They say it takes a village to raise a child, so I’ve invited some fabulous bloggers to share their thoughts on motherhood. This week they’ll be discussing everything from pregnancy to newborns to baby gear for first-time moms. Today’s post is special: I asked my friend Ashley from Hither & Thither if she had any advice for my sister, who lives in New York City and is expecting her first baby in early March. Ashley, a former New Yorker, has a son who’s about a week younger than Levi, so I knew she’d have a wealth of information for my sister and other city-dwelling mamas!
First off: congratulations! That anticipation is like nothing else. And hopefully it’s driving you to get rid of everything you own to make room for everything else you’re about to. Just kidding. Sort of.
Of course the space constraints of a New York apartment is the challenge that first comes to mind when asked about having a baby in the city. And I would suggest doing multiple sweeps and either tossing, donating, or storing (hopefully in a willing parent’s home) things you don’t need before there’s a very demanding, sweet little distraction living with you.
And then, start thinking about the kinds of large items and toys you might want, but don’t bother buying any of them until you need them. It’s a tricky balance: ideally, you want to know which swing to order off Diapers.com or from whom you can borrow one before you need it, but you might not want to actually let it in the house until you know that you do. (And p.s. thank goodness for Diapers.com, Fresh Direct, Amazon prime, and Seamless Web. Oh how I miss Seamless Web.)
On the other hand, do be sure to have whatever you need for nursing ahead of time. Bring the pillow and lanolin to the hospital and get the fitting done in advance. (Speaking from experience: driving uptown with a 2-day old for a bra fitting that happened while I shifted from foot to foot was not fun.)
My top items–for any new mom but especially for one in NY: a carrier (wearing the baby on busy streets and in tight restaurants is so nice); a foldable, lightweight stroller (imagine getting it in and out of cabs as well as down subway stairs); and a new iPhone. That last one might be a stretch–but go ahead and ask for one. You’ll use it for all of your photos. You’ll watch movies and entire TV Series on it. You’ll read the NY Times and check email and record every poop on it. And when you’re strolling aimlessly to keep the baby asleep in that carrier, you’ll order delivery from Seamless Web.
Choose a pediatrician you trust, but who is also close-by and easy to get to in rush hour.
Take advantage of the great services and programs for parents all around the city: the Y has new parent meet-ups, music classes, mommy-and-me workouts, and babysitting. The libraries have amazing story hours (and they happen all around the city on different days).
You already know that NY has amazing parks and playgrounds. They’re great places to meet people. “Are you happy with your stroller?” will get most people talking if you’re at a loss. We parents love sharing advice (couched as opinions).
You’d think midday in SoHo would be the time for that neighborhood—but it’s not. It’s never the right time for SoHo–especially with a stroller. Delivery trucks, crowds… argh! Of course, when you do end up there (and somehow I always did, dodging taxis and models), know that Giggle has a nice nursing station, changing table, and scale downstairs; and the NYU bookstore on the North strip of Broadway has a large children’s area adjacent to a coffee shop.
Finally, start mentally collecting restaurants you like that serve breakfast. Breakfast, in general, means kid-friendly. Brunch is more hit-or-miss.
Have fun! New York City is an incredibly awesome place to have a baby and all the cliches are true about it all flying by–even if that brunch in SoHo with all the moody, 22-year-old hipsters starting at you and your crying baby seemed to last an eternity.
P.S. Here’s a post on raising a City Kid and one on what I packed in my diaper bag when we left the house.
Thank you so much, Ashley! You actually made living in NYC with a baby sound more fun than stressful!
All so true, Ashley. I’d just add to please have someone take a photo of your sister getting into a taxi going to or from the hospital. She might not want to at the time, but that’s one of my favorite photos from when I was pregnant with my son. We just moved from New York to San Francisco a few months ago and my 4-year-old daughter, who spent her whole life until now there, LOVES looking at the taxi photo.
Oh, and try to have some annual photos. We have pictures on the roof deck at the Met every year of my daughter’s life and maybe even from all 9 years we lived there. That’s a particular favorite because you can see the different exhibits and the growth of our family–it always reminds me of how things are constantly changing in some ways and staying reassuringly the same in others.
Elisabeth, I LOVE the idea of taking an annual family photo at a recognizable (or not-so-recognizable) NYC landmark. I will also be sure to have somebody pictures of my sister going to/from the hospital. Thanks!
That taxi photo of you IS the best. We tried to get a good one of bringing Hudson home in the taxi but our driver–being super sweet–hopped out so fast to help that the shot is mostly of his behind. Ha! It was during a heat wave and about 106 degrees in the shade, so we weren’t going to linger for reshoots.
Love the article and suggestions
I’ve found all of these to be so true! One tip that I would add is that I’ve just started a membership on honest.com and they ship me a month’s supply of diapers and wipes for 80 bucks. I’ve found by city standards this is pretty good and one less thing for me to worry about. Plus they donate diapers to charity with every purchase. Mom yahoo groups have also been so helpful too. They’re organized by city neighborhood. 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Alyce! Although I haven’t tried their diapers, I’ve been following Honest on Twitter and have been impressed by what I’ve seen. I’m also a fan of any type of delivery service!
Ashley nailed it here. Amazon Prime is worth every cent, and their subscribe & save is your best friend (if it isn’t already). Buy every dry good/toiletry/paper product/baby item you can there, so that you have more room in your arms on the walk home for Baby (and all the parafernalia). And to add to the SoHo bit, start scoping out spots with quiet and a little clean privacy in all of the neighborhoods, so you always can find an easy nursing and diaper change destination.
Thanks, Alexandra! We get all of our diapers from Amazon Prime. They remind us that we need more before we even realize that we do! And now I’m off to check out your blog (I’m already obsessing over the header–gorgeous!).
Thank you so much for having me, PJ! Happy New Year! xo