Spectacular Holiday Giveaway of Organization!
(PHOTO: from super organized blogger MyAimIsTrue.com - love that craft room!)
I don’t know what it feels to be organized anymore. The laundry no longer gets sorted by color, there is no more “toy box” just a “toy floor” and bills rest on shelves, under books and on chairs. EEK!
WHAT WE ARE GIVING AWAY:
So, if you are seeking some organization in your life or searching for the perfect holiday gift for your family, I have a suggestion. Enter our fantabulistic giveaway to get you or your partner organized! Amanda Wiss, founder of Urban Clarity Professional Organizing, is generously donating a 4-hour decluttering session to one lucky reader. (Valued at $500!) No one is better at clearing the clutter than Amanda- she came over here and helped me rethink how to organize my kitchen and office. Amanda gets what it’s like to raise a family in Brooklyn. She has two children of her own, so she knows how life can get complicated and overwhelming. She is really good at finding a way to make your environment serene and functional.
Whether it’s setting up a nursery, transforming a living room drowning in toys or creating an effective paper management system, Amanda can get you a holiday gift that money can’t buy – more time. One lucky winner will get the boost they need for success in 2009.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
Speaking of getting organized, you probably got organized before having your child by taking a childcare or childbirth class. So, tell us which one you took. Tell us ALL about it. What was it? Who taught it? Was it helpful? Would you recommend it? For those of you who didn’t take a Childbirth Education class, tell us about your favorite class you have taken (either for you while pregnant or with your child). The winner will be picked by my son’s very scientific method of blindfolded eenie meenie minie mo. If you don’t win, you can always gainfully employ Amanda, of course, or if nothing else sign up for her newsletter that gives you tips and tricks.
Enter by posting a comment below this post. If you REALLY can’t figure it out, go ahead and email me.
All entries must be submitted by: Thursday, December 18th by 5 pm.
Winner will be announced here on Friday, December 19th.
Amanda Wiss, Urban Clarity
To check out Amanda’s resource listing on the blog and reviews of her services, click here.
Related Posts:
- Our organizer’s tips for reducing holiday stress (December 22nd, 2009)
- Holiday Windows and Holiday Places To See before 2009 (December 19th, 2008)
- Personalized Holiday Gifts (November 25th, 2008)
- Holiday Photo (and Video!) Specials and Best Holiday Cards and Photo Contest (November 20th, 2008)
- My Holiday Present Came Early This Year (November 6th, 2008)
We want to RealBirth in Chelsea. I thought I knew about babies but it turned out I didn’t know anything and learned a ton from the class. The videos of the babies sliding out of the moms were intense. When we got to the real thing, I felt prepared.
I hated sitting on the floor too and thought the class was too long, but overall, was very glad we took it.
Erica Lyon, the director of RealBirth (54 W 22 St / http://www.realbirth.com), runs a real treasure of an operation. Her childbirth classes, some of the most thorough in the city, prepare you for any eventuality, whether you are planning to hit the epidural right away, prefer a natural homebirth, or end up with an emergency C-section. Our class was with Erica, but all of her educators are well trained and highly knowledgeable. But RealBirth doesn’t stop at childbirth education. It is a veritable support center for expecting and new parents every step of the way. They offer breastfeeding clinics, postpartum depression support groups, new dads’ meetings, sign language classes, CPR clinics, infant massage workshops, babywearing clinics, toddler issues classes, support for mothers with multiples, and more. They also host birthing class reunions for you to connect with the families you took your childbirth class series with (to show off the babies and tell war stories). They also offer lectures on topics such as vaccination and early childhood nutrition and useful workshops on preparing a sibling for the birth of a new baby. We loved our childbirth education classes and our newborn care clinic, and our instructors were warm, caring, engaging, and highly informed. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend RealBirth to any expecting family.
We took a wonderful class at the Elizabeth Seton Center which is sadly no longer here. The funny thing is that when we moved to Brooklyn last year we were riding the bus when a woman with a daughter the same age as mine sat down across from us. After looking at each other for 10 minutes, she realized that we had been in the same class! Our daughters were born 4 days apart almost 7 years ago. Small world.
We never took a childbirth class but we did watch this video called “Laugh and Learn About Childbirth.” The video is basically an entire childbirth course divided into 6 (30 minute to an hour?) class segments. It covers pretty much everything you need to know about what happens in labor and delivery, labor signs, breathing techniques etc. and also has a Lamaze segment. I loved the fact that my husband and I could watch it at our leisure at home over a few weeks instead of having to make the trek to a physical class. And we saved hundreds of dollars!
Not a mom, yet but as a future mom who would benefit hugely from some professional organization I’d be thrilled and honored to receive you help. As I build my new business and prepare for my future family, I thoroughly enjoy the company of my 2.5 year old god son Andrew. He’s amazing and it’s excellent practice for the real thing.
Thanks for considering me.
Happy Holidays!
Warm regards,
Tammy Golson
i had my son in 2006 and childbirth classes were mandatory for birthing at lich – so we took the real birth class in manhattan. i agree with the poster above that it was waaaaaaaay tooooo long – but i found that the class helped my pregnancy and impending birth become much more “real” for me. everything felt so surreal beforehand so it was helpful to walk through what was going to be happening in the coming weeks. i don’t feel like i learned a lot that i didn’t already know, but overall it was a good experience.
i’m a bit sleep-deprived because my 6 month old doesn’t sleep much these days so i hope that makes sense!
i need some urban clarity
my favorite class i’ve been to recently is at the Fitness Collective, taught by Zoe Levine. it’s a class for mom’s with new babies. it is TOUGH, and fun and it really gets you back into shape quick.
milly robertson
mom to george, 2.5, cobble hill
My husband and I took the most beautiful, peaceful and loving class at Lila Yoga, Dharma & Wellness in the Bowery – at the most gorgeous loft studio. The teacher (who also runs LiLa) is Mia Borgatta. I actually took pre-natal Yoga w/her as well. The class is called Couples Yoga in Preparation for Birth Workshop, and the focus is to use the practice of Yoga “to help integrate the body, mind
, but I really can’t say enough good things about Mia, her workshop was great!
and breath in ways that can help the expecting couple prepare for birth and life with an infant”. We got into partner breathing, asanas, and definitely focused on ways to connect w/one another and the baby. Some focus, too on listening/sensing skills and even pressure point work. We also received a beautiful book on natural birthing. 2 weeks later I had the smoothest labor, I can’t even remember now but I think it was only about 4 hrs. our daughter didn’t even cry when she came out and I think due to all the Yoga work before hand, is the reason she was a super mellow baby, hardly ever cried. Of course now that’s she’s 3 she’s making up for it
My husband and I took and loved Natashia Fuksman’s childbirth ed. class for home-birthers. Although, in my work as a doula, I had witnessed and learned a lot from other women giving birth, I still learned a lot from Natashia. I’d definitely recommend her classes to anyone– she teaches childbirth ed. for people planning to birth in hospitals too. Natashia is kind and warm and is truly gifted in her ability to convey her knowledge about childbirth.
In our class, there was a focus on understanding the physical process of labor and birth. It was also an opportunity for couples to talk about and refine their plans for the birth and postpartum. Since I went into the class with a background in childbirth, I’d say the biggest benefit of taking the class was that my husband learned a lot and felt comfortable with the big job of supporting me. And he was the most wonderful support person I could have hoped for! Our son will turn 1 on New Year’s Day.
I took childbirth classes so long ago, I can’t remember. I will say that for classes with/for kids, Streb was really fun, and I thought really focused on the kids, rather than on making a huge profit. Also, we have had good experiences at Mark Morris Dance Center.
We took a Birthing From Within child birthing class at Lila Wellness & Yoga in Manhattan – but this was almost five years ago with our first!
It was a weekend of classes and involved a lot of fun creative exercises: singing; drawing/painting; meditation and some yoga. All geared around the birthing process. I had read the book, so had a sense of what to expect, and my husband enjoyed the activities. It wasn’t a lecture format – and was very interactive. We enjoyed it and found the info very useful. The classes are certainly geared toward natural birth; the notion that we have to let go of expectations; and the being as informed as possible is crucial.
I was also signed up to take an infant care class at Real Birth, but Julian was born before we got there! That may have been very useful too.
I took birthing classes at St Vincents Hospital as part of my prenatal care. The teacher was Michelle (can’t remember her last name). At first I couldn’t get past her very strong nasal Brooklyn accent (it reminded me of a sitcom). But once I did, I loved her. She is also a Hypnobirthing teacher and had a lot of information on natural child birth. It was just one other couple with us and we got a lot of personal attention. Michelle even did a hypnobirthing session with me to turn my son from a breech position and it really worked!!! I highly recommend her.
-Michelle
I took the class at Realbirth and also (like one previous poster) was not a fan. We just chalked it up to not clicking with the teacher — she had a thing for pregnancy & borth horror stories, for some inexplicable reason — but the lots-of-pregnant-women-sitting-on-the-floor thing also didn’t help.
A coupole of birth-prep things that did go well: Jada Shapiro at BirthDay Presence gave a free know-your-options talk at Seb & Sam in W’burg (sadly no longer in existence, but maybe Jada does these elsewhere?) and she’s incredibly knowledgable about birth options in NYC- I’d recommend anything with her.
Also, I learned hypnobirthing technique (not in NYC) and I’m convinced that it was entirely responsible for the relative ease of my labor & delivery. I can’t recommend it highly enough! What I got out of it was basically the mandate to practice relaxation techniques with my husband throughout the pregnancy, which I think would be great for anyone.
-Sadie
We moved to Brooklyn about six months ago and I am three months’ pregnant, and so haven’t taken any classes yet. It has been really helpful to read other people’s descriptions of their experience, though.
My main concern is that we have a room which was meant to be a nursery and which has turned into my husband’s junk room. I can’t clean it up, because it isn’t my stuff – having someone independent come in and inspire him that this was supposed to be a nursery would be amazing – and a HUGE relief to me. What an incredible thing to win!
would LOVE some help getting my life more organized. i am a single mom and have it SOMEWHAT together but the details always get lost. need some help trying to find a better way to manage the madness!!
Nothing prepared me for the birth of my children as much as the actual birth of my children. I am organized for them because they have no expectations of me, but in the real world I am a total mess. With a new baby on the way (#3)and a full time job I am desperate to create space and reduce the clutter at home.
I am feeling lucky today. I hope I win, because boy do I need help to declutter!!!
Happy Holidays!!
I’ve actually taken four different birthing classes; one for each child.
All my kids were born with the assistance of CBS Midwifery in Manhattan.
The first class was the standard class at St. Vincent’s hospital.
While I was pregnant with my second son we took a class they offered to families with an older child expecting a sibling. It was great since it gave the older child a chance to visit the birthing room and hospital and see what to expect.
My third son was born much later, and his father, my second husband, had not been present at his first child’s birth (it was in the dark ages where fathers stayed in the waiting room and smoked cigarettes until they could hand out the cigars). We took another course as a refresher for me and preparation for him.
Since my third was a C-Section (cord wrapped around neck MANY times), we had a class about VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) at St. Luke’s Hospital before my daughter’s birth.
I now feel like I know almost everything about it, but since I’m not having another child, its all for naught.
The most important thing I learned is that the birth isn’t the most important thing – the next 20 or 30 years are!
Alison
My (male) partner and I did not have the chance to get pregnant, but we did expect the arrival in our family of our little boy and we decided to prepare by taking a class at the 14th street Y that was called something like “Getting along after a child” about relationships. I think it was a good bonding experience, although a little like taking a class on how to climb Mt. Everest. Hardly prepares you for the real thing! Plus after 2 plus years of parenting i can barely remember anything that happened before our son was born– its all a vague fog…
We just finished a 5-week class with Bklynbirth (www.bklynbirth.com). The class was great! It was taught by three mid-wives (Amy Alpern, Sabrina Hellman, and Holly White). They incorporated a variety of techniques and approaches and gave a really comprehensive overview of early labor, active labor, and delivery, with one class devoted to post-partum issues. The class was a great combination of presenting information from a variety of perspectives, interactive activities, films, discussion, and answering questions. The instructors are smart, kind, patient and fun! They did a great job of presenting us with a lot of information and options, but never imposed their opinions on us- they really helped us make our own decisions about how make the experience our own. I highly recommend them.
We did a private session with Banu from RealBirth. It was great!
And now that our daughter is two, we’re in DESPERATE need of some organizational tips for the stuff that we just can seem to get rid of!
I took a 12 week Bradley class with my husband when we were pregnant with our first child (2001/2002). The instructor was Barbara Goley, an RN who teaches upstate and has 4 kids of her own. She was great and we learned a lot but I also learned through that process that doulas are really important and Bradley classes had made us think the two of us would be enough. We were enough, in the sense that we had a great birth, but we were also overwhelmed and afraid at times. It lead me on my path to being a doula.
I hear great things about a lot of the classes here and I am still a big fan of Bradley classes.
We took RealBirth class and I cannot say enough good things about the program over there. They teach a very inclusive curriculum and acknowledge that while natural childbirth is best, anything can happen and how to prepare for it. The best part, is that it really got my husband engaged. The newborn care and breastfeeding follow up sessions where life savers
We never took a childbirth class, though if I could go back in time I think I definitely would have. The hospital where we delivered, St. Lukes Roosevelt offered a pretty good selection, but by the time we found out about them we were too late to sign up!
I thought my childbirth class was such a waste of time. I took a class on the UES recommended by my OB. The teacher was not warm and fuzzy at all, more like a drill officer. I didn’t have much interest in “learning” breathing techniques, and the info taught was stuff you read in all the books anyways. Then, my OB required us to sit through his own childbirth “what to expect” session. I would have saved my money had I known. I’m sure there are much better child birth classes out there that are much more useful than the one I took. If I had to do it over again, I would look for someone who more closely shared my own view/philosophies on child birth (i.e., not super medical).
I took the RealBirth class with my husband (the condensed weekend version) and my water broke at 5AM the day we finished the class. We were signed up for the breastfeeding and infant care classes, but never made it to them. I still kind of wish we had, as the next few weeks were insane.
(Note: do not wait until the end of your 35th week to take a childbirth class! And, if you do, do not also pay for the package that includes the other classes!)
However, I do think the birthing class helped. Just knowing the steps my body was going through and the coping mechanisms I had helped me have a natural birth. (Well, that and my excellent midwife.)
I still have fond memories of that class, and even how sick I was in the middle of it. The instructor emailed me later and told me she thought I looked like I was on the verge — she was definitely correct.
I also took classes at Ellen Chuse Childbirth. And yes,she runs her practice out of a lovely and welcoming brownstone in Boerum Hill. For me, it was a needed anxiety relieving class. I was blissfully in denial about the actual birth process for the first half of my pregnancy, and knew that I needed some real information! I agree that she was informative without being biased, and I felt much more empowered and prepared afterward. The couples in the class were mostly from “that” part of brooklyn (while I’m in Williamsburg) so I think some of them stayed in touch more…My husband thought it was a bit “hippyish”, but (wisely) went along with his pregnant wife! I would recommend this class.
I DESPERATELY need organizing, so of course I’m entering this!
I took a childbirth class at the hospital where I was giving birth: St. Luke’s/Roosevelt. It was taught by Nancy Rosensweig. I had wanted to take a class that was especially for twin childbirth (because that is what I was having), I timed it wrong and ended up signing up for the regular childbirth class. It turns out that out of about 8 couples, there were 3 of us giving birth to twins, so she included some info especially for us. While I cannot say that I learned a whole lot more than what I already learned from books, I did enjoy the class. If anything, it made my husband learn some things, and made him a bit more sympathetic to my uncomfortableness. Also, we both enjoyed meeting the other couples in the class – it was a bit like mini-group-therapy in a way! Really though, if your money is tight I would say skip the classes. I ended up with a C-section, so much of it was pretty useless. I think we should have spent our money on childCARE classes vs. childBIRTH!
I took a class at Birthday Presence with Jada Shapiro. The class was great. Since my husband missed most of it, a doula from the organization filled in doing the many intimate posses with me, which was very nice of her. The class was very informative and especially good if you are thinking of a natural birth.
My husband and I spent a lot of time looking around and researching different people/organizations that we felt would be a good fit and finally settled on Jada Shapiro of Birth Day Presence (http://www.birthdaypresence.net/) – They offer more than just classes (copied below from her website) and have a studio space in Park Slope on 8th St (btwn 5th & 6th). I know moms are always welcome to stop in and sit and play or breastfeed or whatever.
Anyway, we really enjoyed it and learned a tremendous amount. I think the most important aspect of the class was that for the weeks leading up to our son’s birth it gave my husband and I a set time where we sat and thought and learned about us and the baby (and nothing else)- it really helped ease us into the crazy reality that we would soon be “mom and dad”. It was also really neat to get to be around other parents at a similiar stage and learn from them. Beyond that, Jada knows a ton about birthing and has worked for years attending births and being around different mothers. She created an atmosphere of learning that was open to even the most embarrassing or silly questions. She pushed us to really listen to ourselves and think about the type of birth we wanted, but at the same time taught us to remain flexible in the face of the unknown. She used handouts, video’s, stories, books, physical movement, specific pain reduction techniques, and even roleplay – all of which where great to draw on when the time came. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for teaching my husband how to deal with back labor by pressing down on my tailbone area – saved my life. Since I took her class Jada has had her own daughter, so I’m sure her classes are even richer. Also, I should mention that I have met a number of the women that are part of her studio and/or doula team and even if you don’t work with Jada I’d say you are in good hands.
Studio Classes and Services (from her website):
Childbirth Education Classes; Labor Support Services; Postpartum Doula Services; Pregnancy, Birth, and Child Photography; Pre/Postnatal Classes and Seminars at the Studio; Pre/Postnatal Chiropractic Care
ALSO – I took a HypnoBirthing class at St. Lukes’ Rosevelt and really liked it. I followed that up with reading and tapes about using imagery to get through contractions and that was the only other thing that helped keep me calm. If you can look into it I recommend it.
Good luck mommies!
Best, Amy B (mom to Luca turning 2 on Sunday!)
oh, and I neglected to mention that I was in labor for a total of 3 hours, start to finish, and my son popped out with no one looking – literally. so I did not need much of the labor class.
I went to realbirth, on a friend’s recommendation, and would definitely recommend against it for birthing class. This goes back about 4 years so I’m a little rusty on all the details, but my main issues were:
- Way too long a program – it was 6 or 8 weeks, and it felt like an eternity. I think doing the whole thing in one afternoon sounds right
- You sit on the floor! Not great for pregnant women.
- There’s a class specific to those who want an epidural, and another for those who “may or may not”. Since I was open to an epidural but not sure I wanted one, I asked which class I should take and they said to take the class not specific to drugs. This was a mistake, as everyone, including the instructor, was HEAVILY against drugs and anyone who was considering them. I felt like my view wasn’t being represented at all.
- One benefit (probably because they were so anti-hospital!) was that they did really teach us to advocate for ourselves and babies, and gave me the strength to ask for (or demand) what I wanted much more than I would have. So when the nurses pressured me to let them take the baby to the nursery, I was able to feel secure enough to keep him with me all night.
We also took a breast-feeding and infant care class there (two different classes), which I would definitely recommend. The best thing about breast feeding (which was a reinforcement of some of the things we learned about in the birthing class, to be fair) was the fact that they hammered home that the baby really doesn’t need much milk in the first few hours – that colostrum is so filled with nutrients that he/she can live on a little at a time. The nurses put so much pressure on you to breast feed and – especially with my 2nd – that he wasn’t getting enough. I knew he was, but only because I had heard it from several people through these classes (then had it echoed by the lactation consultant in the hospital).
The best things I did in terms of classes or appointments, by far:
- Getting a lactation consultant – I went to Fredda Rosenfeld, who was amazing and gave me the confidence and tools to push through the painful part. A bit alarmist, but totally worth it in the end.
- Booking a consultation with Janeen Hayward for sleep issues/training, which I did for both of my kids. She is warm, nurturing, knowledgeable, and basically exactly what you need to go through a few days (or weeks) of hell. I love her!
we took the childbirth class offered through NY Methodist but it was back in 2005 so don’t remember much – think it was 3 or 4 weeks in the evening – they do have a all day class too (which my brother and sister in law just did a few weeks ago)
we did learn from the class – we used the breathing excercises for my daughters birth and my sons this year for getting through the contractions and very glad we did it. I am more of a must see/hear it to learn than a read a book person.
they also did a segment on taking care of a newborn – putting the diaper on around the belly button issue – swaddling (we are very into swaddling here)
we would LOVE to get organized in 2009 – been trying to for ages and would take any help I could get!
Amanda Wiss is OURE AWESOMENESS so of course I am going to enter this contest!
I also took classes at Ellen Chuse Childbirth. She runs her practice out of a lovely and welcoming brownstone in Boerum Hill. Her studio has wonderful pillows for all the pregnant mamas and she serves nourishing snacks to all the hungry, nervous parents. Her class was transformative for many reasons – she really gave my husband and I the tools and confidence to have our daughter naturally. We met other wonderful parents and have celebrated (the birth of 6 healthy babies) and grieved together as a class (one couple lost their daughter at 33 weeks).
Both my husband and I do not have family in the city and chose not to use a doula, so I felt like Ellen was a surrogate cheerleader before the big day. She recommended excellent childbirth books and tools to help us birth naturally (my husband blames Ellen for having to blow the birthing ball up at 3 am while my contractions were four minutes apart!). She continues to provide wonderful support to new moms at RealBirth in the city and is very involved with the New Space for Women’s Health. No worry or concern is too small for Ellen. She talks about things that you really do not think about when you are about to have a child (like managing the in-laws, the crap like wipes warmers that you really do not need and how to make space and time for your husband upon arrival of your baby). Not having a close relationship with my own mother (pregnancy can really stir up feelings of doubt and regret), I relied on Ellen’s class for more than information, but confidence building – I felt totally empowered and ready to welcome our daughter into the world! She is very compassionate yet has a point of view (it is not like she spoon feeds you) – she really puts all the information out there and lets you make an informed choice. As an added bonus, I met one of my closest friends Christine Labeste in the class whose daughter Alex was born one week after my daughter Ella Mei. I cannot speak more highly for Ellen who is bpth a wonderful childbirth educator and active Brooklynite.
Now that I’ve actually READ the whole post, apparently I can use help with a lot more than organizing
. Anyhow, I didn’t take any childbirth classes because I was too stubborn or stupid or something and was determined just to experience the whole process the first time around. I really wanted no expectations or fears or what-if’s in my head at all. I read up on the stages of childbirth just so I’d have a sort of outline, and I didn’t really ask my midwife anything and she wasn’t the least bit talkative which I liked.
2nd time around I used Memaniye Cinque who’s local, and each visit w/her was almost like a class. Relaxed, lots of good advice, questions, answers, letting my son listen to the heartbeat, and a really great environment. I was always there for 30-45 minutes and really looked forward to it. She gave me handouts of what to expect, herbs to take, how to eat, how to prep for home-birth, and so on. I’d highly recommend her for anyone interested in homebirth.
As for an actual class I HAVE taken, I’m wracking my brain and coming up with watching my 5-year-old taking Karate at the Y. Too chaotic and insane for both of us, too many kids at varying levels. We just don’t do classes I guess!
Toward the end of my pregnancy I signed up for birthing classes given by my hospital. They weren’t called lamaze classes. They didn’t teach the Bradley method. It was simply a set of lessons on what you MIGHT expect when you give birth and the process. The teacher was great but in the end, all of it went out the window once those contractions started. I was a mess. My husband was a mess and all I wanted were the drugs! If I have another baby, I probably won’t waste my time or money again.
I could use some help for sure, the ’stuff creep’ has started to overwhelm me
I took a childbirth class at RealBirth with Erica Lyon. She was absolutely great! The six week course was very informative on all the issues yet catered to everyone’s specific needs. Erica did a great job answering people’s questions, allaying fears and presenting all sides of any given issue. I really liked the other parents to be in the class. I would definitely recommend taking a class with Erica. I would however, be cautious. We took a “care of the newborn” class with Realbirth and found the instructor to be patronizing, clearly opinionated and generally unorganized.
We took Ellen Chuse’s class out of her home on Dean Street (she also teaches in Manhattan). Found it very helpful in terms of preparing mentally and emotionally for the process of labor and parenthood. She was warm and open. She helped us prepare for negotiating the hospital, and was also in favor of home births. She was open to natural as well as medicated births, and was very educational in terms of all aspects of the birthing process. I also read The Big Book of Birth which was helpful and had similar information as Ellen’s class. Overall, just spending the two and a half hours per week for 8 weeks (yes, a lot of time) talking about childbirth was a good way for my husband and I to get ready for things. I would recommend her class highly.
Rachel
The funny thing is I didn’t take a childbirthing class – I had a panic attack after our walkthrough of the maternity ward so I knew a childrearing class would probably send me into labor.
What I did do is meet with a bunch of the best mothers I knew, for a nice brunch and asked advice. It seemed the more I poked and prodded the more they all told me no class was going to teach me to be a mommy or have me more prepared because “every child is different” and when the time came those mommy instincts would kick in and I would know exactly what to do – and to be honest, they were absolutely right. Sometimes the only thing I feel I do absolutely right is being a mom….