer be produced by manufacturers- and that’s a very good thing. There were dosing errors as people used concentrated infant drops on older children. It was easy to get it confused: if a child weighs twice as much as in infant, wouldn’t it make sense to give them [...]
Support Midwives….NY midwives depend on it
by Serena on 9/22/11 | 0 Comment(s)
For many women, midwives are an important part of the birthing process but they aren’t always supported or even understood in our health care system. To help support midwives, raise awareness and raise funds for this cause, the NYC Chapter of American College of Nurse Midwives & Choices in Childbirth is holding the 9th Annual [...]
Updated: LLLs in Brooklyn and the Brooklyn List
by Karen on 9/08/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Nursing isn’t easy for everyone. That became apparent to me when I attended my first La Leche League (LLL) meeting when I was 9 months pregnant. I’m so glad I got clued in by some very honest women in the group before I gave birth. After my son Birch’s birth, I went back to a [...]
Mini or Apartment sized cribs for small apartments
by Karen on 7/13/11 | 7 Comment(s)
The DaVinci Annabelle is another option and people love the small crib, but don’t like the flimsy mattress. (Around $189). We loved our Arms Reach CoSleeper. It is especially great for newborns and if you want to have your baby near your own bed. It has a lot of storage both below the bassinet and [...]
Too much milk while breastfeeding
by Karen on 7/12/11 | 2 Comment(s)
This is a repost – I’m posting it again because so many readers said they found it helpful. I hope one of you find it useful too. Both times I breastfed, I had major oversupply issues. I’m sure some of you are saying, “So what? Better to have too much milk than too little!” Let [...]
Giving Birth: Who Takes Care of Your Older Child?
by Serena on 7/12/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Most of us don’t live near family, so what do you do when you give birth and have an older child at home that needs to be watched? I wondered that when we were faced with that question. I knew my MIL would not come down to help out in the middle of the night, [...]
Which birth control now?
by Karen on 7/04/11 | 2 Comment(s)
My first visit to the OB/GYN after I gave birth was so anticlimatic. I wanted to talk about the labor and all its details, but my OB/GYN was only interested in asking “what are you going to use for birth control?” I had been out of the market for birth control for so long that [...]
Calling All Pregnant Women: Birth Day Presence Hosts You
by Karen on 6/23/11 | 2 Comment(s)
Being pregnant is one of the most eventful times of your life- your body hasn’t gone through this many changes since adolescence! As you get ready to embark on this new phase of life with baby, it’s helpful to learn about the great support systems available to you. Birth Day Presence has managed to corral [...]
Brooklyn babywearing meeting coming up
by Karen on 6/15/11 | 1 Comment(s)
This free workshop by Slings in the City is a great way to learn all about the different carriers, how to tell if a carrier is safe and correct positioning for newborn through toddler. The Brooklyn Slings in the City co-leader will have lots of carriers for you to try on or you can bring [...]
Expectant Parents Guide to Brooklyn
by Karen on 5/17/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Every couple of months, Chana of Babybites Brooklyn invites me to do this talk for Expectant Parents and we have so much fun doing it with Jada of Birth Day Presence. Chana told me it’s almost sold out, so if you want to come you might sign up soon. Here’s the info from Babybites Brooklyn: [...]
Making Cloth Diapering “Doable”
by Karen on 5/17/11 | 0 Comment(s)
If you think that “doing cloth diapers” is a real hassle in an urban setting like Brooklyn, think again. Not only does Brooklyn have a well-run cloth diapering service but also an online retailer for cloth diapering and accessories called Doable Diapers. Brooklyn mom, Andrea, started Doable Diapers in 2010 after using cloth diapers with [...]
My favorite movement class for babies
by Karen on 5/13/11 | 12 Comment(s)
Whenever I do one of my “Expectant Parents Guide to Brooklyn” talks, the expectant parents inevitably want to know: “How do I meet other parents?” It’s a great question. My answer goes something like this: Find a mom or dad’s group for your neighborhood by joining your neighborhood Yahoo Group Take a class- a good [...]
Favorite Local Resources For Pregnancy
by Karen on 5/06/11 | 8 Comment(s)
I got this post from Megan Davidson , one of our Blog Experts, in my email box this week. I am thrilled that she wanted to share her favorite resources. Megan is one of those people who stockpile information and resources. Whenever she goes to a birth with a new OB, she updates me with [...]