{disclaimer}
Prior to trying any physical activity or using any product listed on this website, please consult with your caregiver. Most prenatal yoga/pilates/massage studios will require your caregiver’s “OK”. As far as any dietary recommendations listed below, please remember they are just that – recommendations … every woman’s body is different and before you digest or spread anything on your skin, please consult the use with your caregiver. Additionally, if you own or know of a business or a product that should be listed below and is not, please contact me and it will be added to the list. Thanks!
{midwives}
For a complete directory of hospital-based and home birth midwives serving Northern New Jersey area, please click here.
Related articles:
Huffington Post: Cochrane review finds improved outcomes for moms who see midwives
The New York Times: The midwife as status symbol
{doulas}
What’s the difference between a midwife and a doula?
{prenatal testing and screening}
Study: Ultrasound causes brain damage in fetuses
BEWARE of “entertainment ultrasound/sonogram” purely for the purpose of getting keepsake images. Both The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as well as the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) discourages the use of obstetric ultrasonography for non-medical purposes. Be cautious then you read this in the FAQ section: “Is 2D/3D/4D ultrasound/sonogram safe for me and my baby? – Yes. We use the same frequency as your physician uses. Ultrasounds have been used for over 35 years and there have been no proven side effects.” – Perhaps, there have been no proven side effects because in the 35 years of its use, ultrasound exposure has not been tested for safety of developing human babies. But we DO know it affects fetal brain development of mice (see study above). If it can alter the brain of one mammal, it can probably do the same to all mammals.
Dr. Michel Odent: Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes: To test or not to test
{birthing centers}
Our Birthing Center – New Jersey’s ony free-standing birthing center, located in Morristown NJ (2 miles from Morristown Medical Center)
Brooklyn Birthing Center – located in South Brooklyn
The Birthing Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital – located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (Though this is the closest birthing center for NYC/JC folks, it is not a true birthing center as it is located inside a hospital. This is a major disadvantage as requirements for admission to the birthing center on the 11th floor are very strict, hence near impossible to meet (particularly for first-time moms) and you MUST go through the Triage at Labor & Delivery on the 12th floor. This is a big bummer as you will be exposed to exactly those interventions you are trying to avoid by going to the birthing center, not to mention St’ Luke’s Roosevelt triage has been the worst experience in my doula career so far. After experiencing some of the worst treatment and conditions at this hospital, I can no longer recommend it.)
{breech baby}
1. First, you can try positioning: Spinning Babies – easier childbirth with fetal positioning (yes, breech babies can be turned).
2. You can also try acupuncture (please scroll down to “prenatal/postnatal acupuncture”).
3. If nothing works and if you are a good candidate, your caregiver may suggest ECV (external cephalic version) or the Webster Technique to turn your baby manually from the outside. Many midwives and doctors are experienced in ECV or the Webster Technique. Also, Dr. Laura T. Brayton has been successful in performing the Webster Technique – according to Dr. Brayton, the Webster Technique has been shown to be 85% effective in helping breech babies turn, best done in the beginning of the 3rd trimester. She recommends the Webster Technique ahead of acupuncture because it is addressing the structural misalignment of the pelvis and specifically sacrum where the uterus is attached (please scroll down to “maternity & pediatric chiropractors”). Before scheduling ECV or the Webster Technique, please consult the procedure with your caregiver.
4. If your baby is still breech and you would like to avoid a c-section, you can find a caregiver who is trained and experienced in vaginal breech birth (it will have to be an older midwife/doctor as vaginal breech birth is no longer a part of their training). I am aware that Lonnie Morris has successfully attended several vaginal breech births – please scroll up to “midwives”)
{inducing labor naturally}
If your due date has passed and you are trying to escape a scheduled mechanical or synthetic induction, you can try inducing labor naturally which may or may not work (depends if your baby is ready). Besides long walks and pleasurable activities stimulating Oxytocin release, you can also try acupressure (Hoku point and Spleen 6) and acupuncture (please scroll down to “prenatal/postnatal acupuncture”) – both have been found effective by many women. Or you can try drinking castor oil – many women report first signs of labor within 24 hours. It is not recommended to drink castor oil or to practice labor-inducing acupressure and acupuncture before 37th week of gestation to avoid premature labor and birth, while most women try castor oil and labor-inducing acupressure and acupuncture in their 41st and 42nd week (after their due date). A consultation with your caregiver regarding any labor-inducing procedure is strongly recommended.
{labor and birth}
You’re not allowed to not allow me
What is the evidence for inducing labor when your water breaks at term? (term PROM = premature rupture of membranes at term)
The Cochrane Library: Restricting food and fluids during labor is unwarranted
Do not disturb: The importance of privacy in labor
The Epidural Trip: Why are so many women taking dangerous drugs during labor?
VIDEO // Newborn Birth Injuries: The Untold Story
VIDEO // Push for your baby: Parents share their stories
{home birth}
The myth of a safer hospital birth for low-risk pregnancies
UK government advises: More women should give birth at home
Home birth safer than hospital birth: Nation-wide study in Netherlands
It’s time to stop treating pregnancy like a disease
15 celebrities who’ve given birth at home
{water birth}
Benefits of water for labor and/or birth
If you’re planning for a water birth in a hospital or in a birthing center, please click here for more information about Water Birth in Northern New Jersey and NYC.
If you’re planning for a water birth in your home and would like to rent a birth pool, please contact Tamara Templeman at yoga[at]hpdnj.com. Her rates are affordable and the birth pool she has is called Birth Pool in a Box ECO. It is large enough to accommodate you and a partner, has a seat, 3 sets of handles, and can be inflated to different heights. Included is an air pump to inflate and a water pump to empty the pool. For hygienic purposes you will have to purchase a new pool liner and a hose.
{VBAC support & cesarean awareness}
ICAN of New Jersey – cesarean awareness and VBAC support (vaginal birth after cesarean) in the state of New Jersey, which has the highest cesarean rate in the country.
Natural (family-centered) cesarean – staying in charge when vaginal birth is not an option (includes Dr. Shyjus’ technique)
Related articles:
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights – this study proves it’s 3.5 times riskier to have an elective repeat cesarean delivery (ERCD) than a trial of labor (TOL)/VBAC (risk of maternal death during ERCD = 0.0134%, risk of maternal death during TOL/VBAC = 0.0038%)
Increasing your odds for a VBAC before and during labor
What hospitals don’t want you to know about c-sections
C-section not best option for breech birth
Babies born by cesarean section miss out on the benefits of vaginal microbiome
NJ c-section rates remain high; bucking national trend
VIDEO // What’s the deal with cesareans?
VIDEO // Natural (family-centered) cesarean
VIDEO // Dr Shyjus’ technique of cesarean section (very graphic segments)
{newborn procedures}
Benefits of immediate skin-to-skin contact with delayed cord clamping
What’s the hurry? The benefits of waiting to cut the umbilical cord after birth
Don’t wash the vernix: Six reasons to delay baby’s first bath
Is erythromycin eye ointment (prophylaxis) always necessary for newborns? – NJ births: If a mother is not infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea and is in a mutually faithful relationship with an uninfected partner, or if her baby was born via cesarean, then newborn eye ointment may be reasonably declined. NYC births: NY State law mandates automatic erythromycin prophylaxis and does not allow parents to exercise their right to informed refusal, regardless of the mother’s chlamydia or gonorrhea status, and regardless of whether or not the baby was born vaginally or by C-section.
{placenta encapsulation}
Benefits of placenta consumption
The benefits of placenta encapsulation
Maria G. Ocanto – Downtown Jersey City
Jessica Cicerone – 3 Moon Placenta & Lactation Services, contact Jessica at 862-215-0484 + jessica[at]threemoonliving.com
{circumcision}
Saving Our Sons – website dedicated to educating expectant families about the facts related to male circumcision
Intact America – “His body, his rights.”
{breastfeeding support}
Mahala Lactation and Perinatal Services – Jennifer Lisimachio, RLC, IBCLC and Lissa Welles, BSE, IBCLC are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants based in Jersey City dedicated to helping new moms reach their breastfeeding goals, whatever they may be. With over 16 years in the field they have a lot of experience with all kinds of breastfeeding obstacles and thanks to their advanced assessment and exceptional skills they are able to get to the core of the problem. Jennifer is an In-Network provider with Aetna so those with Aetna health insurance will get 6 free lactation consultations (others will get a form to submit to their insurance company for a possible reimbursement).
Nourish My Baby – Tara Daly, RN, BSN, IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) does home visits in Northern New Jersey
Carmen Baker-Clark – IBCLC Lactation Consultant at Hoboken University Medical Center (308 Willow Avenue, Hoboken, NJ 07030, phone: 201-418-1015, cell: 201-214-7222, email: cbaker[at]HobokenUMC.com)
Leigh Bowen-Muro, ORT – Occupational Therapist with a specialization in issues challenging the nursing relationship (painful tense suck, uncoordinated suck, difficulty transferring milk and other feeding difficulties), phone: 845-548-1187
Human Milk 4 Human Babies – New Jersey – breast milk sharing network which connects mamas producing more than they need and mamas in need of breast milk
La Leche League of Jersey City & Hoboken
La Leche League directory of New Jersey
La Leche League directory of New York
The Leaky Boob site exists to unite breastfeeding mothers and those that support them through laughter and tears of joy and share our experiences and informational resource.
Related articles:
The birth of a breastfeeding baby and mother
Breastfeeding helps children grow friendly gut bacteria
New cancer-curing drug using HAMLET – a protein found in breast milk that destroys tumor cells
Breastfeeding older children more common than thought
10 good reasons to breastfeed past one year (and how to know when you and your child are done)
Breastfeeding and bedsharing: Still useful (and important) after all these years
Your rights as a breastfeeding employee
Report: Most medications OK during breastfeeding
Why are hospitals aggressively pushing formula on newborns?
{parenting}
Kangaroo Care may have positive longterm effects for babies
Cosleeping and Biological Imperatives: Why human babies do not and should not sleep alone
My husband ignored my cries – a powerful article on children’s needs, sleep training (“cry-it-out method”) and punishing children for being what they are … children
Strollers, baby carriers and infant stress
Hip Dysplasia: Why we should burn forward facing baby carriers (and those with a narrow base and without a hip belt)
{baby loss}
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep – provides the gift of remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby
Share – provides free resources to all bereaved parents and their loved ones, whether experiencing a miscarriage, late pregnancy loss, stillbirth or a neonatal death. If you are a parent of an angel baby, you may find this site helpful.
{local support & meetups}
Natural Mommas Meetup – free
Breastfeeding and Babywearing Mamas of NYC Meetup – free
Hudson County Holistic Parenting Meetup – free
New Jersey Families of Color – $20 annual fee
Postpartum Therapy Group of Jersey City & Hoboken Meetup – free
Hoboken Mommies – free
{postpartum doulas}
Kesha King, CLD, CLC, CCBE, CIPES – Kesha is a mom and a great postpartum doula referred by my clients. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person and feel that she offers wonderful postpartum support. She’s a Certified Labor/Postpartum Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, Certified Community Breast feeding Educator, Certified Independent Placenta Encapsulation Specialist (FCP), OSHA Certified in Bloodborne Pathogens for Midwives and Doulas and she also offers postpartum meal preparations and overnight stays. She’s available to clients in the Jersey City/Hoboken area.
Nia Reid-Allen – Nia is a local mom, postpartum doula and Myrtle & Flossie boutique owner that caters to women wellness and taking care of new and established moms after baby is born. Their motto is when mama looks good, she feels good, allowing her to be the best mama she can be. Providing transitional fashion, Eco-friendly organic skin care, amazing products, services, and workshops. Nia offers breastfeeding support, light nutritious meal preparations that aid in lactation and energy boosting for new and breastfeeding moms. She’s certified in infant/baby CPR and in organic ingredients and homeopathic herbs for making skin care products, herbal t-baths, sitz baths, v-steams, and herbal body wraps for circulation, toning, joint/muscle relief, expelling toxins, and cellulite elimination. Nia is based in Jersey City and (beside the above-listed services) she also offers light cleaning, tidying, baby nursing station organization, errands, transitional fashion and postpartum wardrobe organization (no overnight stays).
Care For Moms – Care For Moms is here to help foster the mother-baby bond and make the transition to an expanding family easier. It’s your postpartum doula, nanny, housekeeper, mothers helper and personal assistant all in one! They offer educational resources as well as in-home care services including cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, meal delivery, running errands, watching siblings of new baby and other household duties that a new or busy mom might need assistance with.
{prenatal/postnatal exercise}
Project Pilates (Hamilton Health & Fitness) – Hamilton Park, Jersey City
ImPower Pilates – Hoboken
Yoga Shunya – Downtown Jersey City
Devotion Yoga – Hoboken
Mimi Kids Yoga – Hoboken
A Sound Start – Downtown Jersey City (offers Itsy Bitsy mom & baby Yoga classes only)
Private Yoga Classes – Tamara Templeman is a holistic mother of 2 and a natural birth supporter. She is also a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher with prenatal certification and offers private prenatal yoga sessions in the comfort of your home; currently serving Bergen and Hudson counties – contact: yoga[at]hpdnj.com
Diapers & Dumbbells – Jersey City (boot camp program dedicated to the fitness needs of new mothers – a unique stroller exercise program for moms to exercise with their babies, empowering them to reclaim their body, bond with their baby, renew their beauty and socialize with other moms)
JCF Boot Camp – Jersey City (boot camp for women only)
{prenatal/postnatal acupuncture}
Ariele’s Apothecary – Hoboken – in-network with various insurance plans
Dao-Sheng Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs – Hoboken (Dr. Shi-Hong Loh, MD specializes in women’s health and has successfully treated women with infertility issues, menstrual disorders and breastfeeding problems such as low milk supply; additionally he has been successful in using acupuncture to help babies rotate from a breech position to a vertex position, as well as to naturally induce labor in post-term women) – out of network
JS Wellness Acupuncture & Herbs – Jersey City – in-network with various insurance plans
NYC Points Acupuncture – Manhattan (East 55th Street and West 70th Street) – in-network with various insurance plans
{prenatal massage}
Maria G. Ocanto – Downtown Jersey City
Laura Lacey – Downtown Jersey City
ReGenesis Healing & Wellness Medi-Spa – Downtown Jersey City
{maternity & pediatric chiropractors}
Hoboken Chiropractic + Wellness – Dr. Laura T. Brayton, Hoboken
Hoboken Family Chiropractic – near Hoboken PATH
Dr. Gerard Chiara – Dr. Chiara is in Hoboken on Tuesdays and Thursdays and accepts various insurance plans, phone: 201-420-6445
{pediatricians}
Dr. Carmen Lebron – 150 Warren Street, Jersey City, phone: 201-600-4306 (Dr. Lebron is supportive of breastfeeding and works with lactation consultants to resolve breastfeeding issues)
Small World Pediatrics – Hoboken
Hoboken Pediatrics – Hoboken
Riverside Pediatric Group – Jersey City, Hoboken, Union City, Bayonne, Secaucus, Hackensack, Ridgefield Park
Children’s Health Clinic – Jersey City (well baby clinic and immunization for children who reside in Jersey City who are uninsured or under-insured from birth to 18 years of age)
Politis & Kaki Pediatric Care – Heights, Jersey City
Tribeca Pediatrics – Hamilton Park, Jersey City (Yes, we have a Tribeca Pediatrics office here in JC but I cannot recommend it – and no, it’s not because they have just one waiting room for sick and well children. It is because I’ve heard from several friends and clients that the doctor is not supportive of breastfeeding and suggests formula supplementation as a solution to many breastfeeding obstacles – this is NOT support. Also, I have a big problem with Tribeca Pediatrics sleep training propaganda and their harsh Cry-It-Out method: Apparently, all clinicians at Tribeca Pediatrics (with over 14 offices in the Tri-States and two new ones in California) tell their patients to night wean and sleep train at 8 weeks (yes, WEEKS). Their standard clinical advice, led by founder Michel Cohen, MD, is to put the baby down, walk away, and come back 12 hours later. Answers to the anxious new parents questions are typically, Yes the baby will cry, and no you don’t need to feed them. (source) I hope they are also telling the parents that no one has ever benefited from abandonment – not your baby, and definitely not your milk supply which will go down if you drop night-time feedings. Of course, this dumb advice comes from a man who has never cradled a human within his body for 9 months, neither did he give birth to this human, nor did his breasts nearly exploded when his baby cried at night to be fed.
{domestic violence & abuse}
Women Rising – Jersey City (domestic violence, abused women, family support)
Hudson County Child Abuse Prevention Center – Jersey City (child abuse)
{books & DVDs}
Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws For Nursing Mothers
Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding
The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth With Confidence
Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care
Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First
The Other Baby Book: A Natural Approach to Baby’s First Year
Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves
Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene
The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative
Natural Geographic – In the Womb DVD
The Business of Being Born DVD
FYI – It may sound obvious to suggest reading at least one breastfeeding book before your baby arrives, however, many women eventually leave it “for later”. But once the baby is here, it’s too late to read it (unless you can read a breastfeeding book within the first hour after your baby’s birth which I doubt). It’s good to know everything upfront, so that you are ready once the baby arrives – because, trust me, you will quickly transform into a feeding robot. A cute feeding robot, of course.
{maternity bras & nursing tops}
Bravado – no wires, comfortable, practical, and NOT hideous (finally!)
The Dairy Fairy – The Arden Bra – a sexy & comfortable all-in-one bra for nursing & hands-free pumping
{ECO reusable nursing pads}
Bamboobies – soft eco-fabric, super absorbent, thin, milk-proof backing, economical.
{nipple cream}
Boob-ease Natural Nipple Balm – 100% organic, non-toxic, soothes & protects & moisturizes, doesn’t need to be washed off before feeding like Lanolin does. All ingredients are safe for ingestion. Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower – Certified Organic Ingredients). Does not contain lanolin, which contains pesticides; or Vitamin E, which should not be ingested by infants.
{stretch marks}
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks – helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks with a special blend of pure Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Bio C-Elaste™. Bio C-Elaste™ is a powerful combination of Collagen, Elastin, Centella Asiatica, Sweet Almond Oil and Argan Oil. This non-greasy, all over body lotion helps improve elasticity and suppleness of stretching skin during and after pregnancy.
Carol’s Daughter Sexy Belly – moisturizing butter that helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks and keeps your tummy feeling yummy. 100% natural body balm – No Parabens, No Petroleum, No Mineral Oil, No Artificial Colors. Intensely moisturizes your skin to help prevent stretchmarks and dry, itchy skin.
{babywearing}
Metro Minis – local babywearing specialist offering a wide range of slings, wraps and carriers, as well as babywearing workshops, classes, advice and support. Located on the Upper East Side, Manhattan (corner of 75th Street and Park Avenue).
Babywearing International – a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote babywearing as a universally accepted practice, with benefits for both child and caregiver, through education and support.
{cloth diapering, elimination communication, diaper service}
If you cannot locate any cloth diapering store in your area, you can find a large selection of cloth diapers, inserts and covers on Etsy – these green cuties are from Rebourne.
Metro Minis – local cloth diapering specialist offering a wide range of cloth diapers and other cloth diapering and EC essentials, as well as cloth diapering and EC workshops, classes, advice and support. Located on the Upper East Side, Manhattan (corner of 75th Street and Park Avenue).
iDiaper – diaper service serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
{ECO hybrid diapers}
gDiapers – cloth diaper covers with either cloth inserts, or disposable & biodegradable inserts – so less waste goes in landfills. 50 million diapers enter the landfill every day. Each one takes up to 500 years to break down. gDiapers are the only earth-friendly diapers that are 100% biodegradable. gDiapers biodegradable disposable inserts can be flushed, home composted, or tossed. Good for babies. Good for the planet. And easy on everybody.
{ECO disposable diapers & wipes and ECO toiletries}
Nature Babycare – Swedish, top-rated performance, award-winning product, green/eco-friendly.
Diapers – naturally breathable, no perfumes, totally chlorine-free pulp, chlorine-free outer cover (no plastic), leakage barrier made of natural material (GM free based corn film, no plastic), distribution layer made of natural material (no plastic).
Wipes – 100% biodegradable, 100% compostable, 100% viscose made from natural resources, totally chlorine-free, chalk based packing.
Toiletries – ECO Rash Cream, ECO Lotion, ECO Wash, ECO Shampoo, ECO Bubble Bath – all based on biodegradable ingredients, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, NO perfumes, NO dyes, NO parabens.
Diapers – naturally biodegradable & pure plant-based PLA in the inner & outer sheet (NO petrochemicals/oil), bio-based wheat/corn super-absorbent materials blended with reduced SAP gel.
Wipes – biodegradable, hypoallergenic, medical grade cloth, sustainably harvested, NO parabens, NO chlorine, NO phenols, or risky chemicals.
Toiletries – all-natural & organic ingredients.
Toiletries – from safe, certified organic Shampoo & Body Wash and Lotion to the #1 selling, cloth diaper safe Bottom Balm, you’ll find something wonderful made with love and Mother Nature’s herbal gifts from the earth. And since baby skin is no place for toxins, you’ll never find artificial fragrances or dyes, artificial preservatives, Quaternium-15, 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, phthalates, or any other toxic ingredients in any of EMAB products.
{maternity & lactation teas}
Earth Mama Angel Baby offers a great selection of organic, caffeine-free, herbal teas. Please discuss their use with your caregiver.
Organic Morning Wellness Tea – blended with stomach settling Ginger Root and Spearmint, a safe hint of Peppermint, and soothing Chamomile and Lemon Balm with just a yummy twist of Orange Peel for flavor.
Organic Third Trimester Tea – contains red raspberry leaf which strengthens the uterine muscle thus making your uterus work more efficiently during labor, hence resulting in a shorter and less painful labor.
Organic Milkmaid Tea – blended with traditional herbal galactagogues and mineral packed herbs, this tea helps keep breast milk flowing from healthy mama to healthy baby.
{decaf coffee}
If you cannot help it and must have your cup of coffee while pregnant, try Mount Hagen decaffeinated instant coffee – this German coffee brand uses Organic FairTrade certified coffee beans from Papua New Guinea and South & Central America, and they have both versions: regular and decaf. Please discuss drinking coffee with your caregiver.
{canned tuna}
In case you love canned tuna and are craving it in pregnancy, Wild Planet offers canned tuna which is low in mercury and high in omega 3, and it is sustainably caught! I ate one can per week, but was allowed two. Please discuss with your caregiver how much you can eat – everyone’s body and pregnancy is different.
FYI – I buy the above listed teas, coffee and canned tuna from Amazon … just in case you are wondering. I found the Wild Planet tuna at our local BJ’s where they also sell eco-friendly/chlorine-free disposable diapers called Generation Earth at half price of the fancy brands listed above.
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Link to image source provided above each image.
Exceptions:
Babywearing images
1st image – Beco Baby Carrier: Gemini – Sunset
2nd image – Sakura Bloom Sling: Essential Linen
Decaffeinated instant coffee
1st image – via Amazon
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Bamboola Baby 