Bioderma ABCDerm luxurious baby products, including full sized ABCDerm Body Cold Cream, Cleansing Wipes, Diaper Rash Water Paste, and Péri-Oral Repairing Cream
This is a fabulous, useful, and unique collection for anyone about to welcome a baby to the family. To enter you must be in the continental US and leave a comment below so I can reach you to send the prize to you or your friend! You’ll be asked for your email when you comment. One winner takes all. Winner will be drawn on December 21. If winner cannot be reached within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected. Please share and good luck!
I hope your Hannukah, Christmas, Solstice, Yule, Festivus, Kwanzaa, and any other holiday you may observe, tolerate, or reject, are joyful and peaceful. Be kind to yourself and others. Keep it simple. May 2018 bring good things… maybe some of the goodies above for a start.
Another steamy August in the city, melting on the subway platforms. Maybe you’ve been able to get away, maybe not. Ten years ago, I was 9 months pregnant with my first, lumbering for my one hour commute to an unhappy job, ankles almost as swollen as my belly. Never knowing if someone would offer me a seat (usually a woman would).
It’s a cliché, but of course those 10 years have flown by and in just 11 days, I’ll be the mother of a 10 year old. To say that becoming a parent completely changes your life is an understatement. And I know there’s much more to come with this adventure!
In honor of a decade of motherhood, surviving summer pregnancies, and the best city on earth, I’m offering this pretty Boppy Best Latch Breastfeeding Pillow to NYC residents! ($45 retail value) I love the modern navy pattern.
How to enter:
comment below and tell me why you love your NYC neighborhood! (I’ll bring the pillow to you or a friend in NYC if you win! Keepin’ it local!)
leave an additional comment for each social media follow— including your handle so I can double check! Twitter (@InfoChildbirth), Facebook, Instagram (@postmodern.childbirth), Google+, YouTube, and Pinterest!
leave an additional comment if you signed up for the newsletter!
finally, leave a comment for each time you shared on one of the social media platforms and where!
Guess we’ll see how much time you want to spend clicking around for a free pillow. Comments may be slow to post, don’t worry. Enter by August 14, and I’ll randomly select the winner on August 15, my son’s 10th birthday.
But wait, there’s more!
ADDITIONAL SPECIAL SUMMER OFFER!
Book your placenta encapsulation services before Labor Day (the holiday, not your actual labor day, ha ha), and receive $100 off placenta encapsulation + one belly binding session! $497 value for $397! Fine print— contract signed and deposit received by midnight September 4, 2017; any due date is fine (e.g. book now even if you’re due in December).
A few months ago in anticipation of teaching a new type of childbirth class, I created a survey and shared it across the land to ask parents why they had or hadn’t taken a class, and to find out what was most useful, what was lacking, and what was a disappointment for those who did take a class. I was concerned about launching a class amidst online forums full of parents saying birth classes were a waste of time (note: there are also many who loved their classes!).
The results were incredibly helpful and I’m eager to incorporate such useful feedback to make the class stronger and more relevant to what expectant parents most need and want to know. Many classes have been structured around what we think you should know. Since this is based on peer feedback, it’ll make a huge difference. This knowledge, coupled with the personalized Your Birth Experience (YBE) approach, builds a childbirth class perfect for busy New Yorkers.
There are so many choices out there— Lamaze, Bradley, HypnoBirthing, Birthing from Within, and various private instructors and hospital-based options. How do you know which class is right for you and why choose a YBE class with me?
This class is for you if you:
are busy (who isn’t?)
want to get clear on your personal wishes for your birth, versus what the interwebs and your family wishes for and believes about birth
want a better picture of what to expect in labor and how to best manage it
want to understand the various options that will come up through the birth process, which you prefer, and communicating this with your birth team and medical staff
want to leave the class with a draft birth plan to review with your doctor or midwife, and a plan for handling those early weeks with a newborn
The small group class is one 4-hour class with a follow up call for further questions. If 4 hours is still too long, you can always opt for a shorter private consult with a tighter focus on your unique concerns.
I met Iryna over a year ago. I was instantly struck by her warmth and professionalism, and of course her gorgeous photos (you’ll find several on this site). I have since had the pleasure of working with Iryna in her photographer role, so I can personally attest to her gentle skill in coaxing flattering shots from someone who is rather camera shy. She even managed to get some smiles out of my cranky toddler. If you’re looking for a family or portrait photographer, you can’t go wrong with Iryna behind the lens.
1. What drew you to family photography? How do you approach this work?
Through my journey as a photographer, I’ve photographed pretty much everything (except sports). For years, I worked in journalism as a reporter and photographer in Eastern Europe. I always loved telling stories. Back then, I would never have considered becoming a family photographer. Well, that was before I became a mom… Without exaggeration I can say that becoming a parent changed the way I looked at things and life in general, and what was truly important. When I create family portraits, I am in the same mindset– that I’m telling someone’s incredibly important story that shouldn’t be forgotten. When I work with families, I see and feel this importance. Their kids and partners are everything to them and documenting these relationships and milestones, I believe, is the greatest gift I can give to people.
2. What surprised you most about becoming a mother?
That it’s doable and how much I loved it! I was the last of our family and friends to become a parent. So I saw a lot of babies growing up in front of my eyes. I looked at their parents and saw a lot of struggle. There was of course joy, too, but I was seeing that parenthood was NOT easy. And I always loved being independent, my husband and I are passionate about travelling, and when I imagined myself having a kid, I thought I would not be able to do most of the things I loved in life. NOT true! We travel, and my daughter is an amazing person. She is 4 and she is the smartest , funniest, and most easy-going kid I’ve ever known. She indeed is the best thing that ever happened in our lives.
3. What would be your #1 piece of advice for a new mother?
Listen to yourself. There is so much information out there, so many different approaches to parenthood. Everyone will have an advice for you. Read, listen, ask different sources, but ultimately truly listen to what your heart tells you. That will be the best way to go.
4. What are some things you and your daughter love to do in NYC?
We enjoy so many things NYC has to offer to families. We love going to libraries for story time and then looking through the books and choosing a dozen to bring home. In summertime, there is really nothing better for a 4 year old than exploring outdoor playgrounds. We especially love two playgrounds in Central Park (one on 59th St on the west side and the other on 190th St on the east side). The Bronx Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo are among of our favorites, too. As an indoor creative place, Children’s Museum Of Arts in Tribeca is hands-down our favorite.
5. If someone would like to find more information about working with you, what should they do?
If you would like to learn more about how we work and plan your photographic experience, the best way to start is to call us at 917.370.9741. Then, you’ll find out more about us and we will discover all the wonderful things about you and your beautiful family and what you love about them. Portrait photography is such a personal experience, so we need to make sure we are a good fit. I want my clients to have the most amazing photography experience they can imagine. And the photo shoot is only a small part of that!
I’m also a firm believer that “getting organized” is a skill that anyone can learn with patience and practice.
Dawn Falcone, the “Chaos Liberator”
I have heard Dawn Falcone‘s name for many years as we live in the same neighborhood, but didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her until recently. She’s smart, warm, funny, stylish, and fantastic at what she does– helping you clear clutter and get organized to liberate yourself from chaos and stress and have more time for the good things in life! This can be especially life-saving when you are reorganizing your living space to bring home baby or want help setting up a cute and efficient nursery.
Dawn is kicking off a paper clutter challenge on Monday. Join the group for support and a week of daily challenges. My desk and I will be participating.
Here is a little bit more about Dawn, her work, being a mom, and how to find her!
1. What drew you to organizing? How do you approach this work?
I’ve organizing since I was a kid. I spent many a rainy Saturday clearing out our family fridge, kitchen cabinets, and junk drawers. Keeping things organized wasn’t my mom’s strong suit so I jumped in and took over in that area.
I approach this work from the inside out. I try to get to the root cause of the clutter so my clients can see their patterns and we can work from there. I’m also a firm believer that “getting organized” is a skill that anyone can learn with patience and practice.
2. What surprised you most about becoming a parent?
How truly exhausting it is – especially in the beginning. Friends and family told me it was but I didn’t believe them. Take naps with your baby, delegate, don’t stress about having a perfect clean house. Take time to bond, heal, and get into your parenting groove. [here’s where a postpartum doula can help!– Rachel]
3. What would be your #1 piece of advice for a new parent?
Go with the flow. Let go of the vision(s) you had about how parenthood was going to be. Things don’t always go according to plan but it will all work out and most of the time it’s even better than you imagined.
4. What are some things you and your son love to do in NYC?
We both love visiting the MET. He loves the Egyptian rooms and suits of armor. We’re a baseball family so trips to Yankee stadium are always a hit. My Monkey Boy is very active so we explore playgrounds and parks. NYC really has so much to offer kids and families.
5. If someone would like to find more information about working with you, what should they do?
postmodern childbirth 