Being a new or expecting parent is always a bit of a strange time, filled with questions—and wow, that’s especially the case now. The great news is that NYC providers and businesses are offering tons of online parenting classes and resources: birthing classes, breastfeeding support groups or one-one-one sessions with lactation consultants, newborn care and CPR, prenatal yoga and more. Some are free, many affordable, some are even covered by insurance. Help for new parents is out there, online, with NYC pros who you can see in person, eventually! (And hey—congrats!)
Birth Day Presence & Boober
Established in 2002, Birth Day Presence has helped more than 20,000 families on the road to parenthood.
You can pick from an extensive menu of online class options that include quick and affordable sessions (e.g., $15 for a one-hour class on focus and mental distraction during labor; inductions, or confident hospital birth during COVID-19), to more in-depth classes such as a childbirth education three-hour express class ($250), childbirth education (four weeks, $399), or private childbirth education consults ($150/hour).
You can also sign up for online sessions devoted to breastfeeding prep, newborn care and feeding, infant CPR and safety and prepping for Cesarean birth. Finally, Birth Day Presence offers affordable online support groups for new parents, as well as prenatal and parent & me yoga classes.
Online: birthdaypresence.com
Founder of Birth Day Presence Jada Shapiro is also the person behind boober which connects families with virtual lactation consultants, virtual birth doulas, virtual postpartum doulas and virtual mental health therapists.
Online: getboober.com
Marlene Meyerson JCC
The Marlene Meyerson JCC’s programming for new and expecting parents (as well as all families) is always robust, and the education and support continues online now.
Select classes include:
Expecting: A Pregnancy and Expectant Parent Support Group
$100 for 4 sessions; April 29-May 20
Drop-in Tummy Time
$8; Tuesdays & Thursdays
Drop-in Crawlers Club
$8; Tuesdays & Thursdays
Online: jccmanhattan.org
Stork & Cradle
Led by maternity nurse and family nurse practitioner Tamara Jenkins, Stork & Cradle is a prenatal education group specializing in childbirth classes and lactation consultation. It hosts a free, virtual Infant Feeding Group weekly on Thursdays at 2p.m.
Stork & Cradle’s hybrid parenting classes include an online learning module and live virtual practice skills sessions. Offerings are Baby Care 1010, Prenatal Breastfeeding, Childbirth and Infant CPR. Note that Prenatal Breastfeeding classes can be billed directly to Aetna, Oxford Freedom, United, The Empire Plan, BC/BS, Oscar, and Cigna.
You can also choose to learn on your own (no live practice sessions), with Baby Care 101, Prenatal Breastfeeding and Lamaze Childbirth Class.
Additionally, you can book a private virtual lactation consultation with a Nurse Practitioner/IBCLC that can be billed directly to the following insurances: Aetna, Oxford Freedom, United, The Empire Plan, BC/BS, Oscar, and Cigna.
If you feel you need in-person support, Stork & Cradle provides private office and home lactation consultations. (In office services are done by a single provider, and there are 20-minute buffers between appointments to allow for cleaning. Home visits are done by a provider with COVID antibodies, who is dressed in full Personal Protective Equipment.)
Online: storkandcradle.com
The Wild
Greenpoint’s The Wild (formerly Wild Was Mama) is known for serving area parents with all kinds of classes IRL, and you can find many online now—from singalongs to support groups.
Drop in for some live music with Music for Aardvarks with AudraRox ($15), Hannah from the Buttons Band ($10), or Greg from Rocking Chair Music ($15). Check out the nursing support group on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. ($25), or sign up for a new parent support group ($175, with sliding scale fee). If you need a one-on-one meeting with a certified lactation consultant, you can schedule one here; cost is $150. That’s just the tip of the virtual education iceberg. The Wild is even offering a free Financial Planning for new parents class, scheduled for June 17.
Online: shop-thewild.com
Birth Matters NYC
Run by certified childbirth educator Lisa Graves Taylor, who also received the Ellen Chuse Childbirth Educator of the Year award for 2017/18, Birth Matters NYC offers several ways to take online childbirth, newborn care, breastfeeding and postpartum wellness classes.
Live, interactive group birth prep, newborn care, breastfeeding and postpartum wellness classes are offered via Zoom ($395), all of which are also offered as private sessions.
Birth Matters NYC also has an online, on-demand comprehensive childbirth course ($349) which covers thorough birth prep, newborn care, breastfeeding & postpartum wellness. In an effort to support families in the time of Covid-19, this is offered at 50 percent off for those who need it; enter the code BOOYAY50 at checkout to use.
Want even more discussion and insight? Check out the BirthMatters NYC podcast, which shares birth stories of clients, including three recent births that took during the pandemic.
Online: birthmattersnyc.com
The Great Room
Community and family support space The Great Room is offering weekly online breastfeeding support groups for $5. Led by Lori Silverstein, a certified lactation counselor (and mom of three breastfed-babies) the group is intended for breastfeeding moms, but is open to those weaning babes or women who need support adding formula into a feeding schedule. You must register at least an hour before the class to receive link.
Online: thegreatroom.org
—Mimi O’Connor
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