I remember thinking – how COOL is Maximo going to be with a birth certificate that says Manhattan? Mine says Greenville, PA. Yeah, exactly. Being pregnant and having a baby in NYC is very nostalgic. You think about all the amazing things they’ll get to see growing up, you get to stop at every street cart on the walk home to taste the pizza, pretzels, waffles, and falafel….
But, there are some things they DON’T tell you about having a baby in NYC. They really caught me off guard, so if you’re about to give birth – read up from a mom who’s been there:
1. Dads Aren’t Allowed to Spend The Night At The Hospital.
Shocker right?? I never heard of this until I was 7 months pregnant and realized I would be spending the first night with the baby – alone. Sure, you can cough up $900 a night (cash) ADDITIONAL to whatever they’re billing your insurance, but for that much a night, I’d rather be staying at the Gansevoort.
2. It Gets REALLY Cold At Night In The Hospitals.
I know what my electric bill costs a month, so I can imagine what St. Luke’s bill looks like. Well, apparently they cut back in the evenings to save a few dollars, because I was FROZEN that first night. I couldn’t sleep because I was shivering – and then to try and whip out all that exposed skin to breastfeed every other hour? Bring a nice warm blanket from home and sleep better.
I was also dying of thirst and the nurses aren’t exactly attentive at 3 am. Claudio showed up in the am with our Brita. Swear.
RELATED: Top Children’s Hospitals In NYC
3. Car Seats Aren’t Mandatory in Cabs.
This one still gets me. Of ALL the places you can drive or take your baby, the last place I don’t want my newborn without a car seat is in a NYC cab. But hey, it’s legal! You can call to request a car seat for an additional charge if you want, but most Manhattan moms just jump in and play Russian Roulette for a few blocks. Me? I’ve only done it once, and we had the baby car seat that snaps into the stroller. It doesn’t exactly fit to lock into a cab without a base, but it was so tight we just shoved it in against the middle panel and prayed for the best.
**UPDATE: Uber just launched Uber Family – For Parents On The Go! You can download their app for FREE and request a car seat simply on the app when you request a car by selecting “family.” It is a $10 fee.
4. It’s Legal to Openly Breastfeed Anywhere in the City.
This city is very welcoming when it comes to mothers breastfeeding. It took me a while to warm up to the idea, and I never did it without a shawl, but not ONCE did anyone ever say anything or give me a dirty look. Frankly, I think people really didn’t even notice. No one ever even looked up from their lunch when I had to hide max under my “blanket.” In fact, I actually had a lady come up to me while I was breastfeeding in Lincoln Center to THANK me for feeding in public.
5. Subways Aren’t Stroller Friendly.
I could write a book exclusively to this subject. It’s impossible! Prepare for a lot of steps because most stations don’t have elevators. And if they do, they reek of pee. One time I was braving the elevator at Herald Square and at the last minute, a crackhead jumped in with me. I spent those really long 45 seconds prepared to be mugged as he rocked back and fourth yelling at me about how America doesn’t respect him
Trust me, you don’t want to get stuck alone in an elevator covered in pee with a crackhead.
Also, as a side note. EVERY station HAS to have an emergency exit (where you exit/enter with the stroller). The correct way to handle this is to LEAVE your child, and go through the turnstile as you would alone. Then you walk over to the emergency door and open it from the inside to pull your child over to the platform.
Ahhhh, the joys of city living!
The whole “dads can’t spend the night in the hospital” still gets me!
it’s crazy! I loved Roosevelt, and my doctor, so it’s hard to really say if it was enough to make me switch hospitals!
Hey… where did oyu deliver? I delivered at NYU Langone and they were EXCELLENT– My husband stayed the night in recliner chair thing and the nurses were SUPER attentive. I had the baby with me all night (they don’t take the babies to the hursery to encourage breastfeeding) but the nurses were nice around the clock! I’m sorry you had a sucky experience, next time NYU! Also, re. the subway– you’re right, it’s a pain but usually i just ask person at the booth (if there is a booth) to open the gate… if there isn’t a booth then I do what you do, Or I ask someone on the other side to open the door for me and just swipe my card and turn the turnstile. I actually find that people are very helpful when i’m with the stroller, maybe that’s because i’m 5 feet tall and they feel bad for me,lol.
We delivered at Roosevelt St. Lukes. We loved the hospital, and I love my OB more than anything and would probably deliver on the street if it meant she’d be there…. oddly enough, they told us in Lamaze class that ALL Manhattan hospitals don’t allow dads without paying a fee overnight – you didn’t pay anything? Maybe they just said that so we didn’t try to find a new hospital at 8 months pregnant!
You always tell me you have great subway experiences – I want to know where all these nice people are because NO ONE EVER helps me lift my stroller unless I have to beg them and stop them. An attendant has NEVER gotten out to open a door for me – especially here in Astoria – they just point to the door!