Has Your Car Seat Expired?
by Nicole on 5/11/12 | 2 Comment(s)
We all love to get hand-me-downs in the baby equipment department. What you may not know is that your used car seat may be expired. Yes, expired! Last year, I was gloating to Megan Davidson, doula and baby wearer and cloth diapering instructor, about how cheaply I had purchased my infant car seat for my [...]
Natural Remedies For Treating Eczema
by Nicole on 5/03/12 | 14 Comment(s)
We have written about eczema on this blog before: it’s an incredibly upsetting condition for both children and parents- there doesn’t seem to be one easy solution to cure it. Sara Chana Silverstein, a New York based, international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), classical homeopath, herbalist, lecturer, author, wife and mother of seven children (yes, [...]
Are You Paying Your Babysitter Enough? (Park Slope Parents Babysitter Survey is Out!)
by Nicole on 4/26/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Are you paying your sitter enough? According to the 2012 Park Slope Parents first Babysitter Survey that came out this week, a babysitter for 1 child makes an average of $14.50 an hour. And for 2 children? The sitter makes an average of $15.50 an hour. What about their neighborhood kid who is under 21 [...]
Vitamin D: Why You and Your Kids Need it NOW
by Jill on 4/13/12 | 1 Comment(s)
This morning at breakfast, I remembered that the kids and I hadn’t taken our vitamins since before vacation, a week ago. Not really a big deal, though with all the press that vitamin D has gotten lately, I made sure the kids and I took ours today. What can happen if we don’t have enough [...]
Got Milk? Updated List of LLL Meetings and Leaders
by Nicole on 4/11/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Nursing isn’t easy for everyone (well, for a lot of us!) . 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 [...]
Support Group in Brooklyn for postpartum depression
by Nicole on 4/06/12 | 0 Comment(s)
It’s surprising to me that with all the amazing resources we have in Brooklyn, there is no longer any support group for parents of children with colic and only 1 for moms who suffer from postpartum depression. And yet, I’m sure there are so many of us out there that need that support. Those early [...]
Free Workshops and Seminars at Birth Day Presence
by Nicole on 3/15/12 | 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 “what do I really need to buy?”- count yourself lucky! All those questions and more will be answered this Tuesday night at a workshop held at Birth Day [...]
That breast pump might be free!
by Nicole on 3/02/12 | 17 Comment(s)
Here is a little known fact: that expensive breast pump you need might be covered by your health insurance. One mom-to-be in Downtown Brooklyn found out how to do this and shared her advice with us. Here is what she found out: I worked with a national durable medical equipment (DME) company, and they took [...]
Baby Carrier Cover and Maternity Coat in One
by Nicole on 2/26/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Wearing a baby in the winter presents its challenges: it seems like you just get her bundled up in bunting, carrier, hat and then…the baby cries, has an explosion or you start to sweat profusely from all her layers and yours! What if you could cut down on the layers that both you and the [...]
How much sleep should my child be getting?
by Nicole on 2/23/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Here I am again. Up late, exhausted and at wit’s end. I put Willow down to sleep only to find her sitting up in her crib still an hour later. Birch insists on coming down for a “second dinner”- and, while I admit I enjoy his company while I clean the kitchen, I know these [...]
NYC Premiere of “More Business of Being Born”
by Nicole on 2/21/12 | 2 Comment(s)
Executive Producer Ricki Lake and Filmmaker Abby Epstein examined “the business” of having a baby with their insightful documentary, The Business of Being Born and their new, 4 part DVD series continues their investigation into maternity care with the series, More Business of Being Born. The series looks at birthing options, visits with famous midwife [...]
Caribou Baby Has it Going On This Weekend and Next
by Nicole 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 Nicole 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 Nicole 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 Nicole on 1/15/12 | 5 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 Nicole 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 Nicole 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 Nicole 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 Nicole 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 Nicole on 11/02/11 | 1 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 Nicole 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 Nicole 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 hezmez@optonline.net 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 Nicole 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 Nicole on 10/17/11 | 1 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 [...]
