LifestyleParenting

Take care of your little one in the Big Apple with the help of 10 great parenting classes

Answering "best parenting classes near me New York City" is a challenge, becaue options are so abundant. So, here are 10 of the best in the Big Apple.

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Photo: Getty Images/Tony Anderson
Published Jul 20, 2019

Written by 

Erin Bunch

Living in the city that never sleeps is fun when you’re hungry for chaos at all hours of the night. It’s less fun, however, when you and your baby are skipping zzz’s for reasons that have nothing to do with bright lights or crowded bars. If there’s any city in which to enter parenthood fully prepared to avoid not only this but all other less-than-savory scenarios involving your child, it’s New York City. But because your search for “best parenting classes near me New York City” likely yielded a barrage of results, knowing where to start is tricky.

Options in NYC abound when it comes to parental education, so the challenge isn’t so much finding the help as it is finding the right help. No matter your values and beliefs, the following curated list should help you narrow your options to find resources that work for you.

Found: 10 great answers to your “parenting classes near me New York City” search.

1. Birth Day Presence

Brooklyn-based Birth Day Presence is a winner of the Red Tricycle Totally Awesome Awards in the category of “Best Parent Education Programs”—so it’s clearly no slouch. Its founder, Jada Shapiro, is often cited as a parenting expert, too. At Birth Day’s Park Slope, Greenpoint/Williamsburg, and Union Square locations, childbirth education is the focus, with course-length offerings designed to fit every schedule (e.g. four-day, two-day, one-day, and crash). The company also offers a class that combines basics to know about newborn care, breastfeeding intel, and infant safety and CPR.

Various locations

2. Henry Street Settlement Parent Center

Also a Red Tricycle winner, the Henry Street Settlement Parent Center dates back to 1893 and was founded by social-work and public-health pioneer Lillian Wald. The space serves Lower East Side parents and, somewhat miraculously, the 6- to 12-week courses are free. Options include a 6-week program for expecting mothers, a 6-week program for mothers with babies over age 2, and a 12-week “parenting journey” course for both partners. The center also hosts six-week parenting groups for those who have children, those who have teenagers, and those who have children with special needs.

265 Henry St, New York, NY 10002

3. Tribeca Pediatrics Pregnancy and Parenting

Tribeca Pediatrics sprung from one doctor’s desire to treat his young patients more like a country doctor than a big city one. He ran the original practice from his own home, and as business grew so too did its offerings. Tribeca Pediatrics now gives parenting classes in addition to pediatric medicine in three locations: Tribeca, Prospect Heights, and Chelsea. Traditional childbirth (read: hospital versus home) classes are available, as are courses on the essentials of infant care, breastfeeding/feeding, and safety. There’s also a “Boot Camp for Dads” through renowned organization NYC Dads Group, which focuses its efforts on helping parenting partners feel empowered during a baby’s early days.

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Various locations 

4. City Births

City Births is run by a former investment banker who got the baby business bug after becoming a parent. The organization’s five locations, scattered across midtown and Upper Manhattan, offer courses aimed at preparing parents for childbirth and all that comes after. Such classes include birth prep (with specialized versions catering to LGBTQ+ families and those pressed for time), infant care, breastfeeding, CPR and safety, and another boot-camp-esque class for partners (also through NYC Dads Group).

Various locations 

5. Stork & Cradle

After working in both hospitals and birthing centers, Stork & Cradle founder Tamara Hawkins felt that both reinforced new parents’ ideologies around childbirth without preparing them for the unpredictability of the real deal. After her own labor, which she had elected to experience medication-free, turned into a C-section after 48 hours, she became passionate about women learning about childbirth in a comprehensive manner that marries holistic and Western practices. Stork & Cradle’s birthing classes provide just that, and the school also offers similarly well-rounded courses in breastfeeding, baby care, and infant CPR. Hawkins is available as a lactation consultant for parents who are interested in the personalized assistance.

Various locations

6. The Parenting Training Network

This Bronx-based business has been operating for 15 years, and founder Cynthia Fields has been working in the parental-education field for 10 years longer than that. As such, the Parenting Training Network has become a staple in the New York City parenting classes scene, and what sets it apart is the breadth and specificity of its courses. Workshops are inclusive of parents who have children with special needs, older children, and teenagers, and those who are concerned about raising a child in the digital world.

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1866 Washington Ave, 2nd Floor, Bronx, NY 10457

7. NYU Langone Health

If you’re looking for a bargain, this is it: Some of NYU Langone Health’s Parent Education Courses are free, and most are far less pricey than offerings at other facilities. Plus, not only are standard classes in childbirth prep and baby care on offer, but less common classes—including one aimed to help your dog adjust to the new baby, another for first-time grandparents, one for carseat installation, another for parents of multiples, and more—are, too. (P.S. many hospitals offer parenting classes, so you may want to check with your delivery hospital if that feels easier, more comfortable, or more convenient.)

Various locations

8. 92nd Street Y

Founded in 1874, the 92nd Street Y is storied AF, with many famous names parading through its doors as educators in various fields (Martha Graham! Margaret Atwood! Susan Sontag!) And while your parenting teachers may not be as famous as these marquee names, you can bet they are as skilled. A wide array of classes are on offer here, including new-parent primers and extending to courses for grandparents, second-time moms and dads, those trying to navigate their kids’ early schooling, and much more (even baby massage is on the table). Multiple times are offered for each class, too, which makes the 92nd Street Y ideal for busy parents with tough schedules.

1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10128 

9. Baby in the Family

Founded by Trinidad and Tobago native Andrea Syms-Brown—a certified lactation consultant, infant massage instructor, and newborn care educator—Baby in the Family offers a two classes focused on the basics of baby care at various locations. One is a two-hour course covering newborn basics meant to be taken 4 to 12 weeks before the due date, and the other is a deep dive into breastfeeding. Baby in the Family also facilitates what’s known in Trinidadian slang as breastfeeding “limes,” aka hangouts for new moms, and Syms-Brown offers at-home breastfeeding assistance, which can include a 10-hour overnight educational experience.

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Various locations

10. The Parent Collective

When the Parent Collective founder Jessica Hill gave birth to her children in the United Kingdom, she was amazed by the services charity the National Childbirth Trust offered. The organizations organized parenting classes by neighborhood and due date so new parents enter the experience with both knowledge and a built-in support system around their home. Upon returning to the America, Hill launched the Parent Collective with the aim of replicating that program. Among the offerings is a couple’s prenatal class, meant for both learning and socializing, which covers birth, breastfeeding, burping, and beyond. The Parent Collective’s locations also feature several workshops, like Healthy Sleep Habits, Promoting Positive Sibling Relationships, Surrogacy and Adoption, Transitioning Back to Work, Traveling with Babies and Small Children, and more.

Various Locations

Because there’s no such thing as too much knowledge, here are 3 tips for navigating major parenting milestones while staying true to yourself. Speaking of which, yogi Hilaria Baldwin uses (what else?) yoga techniques to attack the toughest pose of all: motherhood.

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LifestyleParenting

Why Parents Fear the Dreaded ‘Sundown Scaries’

The dreaded 'sundown scaries' may cause parenting anxiety during the last hours of the day when anticipation about the night hits.

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Photo: Stocksy/Danil Nevsky
Published Dec 10, 2024

Written by 

Rachel Kraus

Night falls, and quiet permeates the house. A cloud moves across the moon, the wind rustles through the trees. All is still—but something approaches. A prowler, a nightmare? No, no. It’s the “sundown scaries,” the anticipatory fear and anxiety that can strike parents in the evening before bed. Conversation has been churning on social media, with a handful of TikToks about “sundown scaries” garnering hundreds of thousands of views. The videos, and many of the comments, bemoan how little people talk about the phenomenon when it is apparently so common. Even if it’s not a clinical diagnosis, it’s certainly something many parents feel.

Experts in This Article

Sarah Honaker

clinical psychologist with board certification in behavioral sleep medicine, and associate professor of psychology and pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine

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“It’s definitely one of those things that no one prepared me for, that sense of dread or doom when the sun goes down,” says infant sleep specialist Rachel Shepard-Ohta on TikTok. “It almost feels like this homesickness in a way. It’s just a very sad, scary feeling every night.”

This feeling of foreboding that creeps in as the sun sets can become all too common during the winter months when the sun sets at an incredibly rude 4:30 pm. That’s known as “sunset anxiety,” and it’s linked to the natural drop in mood and energy that occurs in the evening. But those emotions can be even more dramatic for new parents—or really, anyone who deals with nighttime wakings, whether or not the cause is a howling infant. Darkness is “a very salient cue that night, and whatever it brings, is coming,” clinical psychologist Sarah Honaker, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, tells Well+Good.

Why is the evening so scary?

The evening can spark negative emotions for parents in a few ways. In the pre-baby era, the hours before bed probably consisted of taking time for yourself, having some fun, and winding down. With a newborn, that can actually be the time when laundry and dirty bottles pile up, and you don’t even have the energy to tackle them. In those moments, the overwhelm is real. At the same time, you might also feel anticipation about the physical agony awaiting you once you do manage to get horizontal. The contrast between what you were used to feeling in the night (relaxation) and what you face now (fatigue, care for another human being) can prompt those doldrums.

“Previously, you maybe had an idea that as the sun goes down, your responsibilities are also winding down,” Honaker says. “When you have a newborn, that is definitely no longer the case.”

Or maybe your little one makes the change in your lifestyle even more apparent. Some parents experience “witching hours,” when babies can be naturally more fussy during the evening (and when parents are naturally more tired). Want to end your day by stopping in at your favorite neighborhood pizza place? Or maybe even just relaxing with a glass of wine at home? Sorry, that’s not gonna happen with a tired baby. While exhausted from a long day, missing out on those past rituals can be its own sunset scary bitterness.

Pre-bedtime stress could even make it harder to get some shut-eye. This ZZZ-robbing sleep anxiety can make you even more nervous about the night.

“Nothing is worse than finally falling asleep and then having that cry wake you 30 minutes later,” Honaker says. “And so sometimes [anticipating] that can make it harder to fall asleep as well.”

How to face your (evening) fears

What can be done about the “sunset scaries” to make you feel better? If a baby is keeping you up, Honaker says to remember that this experience is temporary—you will sleep again.

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But Honaker also advises you to “protect your sleep.” Meaning, you should still try to prioritize sleep hygiene and, as much as possible, stick to a bedtime routine. At the same time, let’s take the pressure off the evenings. You don’t need to let the hour(s) between putting the baby down and your own bedtime be when you make judgements about your life.

“It’s not just about sleep, it’s about your feelings of productivity, your ability to relax, your image of what is a good parent, what is a good woman, what am I supposed to be, and how does that match up with what I am,” Honaker says. “This phenomenon really could get at a lot of those [questions].”

Finally, understand that you are not alone. The fact that there’s a catchy moniker for this emotional experience proves it. “It can be validating to know that the feelings that you’re having are a normal developmental experience and not something that is wrong with you,” Honaker says.

Just like the night, the “sunset scaries” will come to a natural end—whether with the development of your baby, or the passing of the seasons into more hours of daylight. In the meantime, be kind to yourself and know you’re doing your best.

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Kids Are Being Exposed to Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals in Skin and Hair Care Products, New Research Says

New research discovered children may be exposed to hormone-disruptors from skin and hair products. An endocrinologists explains the risks.

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Photo: Getty Images/FG Trade
Published Sep 11, 2024

Written by 

Allison Forsyth

New research has discovered it’s likely that skin and hair care products are exposing children to potentially harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Experts in This Article

Gowri Reddy Rocco

double board-certified family medicine physician specializing in regenerative and hormone health

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The study, published last week in Environmental Health Perspectives1, collected urine samples from 630 kids ages 4 to 8 after parents were asked to fill out questionnaires about the exact types and brands of skin and hair care products used on the children in the past 24 hours. Concentrations of 16 different types of phthalates—a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals—were found in the urine samples. Products associated with the highest levels of phthalates were body lotions, body oils, “2-in-1” shampoo and conditioners, and ointments. Black, Asian, and Hispanic children were also found to have higher phthalate urine levels than other sociodemographic groups.

While past studies have only looked at phthalates’ effects on fetuses, this study shows that young children are being consistently exposed to endocrine disruptors—chemicals that have been linked to long-term developmental and reproductive health effects, per the study.

What does this mean for parents; should we all be worried? And are there ways to protect children from phthalates? We spoke with Gowri Reddy Rocco, MD, a double board-certified family medicine physician who specializes in regenerative health and hormones, to learn more.

We’re all exposed to endocrine disruptors, but children are more vulnerable

Many of the personal care products, fragrances, plastic packaging, pre-packaged foods, detergents, perfumes, and plastic water bottles sold in the U.S. have endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly phthalates.

“Phthalates are a group of chemicals that help make plastic more pliable and flexible,” says Dr. Rocco. But they can also be found in things like shampoos, lotions, ointments, and other personal care products.

What do these chemicals do in the body? They mimic, block, or interfere with hormones in the body’s endocrine system, per the Endocrine Society. While phthalates typically flush out of our system within two days, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the buildup of exposure can have long-term effects, per the study. According to Dr. Rocco, this can include fertility and reproductive issues, including low sperm count and inability to conceive, as well as an increased risk for breast cancer, obesity, and thyroid issues.

More new research has even found these chemicals may cause girls to enter puberty earlier, increasing their future risk of things like heart disease and breast cancer, per a September 2024 paper in Endocrinology2. In young children, endocrine disruptors have also been associated with developmental delays and reproductive health issues in the future, per Dr. Rocco and a December 2015 review in Endocrine Reviews3.

Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of products that touch the skin because they absorb substances more easily than adults, per the Environmental Health Perspectives study. Additionally, children’s organs are more vulnerable to disruptions as they are still developing, says Dr. Rocco.

Should we be worried about these study findings?

Dr. Rocco says we shouldn’t let these findings send us into a panic, but they should definitely raise a healthy level of concern about the chemicals we’re exposed to every day. This study didn’t confirm that skin care products caused negative health outcomes; it simply demonstrated that children’s exposure to harmful chemicals in skin and hair care is frequent and high.

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Unfortunately, it’s really difficult to limit endocrine-disruptors from our daily lives. These chemicals are in so many things, and the study authors acknowledge this as a gap in their research. (While they did ask parents about their children’s diet and environments, there was no way to tell for sure whether these contributed to elevated phthalate levels or if it was from skin and hair care products alone.)

The study also highlighted that for families with a lower socioeconomic status, less expensive products—which may contain these harmful chemicals—might be their only options. Products labeled “phthalate- or paraben-free” are often more expensive. And even so, certain products labeled “phthalate- and paraben-free” may not actually be completely free from these ingredients, the Environmental Health Perspectives study pointed out.

The study also found that children of color simply used more hair oils and lotions than other groups in general, upping their exposure to harmful chemicals. In fact, it’s possible that some beauty products targeted toward communities of color have higher levels of these chemicals, per an August 2018 paper in Environmental Research4.

Bottom line? These findings underline a major need for change, which starts with stricter FDA regulations on endocrine-disrupting chemicals. “There needs to be a responsibility on the FDA’s part, without a double standard, to protect our children and every body,” says Dr. Rocco. She adds that while the European Union has banned more than 1,300 harmful chemicals from products, the FDA has only banned 11.

So what can we do to keep kids safe?

According to Dr. Rocco, taking small steps to reduce exposure on a regular basis is the key here. Meaning, you don’t have to toss every product in sight right away. “This isn’t doom and gloom; this is just education to improve family’s lives,” she says.

For starters, Dr. Rocco recommends using fewer products on your children in general. They don’t necessarily need all the products advertised for kids, she adds. You can even make DIY lotions, soaps, and other personal care products, she says. And if you are going to buy products, go back to the basics: organic, non-GMO, and free from fragrances, parabens, sulfate, and phthalates.

If you’re having a hard time figuring out which products are best, Dr. Rocco suggests searching products on one of the following websites:

  • EWG Healthy Living (a free app that can help you identify harmful substances in products)
  • SkinSAFE (the database used in the study to categorize skin care products, which also has a BabySafe section)
  • Skin Deep (a database created by the Environmental Working Group)
  • YUKA (a free app that allows you to scan barcodes of products in store)

You can also reach out to your child’s pediatrician if you need skin and hair care product recommendations.

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Other ways you can reduce endocrine-disruptor exposure in general include avoiding plastic as much as possible, using stainless steel or glass bottles, using wax paper instead of plastic wrap or sandwich bags, eating more organic fruits and vegetables, getting exercise (which helps you sweat out toxins), and even having houseplants (which can provide more oxygen), Dr. Rocco says.

  1. Bloom, Michael S., et al. “Impact of skin care products on phthalates and phthalate replacements in children: The echo-fgs.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 132, no. 9, Sept. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp13937.

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  2. Shu Yang, Li Zhang, Kamal Khan, Jameson Travers, Ruili Huang, Vukasin M Jovanovic, Rithvik Veeramachaneni, Srilatha Sakamuru, Carlos A Tristan, Erica E Davis, Carleen Klumpp-Thomas, Kristine L Witt, Anton Simeonov, Natalie D Shaw, Menghang Xia, Identification of Environmental Compounds That May Trigger Early Female Puberty by Activating Human GnRHR and KISS1R, Endocrinology, Volume 165, Issue 10, October 2024, bqae103, https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqae103

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  3. Gore, A C et al. “EDC-2: The Endocrine Society’s Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals.” Endocrine reviews vol. 36,6 (2015): E1-E150. doi:10.1210/er.2015-1010

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  4. Helm, Jessica S., et al. “Measurement of endocrine disrupting and asthma-associated chemicals in hair products used by black women.” Environmental Research, vol. 165, Aug. 2018, pp. 448–458, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.03.030.

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