Feeding & Taking Care

Photo: Sarina Finkelstein

How can I make sure I’m not buying expired, black-market formula at my local bodega?

No, it’s not just an urban legend: There actually is a vast baby-formula smuggling ring with ties to organized crime—and, according to FBI reports, possibly even to overseas terrorist organizations. Mass quantities of the lucrative white powder (which can cost new parents as much as $40 a week) are hijacked from tractor-trailers or shoplifted in smaller quantities; then the cans are relabeled with false expiration dates and sold back to retailers. The FBI currently has at least ten open investigations involving stolen or relabeled cans of formula, and sting operations have led to arrests across the country. One of the biggest busts took place last fall in Ohio, where six men were charged with stealing and reselling $44 million worth of formula in 15 months.

Once a can of formula reaches its expiration date, its essential vitamins and minerals begin to degrade, says Mike Herndon of the Food and Drug Administration, which carefully regulates the production and packaging of baby formula. “To protect your infant, look for changes in formula color, smell or taste,” he says. “Parents who buy in bulk should double-check that the lot numbers and ‘use by’ dates are the same on the case as they are on the individual containers.” Avoid dented cans and peeling labels. If you have any questions or concerns, promptly return the product to the store and call the manufacturer’s toll-free number. Finally, it may go without saying, but never buy formula off eBay. —Sarah Robbins

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REAL MEAL You’re not ready for Chuck E. Cheese yet—savor grown-up meals at restaurants like Landmarc.

Photo: Sarina Finkelstein

“My baby’s too young to sit in a high chair. Are there any restaurants I can take him to?”

Landmarc Restaurant

Just because you’ve had a baby doesn’t mean you shouldn’t savor delectable grown-up goodies like warm goat-cheese profiteroles, pumpkin-and-Gorgonzola risotto or grilled quail when the fancy strikes. This Tribeca spot makes it easy for you to bring the baby along on your gastronomic adventure. The accommodating waitstaff will help you square away your stroller, and they’ll even mount your carrier on an upside-down high chair. If you’re nursing and hoping for a little privacy, ask for one of the booths on the first floor or the hidden “VIP” booth upstairs. 179 West Broadway between Leonard and Worth Sts (212-343-3883).

The Nice Restaurant

There’s so much going on in this 500-seat Chinatown favorite, from wedding receptions to family reunions, that your crying infant will barely make an impression on fellow diners. Nobody will bat an eye if you breast-feed, change diapers or let your baby bang on teacups with a chopstick; it’s a family restaurant, and kids of all ages are part of the picture. Dim sum is a perennial favorite; also popular are the Hong Kong–style dishes like roast suckling pig, minced squab in lettuce leaves, panfried flounder and roast Peking duck. 35 East Broadway between Catherine and Market Sts (212-406-9776).

Perch

You don’t get much more infant-friendly than Park Slope’s baby haven, Perch Café and Restaurant. You’ll find a changing table in the bathroom, a stack of kids’ books and a collection of bird magnets that make the lounge area a Xanadu for the under-one crowd. Built-in banquettes and sleek sofas are roomy enough for your carrier, and there’s plenty of space to stash strollers throughout, including in the well-designed garden out back. Patrons love the chili-crusted shrimp over grits, the baked fried rosemary chicken and the hunk of love that is the red velvet cake. 365 Fifth Ave between 5th and 6th Sts, Brooklyn (718-788-2830).

Picket Fence

Dining out with a baby doesn’t often conjure the word comfortable. But owner and chef Graham Meyerson (who is also father to two young’uns) ensures that’s exactly what you’ll get at this unpretentious Ditmas Park eatery: “Comfortable food,” like crispy breast of duck, crab cakes with chipotle lime aioli and garlic-rubbed shell steak, is served in a cheerful, gingham-bedecked space. Meyerson takes care of his tiny diners, too, with a changing station, a kid-size picnic table in the outdoor garden and a stack of toys for communal fun. 1310 Cortelyou Rd between Argyle and Rubgy Rds, Ditmas Park, Brooklyn (718-282-666).—Nicole Caccavo Kear

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What does a lactation consultant do? Do I need one?

What could be simpler than breast-feeding? Place baby on nipple, sit back and relax. Unfortunately, you can’t always rely on instinct to get this age-old process going. Just ask the hundreds of lactation consultants who keep New York mothers’ milk flowing. So how do these experts work their magic? Brooklyn lactation superstar Freda Rosenfeld explains: “We help ensure that the mother is comfortable when nursing and that the baby is thriving.” This includes correcting everything from your baby’s latch to your posture, solving problems like cracked nipples or clogged ducts, and helping boost milk production or, if necessary, slow it down. You’ll know you need a lactation consultant if you’re feeling any discomfort while nursing, or if your baby is struggling with weight gain. Ask your doctor or mom friends for a referral, or find an NYC lactation consultant on nylca.org. Home visits generally run $175 to $190. —Nicole Caccavo Kear

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How do I find a good pediatrician?

A patch of dry skin on an infant has as much potential to frighten a new parent as a 104-degree fever, hence the importance of finding your baby a doctor you can rely on. Choose yours carefully, cautions Larissa Hirsch, M.D., a pediatrician and fellow at Children’s Health Media for KidsHealth.org. She advises starting the process early and making the most of your prenatal interviews. First, you’ll want to cover logistics: What are the office hours? Does the doctor allow sick visits on weekends? What hospitals is she affiliated with? (New York–Presbyterian and Mount Sinai always get high marks.) Who will be covering when he’s not around?

“But the most important part of the interview,” says Hirsch, “is making sure your personality meshes with the doctor’s style.” Are you on the same page about things like immunizations, breast-feeding and medicating your baby? Does the doctor return calls herself, or will you be stuck speaking to a nurse? Does he dole out tons of detailed info, or parse it out on an as-needed-only basis? Your perfect pediatric match is out there somewhere—this is no time to settle. —Nicole Caccavo Kear

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Photo: Sarina Finkelstein

Are there any cloth-diaper services in New York?

If you’re looking to reduce plastic-diaper waste, NYC doesn’t offer much help. Luckily, we can call on our tristate neighbors. New Jersey’s Nature Baby Diaper Service (800-344-3427) and Connecticut’s Tidy Diapers (800-732-2443)serve most of the city. A stack of clean nappies are delivered weekly, and dirty ones are carted away. Expectant parents can call in advance to begin service before their baby is due.—Colleen E. Hampton

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Photo: ©Steve Cohen

I know I need a massage, but does my baby?

Hey, this is New York—everybody’s too tense. Besides, “touch is the language of love for babies,” says Jody Wright, a trainer for the (admittedly biased) nonprofit Infant Massage USA. “When parents practice massage, they develop a deep bond with their infants while relieving them of gas and aiding their digestion and sleep cycles.” Baby deserves to feel good and loose, so if you’re ready to turn masseuse, find a class or private instructor at infantmassageusa.org, or check out Vimala Schneider McClure’s Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents (Bantam, 2000). —Sarah Robbins

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Photograph courtesy of Costco

What’s the cheapest one-stop shop for diapers, wipes, and formula?

Your best bet for buying in bulk is Costco, where for the price of a monthly MetroCard you can bring home 160 diapers, 704 wipes and 38.5 ounces of formula. (The breakdown: $29.99 for diapers, $15.49 for wipes and $29.99 for formula, reaching a not-overly-grand total of $75.47.) Of course, you have to be a Costco member. If you prefer straight-to-your-door service, you can find comparable bargains—and free delivery—at 1800diapers.com.—Sarah Robbins

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It’s never too early to start learning; what kinds of classes can my erudite infant attend?

Newborns are sponges—fill those brains with knowledge. The following classes are each taught at various locations throughout the city.

Xiao Bao, Chinese for Children

Xiao Bao (which means “little sweetie”) specializes in Mandarin Chinese. The lively 45-minute mixed-age classes (newborns through age 2) are limited to 12 children or fewer, and feature a ton of visual stimulation. For a lesson on fruit, the two teachers—both native speakers—gave each child plastic bananas, apples, watermelons and the like while playing games and constantly repeating the Chinese word for each. Parents easily recognized the tunes of familiar nursery rhymes and songs like “Bingo” and “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” that were sung in Mandarin. While the kids ran around a lot, their attention was never far from the teachers. One attending dad swore his 13-month-old perks up whenever she hears Chinese spoken on the street. 646-415-8661, xiaobaochinese.com; $310 for ten weeks.

TOUCH TONE At Hands On!, new meaning is given to the phrase “play with feeling.”

Photograph courtesy of Hand On! A Musical Experience Inc.

Hands On!: A Musical Experience

Parents and children actually feel the music in this 40-minute class. Before the teacher began a new song—each of which was accompanied by piano—she gave every parent and child his or her own wrist bells, maracas, clapping toys or drums for playing along. Each week, a new instrument—like the flute or saxophone—is introduced and the babies are encouraged to touch it as the teacher plays a song. Musical selections range from standard nursery fare (“Merrily We Roll Along”) to Beatles hits (“Ob- La-Di, Ob-La-Da”). The babies were engaged most of the time—especially when they were invited to pound the big drum in the center of the circle. handson4music.com; $504 for 14 weeks, plus a $35 fee.

Baby Fingers

Since most newborns aren’t great conversationalists, classes at Baby Fingers aim to help your children communicate through sign language. Level-one classes cater to kids under 15 months, and the teacher signs as she sings variations of familiar songs. “Are you sleeping?” becomes “Are you eating?” or “Are you reading?,” with the corresponding sign given for each verb. Plastic shaky eggs kept the older kids interested, and the teacher was quick to scoop up any crying or fussy infants and soothe them with a song and some signing. While none of the students did any signing in the class, one mother told me that at home, her 16-month-old twins have begun using the sign for “more” to let her know they’re still hungry. mybabyfingers.com, $25–$40 per class, $250–$375 for a ten-week session.—Michelle Hainer

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