New York City has many wonderful resources and stores for the family and earth conscious parent. Here are my picks for the top 5 NYC go to resources for within the 5 boroughs:

Best New Life Style Store: Caribou Baby

This go to spot, located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn offers not only, food, diapers, clothing and skincare products for baby and mom, but Caribou Baby also offers an array of birth preparation and parenting classes and workshops.

Best Cloth Diapering Resource: Doable Diapers

Regardless of which borough you live in, Doable Diapers’ online store helps to make cloth diapering much easier for you. From newborn to beyond, they carry an array of products and accessories. They have you covered.

Best Breastfeeding Resource: YummyMummy

YummyMummy… I love that name. I love that this store embraces, celebrates and encourages breastfeeding. Whether you are in need of breastfeeding classes, breast pump rentals, nipple butter or an easy access shirt, this UES gem is a go to resource. Delivery is available in Manhattan.

Best Fresh Baby Food Resource: Petit Organics

After 6-8months of exclusive breastfeeding or formula feeding, baby is ready for solid foods. Parents want to give their baby the healthiest nutritious food they can provide. Though my pick for best local baby food resource is not in everyone’s price range, the concept behind the company and their offering is pretty awesome, especially for on-the-go parents. I also want to put out there that as opposed to asking for a lot of clothes or toys at a baby shower ask for friends and family to donate for a fresh food fund for when baby is ready. Petit Organics delivers 100% organic, fresh , vegan, wheat-free and non GMO prepared food to the Manhattan area and has a pick location in Park Slope.

Best Parent & Baby Activity: Karma Kids Yoga

Bonding with baby is one of the most important and fun aspects of motherhood and fatherhood. Mom/Dad & Baby Yoga at Karma Kids is a wonderful way to connect with baby as well as giving your body a little restorative love. They also have story time as well! I am definitely an advocate for creating a tradition of storytelling in the family

Here is a nourishing and refreshing smoothy recipe from the ladies over at Mamatini.

Ingredients:

8 ounces Mamatini
1 cup of your favorite frozen fruit – blueberries, strawberries, pineapple
1 scoop whey protein powder
1 tsp/packet of your favorite natural sweetener
Optional Scoop of Green Vibrance Superfood Powder

Place ingredients in a high powered blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a tall glass with straw and enjoy!

Mamatini was specially designed to help expectant and new mothers absorb and retain the minerals their body needs to have a more energetic and healthy start to motherhood while providing baby with the nutritional building blocks he or she needs to grow. In addition, Mamatini helps increase milk supply in mothers and aides to relieve baby’s colic symptoms. Click here to meet my write up on the brand from earlier in the year.

For whatever reason, I had a craving for raw asparagus today. Since I have been trying to focus on my physical health of late, my muscles are screaming loud and clear for potassium. While eating the asparagus I became curious to see what other benefits were attributed to it. Low and behold I found some wonderful benefits that are actually tailored for mothers-to-be and new moms. Here they are for you:

5 BENEFITS

• Eaten during the early stages of pregnancy, it helps the body to fight against certain birth defects such as spina bifida (a neural tube defect)

• A cup of asparagus provides around 263 mcg of folate (Vitamin B). Folate is very important for the synthesis of DNA. Its absence or inadequate supply causes the improper division of fetus’ nerve cells, in turn leading to birth defects

• Stimulates milk production in nursing mothers

• Has very high levels of folic acid which is known to make conception easier

• Controlling blood sugar levels and therefore, is very beneficial for people with diabetes

Mamatini™ is a new all-natural, 100% organic herbal infusion that was created with the modern mother-to-be in mind. It is the first-ever, ready-to-drink, pediatrician-designed beverage created to help women breastfeed better, easier and for longer. Not only will Mamatini naturally boost your milk supply, it will also increase your energy and increase your ability to absorb and retain critical nutrients your body uses to produce milk. This herbal tonic also helps to relieve your baby colic symptoms.

Mamatini™ is shipped directly to your door via FedEx and can be shipped on a weekly basis at your option. Made with organic ginger and spearmint, this refreshing beverage is recommended from the 36th week of pregnancy until your baby is weaned.

Fenugreek helps you produce a generous supply of milk for your growing baby
Fennel stimulates the “let down” reflex, and helps prevent gas, bloating and colic
Chamomile and Ginger relieve stomach upset and provide restful sleep for baby and mom
Micronutrients promote absorption of vitamins and minerals, such as Calcium and Iron, often depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Vitamin A forms healthy teeth, bones, skin and nails and is key for breastfeeding
Vitamin C forms collagen in the body and aids the absorption of Iron
Vitamin D aids the absorption of Calcium, helping to form strong bones
Folic Acid and B Vitamins provide energy and prevent birth defects

I just received today a virtual petition for the Breastfeeding Promotion Act, H.R.2819 via Care2 and The United States Breast Feeding Committee. You can sign it today too here. As of the moment I am writing this post, the total signature count is 6358. The ongoing goal is to reach 10,000.

Though the act was 1st presented to the Senate June 11, 2009, it still has not been getting the attention it deserves. This is where you come in.

The Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 2819, S. 1244) includes five provisions:

1. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect breastfeeding women from being fired or discriminated against in the workplace.

2. Provides tax incentives for businesses that establish private lactation areas in the workplace, or provide breastfeeding equipment or consultation services to their employees.

3. Provides for a performance standard to ensure breast pumps are safe and effective.

4. Allows breastfeeding equipment and consultation services to be tax deductible for families (amends Internal Revenue Code definition of “medical care”).

5. Protects the privacy of breastfeeding mothers by ensuring they have break time and a private place to pump in the workplace (applies to employers with 50 or more employees, see text of legislation for details).

May we thank Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (NY) and Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) for the introduction of this act to the Senate. If you would like to read more technical info about the act or learn further information , please visit here.

So you have just finished exclusively breastfeeding and are beginning the transition to solid foods for your baby. Do not be intimidated by the attention that is now needed for your child’s diet and nutritional needs. Yes, the amount and quality of essential nutrients you give to your infant/toddler is important, but there are many cookbooks, pre-packaged fresh meals and supplements to help make the transition easier for both of you.

Shaklee just recently rolled out a new supplements for babies & kid. Their Shakleebaby Multivitamin & Multimineral Powder ($21.45 list price) delivers 23 essential nutrients to your baby’s systems which helps to support proper growth. This mineral powder comes from one of the most respected wellness brand in the world. Check out its other benefits and for further information go directly to my Shaklee site. Perhaps this is the supplement aide you have been looking for. Regardless of whether or not you give your little one multivitamins, do not fall into the common parental default for making french fries, cookies and sugary juicy a staple in your child’s diet.:

• Provides a unique blend of clinically tested prebiotics to help support strong immunity*

• Star-K kosher certified

It’s that time of year again, barbeques, beaches and outdoor social gatherings! This time around though may be different for you. If you are either pregnant or breastfeeding, you are refraining from those summer cocktails, spritzers and cold brews. What’s a woman to do when it’s hot outside, she’s pregnant or breastfeeding and she wants to still enjoy a refreshing lively drink outdoors?

Well, Earth Mama Angel Baby has the solution! Not only is this wonderful company the only one to have a complete line of 100% natural, herbal, toxin-free skin and body care products to help ease the common discomforts of the entire process of birth, but they also have a collection of 100% organic teas to support both women in their pre-natal , breastfeeding and postpartum stages. Of course these yummy teas can be used traditionally, served hot, but the team over at Earth Mama Angel Baby has some wonderful recipes that can also be chilled as Iced-Tea. Try these refreshing recipes at your next barbeque, baby shower or on those weekend beach get-aways:

PRENATAL RECIPE:

BREASTFEEDING RECIPE:

POSTPARTUM RECIPE:

Make sure to check out all of their different teas!