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 Miles for Midwives – a 5K Run/Walk and Birth & Wellness Fair. This run/fair is designed to bring runners, families and midwifery supporters to this fun community day. Additionally, proceeds from this event will benefit the work of ACNM and CIC to improve maternity care.

Details:
9th Annual Miles for Midwives Celebration
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Runner/Walker Check-in begins: 8:30 am
5K Fun-Run Begins: 10:00am
**Check back for detailed day-of Wellness Fair Calendar!
Location: Prospect Park, Bartel-Pritchard Square, 15th Street and Prospect Park West Brooklyn, NY
Subway: F, G, to 15th Street – Prospect Park
For further questions please email Miles4Midwives@gmail.com

Registration:
To register online, please click here.
Online Registration deadline: Thurs., September 29, 2011 @ 11:59pm EST
* First 400 participants will receive a 2011 M4M T-shirt

To register via mail:
Please mail completed registration form (one per participant) and corresponding registration fees to the address below. Make checks payable to Choices in Childbirth.

Choices in Childbirth
441 Lexington Ave, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10017
All forms and payments received by mail must be received before Thursday, September 29, 2011.

Registration Fee Breakdown:
Adult Runner/Walker: Advance $25, Day-of $30
Child Runner/Walker: Advance $8, Day-of $10
VIP Runner/Walker: Advance $75, Day-of $80 (Includes deluxe gift bag.)
Healthy Birth Champs: Advance $8, Day-of $10 (Includes an event T-shirt.)

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Post tags: 9th Annual Miles for Midwives Celebration, brooklyn event, midwives, park slope, prospect park

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 few LLL meetings. And, surprisingly, the friends I count as my closest friends were those I met at those meetings. So, I’ve always been a fan of the LLL, though I was initially wary. Somewhere along the way someone had told me that LLLs were led by women who wanted you to nurse until your kids were in college. (By the way, that’s not true…obviously!)

In Brooklyn, there are several LLL’s – including two fairly new chapters: one in Williamsburg/Greenpoint and another in Brooklyn Heights that are already very popular. It’s great to see new groups springing up so moms don’t have to travel too far from their neighborhood to get advice and meet other moms.

For other Brooklyn LLLs, I’ve listed out contact information below:

Williamsburg/Greenpoint LLL
Time: 10am-11:30am
Dates:
Friday, September 16th 2011
Friday, October 21st 2011
Friday, November 18th 2011
Friday, December 9th 2011 (2nd Friday)
Friday, January 20th 2012
Friday, February 10th 2012 (2nd Friday)
Friday, March 16th 2012
Friday, April 20th 2012
Friday, May 18th 2012
Place: Caribou Baby, 272 Driggs Avenue.
Date: August 12th and September 9th.
All interested women and their children are welcome. The meeting is free (although donations for the space are welcome).
Lisa Fortin and Anne Hynes are the co-leaders of this group. If you have any questions, you can email Lisa here.

Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO LLL
http://www.lllusa.org/NYE/Kings/brooklyn.HTM
The meetings are run by two LLL leaders, Katie Lewis and Jennifer Rapoport.
Contact: jennifer.rapoport@gmail.com

La Leche League of Park Slope/Windsor Terrace
Park Slope: 11AM on 9/20 call 965-4428
Windsor Terrace: 11am on 9/27 call 788-1060
Locations may vary, please call Leaders for details.
Anne  965-4428 • Deirdre  788-1998
Judy 789-9451 • Katharine 788-5166 • Suzanne 788-1060

Employed Mothers’ Meetings
Time: 11am-12:30pm
Date: 9/10
Windsor Terrace Library, 160 E 5th St. at Ft Hamilton Pkwy.
Contact Deirdre for more info.  Meeting day, call 646-761-0482.

Toddler Meetings
Time: 10:30am
Date: 9/15
Katharine: (917) 882-3508

Meetings for Mothers of Twins
Time: 11:30am
Date: 9/23
Partners and helpers welcome. Bring 1, 2 babies or come solo.
Contact: Anne (718) 965-4428

LLL FORT GREENE
Time: Meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at 10am, please call for location.
Contact: Lucy (718) 643-9219

LLL COBBLE HILL
Time: Meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 6pm.
Place: Open House Nursery School, 318A Warren St. between Court and Smith.
Contact: Lucy (718) 643-9219

LLL BAY RIDGE/ DYKER HEIGHTS
Contact: Marjorie (718) 921-1558, Karen (718) 921-0817

LLL MARINE PARK/ MADISON
Contact: Jennifer (718) 339-3806, Paula (718) 241-1818

LLL BORO PARK
Contact: Miriam (718) 232-2338, Rivky (718) 851-9729

LLL GRAVESEND
Contact: Teba (347) 922-7273 (English/Spanish)

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Post tags: bay ridge, boro park, brooklyn, brooklyn heights, clinton hill, cobble hill, dyker heights, fort greene, gravesend, greenpoint, la leche league, lactation consultant, marine park, nursing help, park slope, south slope, williamsburg, windsor terrace

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, and I didn’t really want my older daughter at the hospital with us until someone could come to pick her up. We ended up asking another parent that we were really comfortable with if they could watch her during our baby’s birth. What did you do or what do you plan on doing?

1. Family. Ideally you’ll want your family to help you out. If they don’t live nearby you will have figure out when they will arrive based on your due date and their schedule. You will also have to plan where they will sleep (if you don’t have enough room) and let them know about your toddler’s schedule including location of school, playdates, etc. You will also want them to be familiar with your neighborhood in Brooklyn like where the restaurants, grocery stores, parks and local library is.
2. Dads. For our family we had a combination of family and my husband to watch our older daughter. During the day, my husband would drop off my daughter at her school and then he would visit me and the new baby in the hospital. My mom or sister would pick my daughter up after school and then my husband would go back home in the evening for dinner and bedtime. This worked for us because our daughter was able to have her familiar routine during the day and then still have time with her dad at night.
3. Other Parents. Parents are another trustworthy source to watch your little one while you are giving birth. Ideally, you want to use someone that your child gets along with for a fun playdate. You also want to ask someone whose home your child is familiar with so they don’t get scared or anxious. You also want someone that is going to plan fun activities with your child, which is especially important if you don’t want them in the house all the time or watching TV, etc. Also, make sure you have all of their contact information ready in case you go into labor early. If you are part of a babysitting co-op, this is one of the best ways to use it!
4. Neighbors. If your friends, family and other parents are not nearby you can also ask a neighbor for their help. This might be for only a few hours – but having someone that your child is familiar with will be helpful and comforting when you are away. Since this person lives in your hood they can take your child to their local spots like to the park or out for pizza.
5. Babysitters or Nannies. If you have a regular sitter, ask them if they can take care of your older child for a few days (or a night or two) while you are away. Make sure that you use a sitter that has put your child to sleep before – you don’t want to try a new bedtime routine with someone who isn’t familiar with what your child is used to. A few months before your due date work out a plan with your sitter or nanny – making sure they can help you during the dates needed. If you don’t have a regular sitter ask someone in your babysitting cooperative or locate some help through our complete listing of sitters and nannies here.

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Post tags: away in hospital, babysitters, babysitters.com, babysittersguild.com, brookyn babysitters, childcare, childcare while you are away, family help, nannies, park slope parents

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 I had no idea that “the pill” was no longer the standard option. “The ring”, IUDs, “implantables” and “the patch” seem to have taken over.

My biggest disappointment was that my OB/GYN just told me the options, without a lot of information.  Anyone else have that experience? I needed a lot more information to make a decision, so I turned to the internet. An article in Parenting Magazine called, A Mom’s Guide to Birth Control by Dana Sullivann was helpful. I wanted to post some excerpts here.

Maybe some of you will have suggestions as to what has worked for you?

I’ve always been on the Pill, but now I’m breastfeeding. That means I can’t go back on it, right?

Not necessarily. The main thing to avoid is contraceptives that contain estrogen, which can reduce your milk supply. So women who are exclusively breastfeeding need to steer clear of birth-control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin, as well as the Patch (a bandagelike square that delivers hormones into your bloodstream) and the Ring (which you insert into your vagina, where it releases hormones).

Instead, you could use a “mini-Pill” — a progestin-only contraceptive, such as Micronor, that won’t affect milk supply. (One caveat: It’s important to take the mini-Pill at the same time every day for optimal effectiveness.)

You can also safely use an intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) or try any barrier method, such as a diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge, condom, and Leah’s Shield (a reusable rubber insert), says Karen Meckstroth, M.D., assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco.

I’m not sure whether I’m done having babies, so what’s long-term but not permanent?

An IUC is ideal, and there are two types. The first, the Mirena IUC, releases a steady stream of progestin and is the most popular birth control with female ob-gyns.

It’s even more effective than tubal ligation if it stays in place, says Dr. Meckstroth. It most likely works by changing the texture of cervical mucus so that it blocks sperm from reaching the eggs. It can also prevent ovulation. It’s approved for up to five years, and once it’s removed you can get pregnant right away.

There’s also ParaGard, an IUC that’s approved for up to ten years and doesn’t use hormones. It releases copper instead, which experts think creates an environment that’s toxic to sperm. It may also keep the egg from attaching to the uterus.

Another option: Implanon, a matchstick-size rod that’s implanted under the skin of your arm to release progestin and lasts for up to three years. One downside: It often causes breakthrough bleeding, so you’d have to be willing to put up with that.

My husband got a vasectomy after our first child, but now we want to have more. Is it really permanent?

It can be reversed, but it’s pricey (from $6,800 to $13,000) and the success rate is only 30 to 40 percent. Another option to consider: A physician can use a needle to remove sperm from the testicles and then perform in vitro fertilization.

This is from WomensHealth.org and is a list of some of the options are available:

Intrauterine Devices or IUDs

An IUD is a small device shaped like a “T” that goes in your uterus. There are two types:

• Copper IUD — The copper IUD goes by the brand name ParaGard. It releases a small amount of copper into the uterus, which prevents the sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg. It fertilization does occur, the IUD keeps the fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus. A doctor needs to put in your copper IUD. It can stay in your uterus for 5 to 10 years.

• Hormonal IUD — The hormonal IUD goes by the brand name Mirena. It is sometimes called an intrauterine system, or IUS. It releases progestin into the uterus, which keeps the ovaries from releasing an egg and causes the cervical mucus to thicken so sperm can’t reach the egg. It also affects the ability of a fertilized egg to successfully implant in the uterus. A doctor needs to put in a hormonal IUD. It can stay in your uterus for up to 5 years.

Implantable Rod

This is a matchstick-size, flexible rod that is put under the skin of the upper arm. It is often called by its brand name, Implanon. The rod releases a progestin, which causes changes in the lining of the uterus and the cervical mucus to keep the sperm from joining an egg. Less often, it stops the ovaries from releasing eggs. It is effective for up to 3 years.

Oral Contraceptives — Combined pill (“The pill”)

The pill contains the hormones estrogen and progestin. It is taken daily to keep the ovaries from releasing an egg. The pill also causes changes in the lining of the uterus and the cervical mucus to keep the sperm from joining the egg.

Some women prefer the “extended cycle” pills. These have 12 weeks of pills that contain hormones (active) and 1 week of pills that don’t contain hormones (inactive). While taking extended cycle pills, women only have their period three to four times a year.

Many types of oral contraceptives are available. Talk with your doctor about which is best for you.

Your doctor may advise you not to take the pill if you:

• Are older than 35 and smoke
• Have a history of blood clots
• Have a history of breast, liver, or endometrial cancer

Antibiotics may reduce how well the pill works in some women. Talk to your doctor about a backup method of birth control if you need to take antibiotics.

Oral Contraceptives — Progestin-only pill (“Mini-pill”)

Unlike “the pill,” the mini-pill only has one hormone –– progestin. Taken daily, the mini-pill thickens cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from joining the egg. Less often, it stops the ovaries from releasing an egg.

Mothers who breastfeed can use the mini-pill. It won’t affect their milk supply. The mini-pill is a good option for women who:

• Can’t take estrogen
• Are older than 35
• Have a risk of blood clots

The mini-pill must be taken at the same time each day. A backup method of birth control is needed if you take the pill more than 3 hours late. Antibiotics may reduce how well the pill works in some women. Talk to your doctor about a backup method of birth control if you need to take antibiotics.

The Patch

Also called by its brand name, Ortho Evra, this skin patch is worn on the lower abdomen, buttocks, outer arm, or upper body. It releases the hormones progestin and estrogen into the bloodstream to stop the ovaries from releasing eggs in most women. It also thickens the cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from joining with the egg. You put on a new patch once a week for 3 weeks. You don’t use a patch the fourth week in order to have a period.

Shot/Injection

The birth control shot often is called by its brand name Depo-Provera. With this method you get injections, or shots, of the hormone progestin in the buttocks or arm every 3 months. A new type is injected under the skin. The birth control shot stops the ovaries from releasing an egg in most women. It also causes changes in the cervix that keep the sperm from joining with the egg.

The shot should not be used more than 2 years in a row because it can cause a temporary loss of bone density. The loss increases the longer this method is used. The bone does start to grow after this method is stopped. But it may increase the risk of fracture and osteoporosis if used for a long time.

Vaginal Ring

This is a thin, flexible ring that releases the hormones progestin and estrogen. It works by stopping the ovaries from releasing eggs. It also thickens the cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from joining the egg.

It is commonly called NuvaRing, its brand name. You squeeze the ring between your thumb and index finger and insert it into your vagina. You wear the ring for 3 weeks, take it out for the week that you have your period, and then put in a new ring.

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Post tags: after birth, best methods for contraception, birth control, birth control after baby, breastfeeding birth control, Childbirth, contraception after baby, IUD, IUDs, method, mini pill, Nursing, ob/gyn recommend, oral contraceptive, safe, the patch

There are thousands of working, uninsured adults in New York. Some of them have families. Chances are good that you know someone in this category: the guy delivering your pad thai, a friend,  your nanny or maybe….you. Running around without insurance can be scary, especially if you get sick or have a major medical incident. But, there may be a program for you out there, regardless of legal status as a US citizen.

The state has a program called Healthy NY which is intended to cover low income folks who are uninsured and don’t qualify for Medicaid or Family Health Plus and whose employers don’t provide insurance. Some of that will be covered at the end, but we’ll focus primarily on New York City services.

The City of New York has a program called HHC Options which gives you discounted clinic and emergency visits at city hospitals and prescriptions. You are required to do some legwork on your own first, so don’t show up with a runny nose and tickly throat without following these steps first. There’s even a barter program for starving artists to ply their trade in exchange for care.

What is it?
City hospitals are run by New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, also called HHC. The city has a program called HHC Options which assists moderate and low income patients and families down one of two roads.

First, they will help determine if you and your family are eligible for public insurance options. If you are eligible, congrats, you no longer have to read the rest of this piece.

If you aren’t eligible for any public insurance program, the city allows ANYONE to apply for the HHC Option program, REGARDLESS OF IMIGRATION STATUS. All immigration status is kept confidential by the hospital. Once approved, you can enroll and receive steeply discounted visits at these city clinics and hospitals.

Even if you have insurance, like Medicare, that perhaps isn’t covering everything you need, you may be eligible for HHC Options.

How does it work?
You must prove who you are, that you live in New York City and that you don’t make that much money. Taking the following documents would be recommended:

• Proof of Identity and Date of Birth, like a New York state ID or driver’s license, birth certificate, Baptismal record, Consular I.D., or a U.S. or foreign passport;
• Home Address, which could be on your I.D. or a utility or cell phone bill sent to you…some official correspondence with your name and your NYC address on it…call for other proofs;
• Proof of Income, such as a copy of pay check or stubs, a letter or written statement from the employer, person, or agency providing income.

**If you can’t get a written statement, the HHC has a Financial Counselor to discuss your income.

Go to one of the city clinics and hospitals.  Sign up. If you are an uninsured worker with a low or middle income level, you likely will be eligible for some discount. Signing up can take as little as half an hour of your time. Once done, you can make your first appointments. There might be a fair amount of time between the day you sign up and when appointments are available, so it’s probably best to sign up for appointments as soon as your application is processed.
****(Our friend has been to one of the HHC clinics 3 times: the initial sign up took 1 hour, the first appointment she was seen on time and was very pleased with her experience as was treated very well and with respect with thorough medical care and for her last appointment for a follow-up and an MRI, she had to wait 2 hours! However, she paid very little for her visits and tests).

How much does it cost?
Prices are on a sliding scale for doctor visits depending on income. Costs vary from $15-60, depending on your family size and household income. For example, an adult female with a family of four and a household income of as much as $82,000 can visit an HHC clinic or emergency room for $60 a visit. A visit for one of her children would only cost $20. You might be saying to yourself that it’s almost like regular insurance. The best part is that’s the upper end of the scale…other levels of the program would have you pay less. Charts and pay scales are available here. Hospital stays are more expensive, but not as much as you would pay rack rate without insurance.

En espanol

Haitian Creole

Chinese

Other languages available on the HHC Options page

Artist Access Program – Bartering for Services
A short time ago, the folks running Woodhull Hospital had an epiphany. Many of the actors, singers, writers, painters, etc. that make up the thriving artist community around them didn’t have health insurance and likely wouldn’t have much money to pay for essential services. Maybe the Hospital realized it needed essential services too: walls needed paint, art needed to be hung…. Whatever was the genesis, they decided to take a novel approach, giving artists a chance to sing for their supper…or medical care.

So you perform your act, lead a patient group in an art class or maybe design a mural and you accrue credits to be used when you need it. The pilot program seems to be a hit, as Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan has also signed on for a similar program. If you’re a broke uninsured artist interested in paying little to nothing for care, click here or call 1.877.244.5600.

This is an extension of the HHC Option program, so some of the same eligibility requirements will have to be met, as well as the sign up process.

How can you find out more from Brooklyn HHC hospitals?

• Bushwick / Williamsburg / Bed-Stuy: Woodhull Hospital & Mental Health Center: Pre-Admission Office: 718-963-8995; ED Discharge Office: 718-630-3403
• Fort Greene / Dumbo / Downtown: Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center: Patient Accounts: 718-260-7742 or 718-260-7691
• Prospect Lefferts Gardens / East Flatbush: Kings County Hospital Center: Health Insurance Enrollment: 718-245-4324
• East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center: Financial Counseling : 718-240-0628/0629
• Coney Island Hospital: Insurance: 718-616-5024

Click here for a list of HHC Option hospitals in all buroughs

Healthy NY
Healthy NY is a New York state program designed to assist uninsured workers whose employers do not provide health insurance.  You can purchase insurance from an HMO in the state at below-market rates. These packages cover essential health needs like inpatient and outpatient hospital services, physician services, maternity care, preventive health services, diagnostic and X-ray services, and emergency services.

You can enroll in Health NY if you reside in the state of New York, you or your spouse has been employed in the last year, your employer offers no health insurance and you meet income requirements without qualifying for Medicare.

Since Healthy NY is provided by HMOs in state, you sign up through the individual HMO that you feel suits you best. The plan covers basically the same thing from company to company, though the monthly payments vary widely, so be sure to compare prices.

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Post tags: artist barter for health care, city clinic, city hospital ny, healthcare ny, healthy ny, hhc options, insurance for immigrant ny, medical care for immigrant, new york city health and hospital corporation, no insurance ny, woodhull hospital artist

A Baby Bites Manhattan moms group

If you’re a mom in Brooklyn, chances are that you know about BabyBites Brooklyn and their seminars, lunches and workshops. People often think of the events as being only for new moms, but that’s not the case -they have potty training seminars, holiday parties…and now they are doing facilitated moms groups for 2nd time moms, toddler moms, working moms and yes, of course, expectant moms and new moms!

At the end of February, BabyBites Brooklyn will offer facilitated support groups for:

• New Moms (with babies -5m)
• New Moms (with babies 5-12m)
• Working Moms
• 2nd Time Moms
• Expectant Moms
• Toddler Moms

The ideas is to “meet and connect with other Brooklyn moms in your neighborhood under the guidance of an experienced professional and find a space where you can vent, share, and commiserate with other moms going through just what you are going through, gather valuable parenting resources and information and obtain special discounts from our venue partners.”

Here’s the lineup and schedule:

Expectant Moms
Park Slope: Sundays at Bump, 10:30-11:30 am
Carroll Gardens: Tuesdays at Madison Rose, 7:00-8:00 pm

NEW MOMS (babies 0 – 5 months):
Park Slope: Fridays at Birthday Presence, 1:30-2:30 pm
Carroll Gardens: Tuesdays at Madison Rose, 3:00-4:00 pm
Brooklyn Heights: Fridays at New York Kids Club, 1:30-2:30 pm

NEW MOMS (babies 5 – 12 months):
Park Slope: Fridays at Birthday Presence, 12:00-1:00 pm
Carroll Gardens: Sundays at RPT Physical Therapy, 12:00-1:00 pm
Brooklyn Heights: Fridays at New York Kids Club, 12:00-1:00 pm

WORKING MOMS:
Park Slope: Wednesdays at Sheep Station, 7:30-8:30 pm
Park Slope: Sundays at Bump, 9:00-10:00 am

2nd TIME MOMS:
Park Slope: Fridays at Birthday Presence, 3:00-4:00 pm
Brooklyn Heights: Fridays at New York Kids Club, 12:00-1:00 pm
Carroll Gardens: Sundays at Madison Rose, 9:30-10:30 am

TODDLER MOMS:
Park Slope: Wednesdays at Sheep Station, 6:00-7:00 pm
Carroll Gardens: Sundays at RPT Physical Therapy, 4:00-5:00 pm

The cost for a 6 week session is $175. If you are interested in participating in one of the groups listed above, please email  chana@babybites.com.  Each group is limited to a maximum of 12 moms and minumum of 6 moms.

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Post tags: baby bites, babybites, brooklyn, Childbirth, expectant moms group, how to meet moms, manhattan, meetup, mommy and me group, moms group, new moms, new moms group, nyc, pregnant, pregnant moms, toddler playgroup, where to meet new moms

When Realbirth closed this May, many of the educators and recently, Realbirth’s founder, moved over to a now 6-month-old group called Tribeca Parenting.  The collective move helped jumpstart Tribeca Parenting which has become a hub of parenting information.  With Erica Lyon, the renowned Childbirth educator, author and founder of Realbirth, as their Consulting Director, they have developed a full roster of classes that cover everything for both pregnancy and parenting.

With locations in Williamsburg and Park Slope, Tribeca Parenting (TP) offers New Moms groups, childbirth and childcare classes, sleep routines clinics, CPR and Safety among other classes.  Since Boing Boing stopped organizing new moms’ groups recently, there has been a void for Mom’s groups.  TP’s New MOMs (Meeting Other Mothers) series has begun to fill that gap.  Though their moms’ groups are different since there’s a fee to join, you still meet other moms with the bonus of getting structured and helpful discussion led by a teacher on such topics as sleep, co-parenting and body image.

When I was nursing our first baby, I had to go to three lactation consultants to finally figure out how to solve my problem. Back then, one of my friends recommended I traipse into the city to go to one of Realbirth’s breastfeeding support groups. I couldn’t imagine getting dressed, let alone getting on a subway to go into the city! The breastfeeding support clinics at Tribeca Parenting in Brooklyn would have been perfect for me back then. Alas, too late for me, but just right for you! For a relatively inexpensive price ($30), you can meet with a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and other moms in a supportive environment.

When I spoke to Tribeca Parenting, they said their most popular classes are their Preparation for Childbirth. You can choose which track to take: “Keeping an Open Mind”, “Planning for an Epidural”, “Twins” and “Home Birth.” I love the idea of being in a Childbirthing class with like-minded parents whom you may end up staying in touch with for years. You can even follow up with your group by taking other classes like Essential Baby Care, Breastfeeding Preparation and Sibling Preparation!

Tribeca Parenting
Park Slope:
425 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Williamsburg:
212 Berry St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
info@tribecaparenting.com

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

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Post tags: breastfeeding circle, breastfeeding class, breastfeeding help, brooklyn, childbirth prep class, childbirth preparation, classes for parents, classes for pregnancy, emily cohen, erica lyon, home birth class, how to prepare for sibling, lactation consultant, meeting other moms, mommy and me, moms groups, nursing help, parents class in Brooklyn, park slope, pregnant mom, Realbirth, sibling preparation, tribeca parenting, Tribeca Pediatrics, twins class, williamsburg

Lena DeGloma doing her thing!

It’s a rarity to find a doula who specializes in pre/postnatal massage, and really, why wouldn’t you want that combination? Imagine: you are in labor, getting massaged alternately by your doula and your labor partner- who has been taught by your doula how to massage you properly.  Ahhh…it’s beginning to sound like birthing might not be far off from a visit to the spa….

Park Slope labor doula and massage therapist, Lena DeGloma, wrote the book (literally) on prenatal massage. She wrote the curriculum for Queensborough Community College’s prenatal massage course where she also teaches part-time. Her knowledge of massage isn’t the only aspect of her prenatal care that can help a client;  she also incorporates herbal medicine, cupping therapy, essential oils, hydrotherapy and her birthing knowledge into the plan.

When I hear about a pre/postnatal service in Brooklyn, I often turn to Birth Day Presence to get their thoughts. Anna Merril (co-owner of Birth Day Presence) gives Lena her “highest recommendation! I regularly refer the pregnant women I work with to Lena Posner for massage.  I have also seen her many times myself and she always does wonderful work.”  Lena’s reviews on Yelp are just as good and recommend her not just for pre/postnatal massage. In fact, two of the most complementary reviews on Yelp are from men who had leg, back and knee pain.  Happy to know that Lena is available for those of us that aren’t expecting!

One of my favorite holiday gifts to receive is a massage- and I can bet there are others who feel the same way. This is a good time to purchase a gift certificate for a friend (and for you!) as Lena is offering discount packages for friends and family: $15 off 3 Massages, $50 off 6 Massages, $100 off 9 Massages. If you’re pregnant or just had a baby- Lena has specials for you too: $15 off 1st Pre/Postnatal Massage (60 or 90 minutes)

Her doula rates are on a sliding fee scale and you obviously get massage during labor but she also offers discounted pre/postnatal massages if you are a labor client. Her doula services include a free interview, 2 prenatal visits and 1 postpartum visit.

Lena DeGloma, BA, LMT, Doula
Red Moon Massage Therapy & Doula Care
641 President Street (at 5th Ave), suite 203
Brooklyn, NY 11215
609.576.7638
lena@redmoonmassagetherapy.com
www.redmoonmassagetherapy.com

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Post tags: brooklyn, brooklyn massuese, class in massage, doula, labor doula, lena posner, park slop masseuse, park slope massage, postnatal massage, prenatal massage, queensborough college, recommended, red moon massage, red moon massage therapy

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Post tags: allergist, brooklyn, dr charlot, dr ehrlich, eating peanuts while pregnant, kids allergist, manhattan, nyc, peanut allergy, pediatric allergist, pregnancy and peanut, recommended, reviews

I am really excited about one of our newest Directory Listings: Birth Day Presence. I’m excited because I’ve gotten to know them over the last 4 years while creating this blog and I think they are part of what makes the Brooklyn birthing community so special.  They care a lot about parents- and I’ve seen that through the workshops they do and also through meeting the 2 owners: Jada and Anna. Both are Park Slope moms so they know their way around the parenting world of Brooklyn too!

Birth Day Presence provides both birth and postpartum doulas (prices range from $300 to a doula-in-training to $2400 for highly experienced), childbirth education classes and professional birth photography. They also host newborn care, breastfeeding and infant CPR classes all in their Park Slope studio and in Manhattan locations too.

I love their Park Slope studio. Though you have to walk through a Pilates studio to get to it- it’s worth it. The intimate and light-filled space is a dead ringer for the set from hip cult movie Blow-Up.

In their Directory Listing, Birth Day Presence is offering 10% off any class when you mention “A Child Grows in Brooklyn.” Here’s your chance to sign up for that CPR, breastfeeding, childbirth education class you have been wanting to!

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Post tags: birth day presence, birth photography, birthing center, breastfeeding, brooklyn, childbirth class, childbirth education, class, CPR class, doula, doula in training, help, hospital, methodist, natural birth, newborn, park slope, photographer, postpartum doula