Infant

Driving back and forth to and from the Hamptons, Jersey Shore or Catskills in various rental cars takes long enough. But the time spent installing and taking out the essential car seat each weekend ranks up there with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Simplify the trip with Cybex’s new infant car seat/carrier, the Aton, which has an easy-to-install base perfect for summer travel — the seat safely clicks in and out with the help of a few cues (plus, you can buy an extra base to keep in car number two). For quickly hopping in and out of taxis to Prospect Park or town cars to JFK sans extra gear, the seat also tightly installs even faster using the “European” method without the base (check out the instructional video on YouTube). Flip down the sun-protective canopy of your pretty purple or blue seat, and you and your mini-me (babes from 4 to 32 pounds, and up to 30 inches tall) are good to go.

Sit tight.

Visit cybex-online.com.

Any high chair your little one will sit in long enough to eat a few spoonfuls of organic peas is a good one. But not all seats are made equally.

BabyBjorn has just introduced its sleek, slim, space-saving high chair, perfect to blend in small-but-chic city apartments. Compact, portable and lightweight, it’s easy to hide when you have child-free friends over for cocktails and simple to transport to the in-laws’ house in the ‘burbs. Plus, the ergonomic design means your babe may be so comfy he’ll finally finish a meal without a meltdown. Available now for pre-order exclusively at giggle, the cool and clean white chair will ship at the end of July — just in time to start on solids.

Available at giggle.com.

Though your little one has developed a taste for homemade organic baby food, you’ve been surviving on greasy takeout for months. But sleep-deprived parents adjusting to life with an infant need not give up their once-refined paletes.

New York Times writer, father and foodie Keith Dixon tackles new parenthood in his kitchen-centric memoir, Cooking For Gracie: The Making of a Parent from Scratch. On sale today, the book speaks to NYC moms and dads who are dealing with the upheaval a baby brings to their lives and their stomachs. As he navigates from infant reflux to first words, Dixon (an enthusiastic home cook) peppers his personal stories with more than 40 simple but delicious recipes he cooks for both his wife and young daughter, from short ribs with carrot-rosemary puree to farfalle with marinated tomatoes and mint oil. To keep you on track, many of his healthy how-tos are arranged in pre- and post-bedtime steps; others (like sole with poached veggies) instruct how to prepare for adults vs. baby.

Slice, chop and saute your way back to sanity.

Available at randomhouse.com.

Your kids love to ham it up in front of the camera — and although the shots you snap with your iPhone are pretty priceless, you’d love for a professional to preserve the precious age they’re at.

Opening tomorrow on the Upper West Side, PhotoOp family photography studio is just the place to get your little ones in front of the lens. Led by creative director Brian Marcus (who has photographed a fair share of celebrity weddings, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner), the studio has a team of senior-level photo stylists to capture your kids’ most memorable moments in both modern and classic family portraits. Take a spin though the sample closet for accessories such as a denim jacket or pink tutu to add pop to the photos, pick out a colorful backdrop like a candy wall, and strike a pose. A sitting fee includes retouching, editing and a digital slideshow, and there are plenty of packages and a la carte options to choose (depending on how many 8×10s the grandparents will want). The studio also offers birthday party options (you can’t go wrong with dress-up clothes, snacks and your favorite soundtrack) and photo-based keepsakes as a token of your star treatment.

That’s a wrap.

422 Columbus Ave. at 81st St., 212-362-1911, photoopnyc.com. 

If only there were three of you to get everything done before your due date — one to clean, one shop, and one to figure out what you’ll actually do with the baby once you all come home.

Multiple yourself: Sissy + Marley’s baby planner and concierge service just launched to help expecting parents prepare for that big arrival. Launched by a trio of working moms who perfected the art of busy schedule-meets-baby decor (fashion exec, physical therapist and private chef are among their qualifications), the team helps NYC families with everything from setting up a gift registry to helping you whip up homemade baby food. Like the magical fairies you’ve envisioned coming to the rescue throughout your pregnancy, they’ll shop for maternity and nursery gear, babyproof your home and help you set up a photo shoot to capture that gorgeous newborn.

Visit sissyandmarley.com.

New Yorkers fell in love with the Novogratz family during their hit Bravo show, 9 by Design — even though most local folks can’t exactly relate to the fab city spaces (a rooftop basketball court, really?). Cooler-than-thou husband-and-wife team Cortney and Robert Novogratz of NYC-based Sixx Design are known for renovating otherwise drab spaces into spectacular homes any family would dream to live in (check out their book, Downtown Chic). But as parents of seven kids, they also have great practical tips for transforming your baby’s room, whether it’s your first or fifth:

Learn to Share
“A lot of people don’t look at the bright side of sharing a room,” says Cortney, who designed a joint bedroom for her then-infant twins and two older boys in a former home. Big kids may enjoy reading to little roommates, and everyone quickly learns how to share. Side-by-side cribs allow twins to pass toys or babble to one another. Give each baby her own toys and stuffed animals so she can express herself and start to form an identity that’s separate from her sibling – this can be as simple as giving one baby a teddy bear and the other a tiger.

Get Organized
Make sure there are enough soft books and blocks to go around, and establish an organizational system so toys can be stashed away quickly. Stock up on inexpensive baskets, or invest in an armoire with doors to hide the clutter inside.

Use Art Everywhere
“We love art, so we have a huge collection and don’t save it for just the living room,” Cortney says. “Open your whole house up, and put good things in every room. Since everybody comes to see the new baby, consider hanging your best piece of art in there.” Nursery art doesn’t have to be limited to the ABCs: Hang sophisticated pieces that you enjoy – after all, you’ll be spending a lot of time in there, too! Frame items in Plexiglas to make them more baby-friendly. Infants will quickly outgrow a room that is too juvenile, but if you make it hip and stylish they’ll still love it in their tween years.

Stick to the Essentials
When it comes to nursery gear, it’s tempting to indulge in every imaginable accessory – but you’ll do just fine with a few basics. Essentials: A basic crib that serves as a great focal point, a cool modern-looking chair, drapes or roller shades for the windows and an interesting piece with timeless appeal, like a cool lamp. And don’t forget a soft rug, since you’ll spend a lot of time on the floor with games and toys.

Visit sixxdesign.com. 

Autumn in New York is nesting season, which for expectant parents (and judging by the explosion of pregnant women on the city streets in August, there are plenty out there) means it’s time to decorate the nursery.

September is Baby Safety Month, a program sponsored by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) to promote awareness — this year the focus is on safe sleeping. So before you outfit the baby’s new digs (or convert the walk-in closet into a bedroom), check out these helpful tips.

Your crib should be placed away from windows, draperies, blinds or wall-mounted decorative accessories with long cords.

Toys and other pillow-like items should not be placed in the crib with babies under 1 year of age. These items can cause suffocation risks.

Products such as fluffy blankets, comforters, pillows, pillow-like bumpers and stuffed animals should be removed from the crib and should be used for decoration only.

If you choose to use bumper pads, avoid those that are pillow-like and once baby can stand, remove them from the crib.

Remove quilts and other bedding before putting baby to bed. Consider hanging your quilt or decorative blanket on the wall as art.

For more JPMA safety tips, visit babysafetymonth.org.

Summer may be over, but take advantage of a little family fun to beat the fall blues.

Go
JCC Open House
Stop in for a glimpse of kid and parent-friendly classes. Try the Music for Aardvarks & Rock a Baby Concert (10-11am, ages 1-7), Movin’ Mamas bootcamp for moms and their crawling-age babies (10:30-11:30am), or the Kids Sports Expo (11am-12:30pm, ages 1-8).
When: Sun. 9/12, 10am-12:30pm; Free.
Where: JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St., 646-505-5708, jccmanhattan.org.

See
Books to Film for Children
As part of the Brooklyn Book Festival, see a series of short films based on children’s books, followed by a Q&A.
When: Sat. 9/11, 10:30; Ages 2-6; $12/Adults, $9/Kids. Check the schedule for additional kid-friendly workshops and readings throughout the weekend.
Where: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, brooklynbookfestival.org.

Hear
The Deedle Deedle Dees
A family-friendly rock-n-roll variety show comes to The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.
When: Sat. 9/11, 11am; Ages 2+: $10-$20.
Where: Knitting Factory Brooklyn, 361 Metropolitan Ave., 347-529-6696, bk.knittingfactory.com.

Shop
Fashion’s Night Out at Destination Maternity
Join the glitterati in midtown, as Heidi Klum previews her Fall 2010 collections, Lavish by Heidi Klum for A Pea in the Pod and Loved by Heidi Klum for Motherhood Maternity, from 6:30-8:30pm. Plus, see inspiring exhibitions of maternity fashion from the 1950s to today, and enjoy moctails and hors d’oeuvres. 
When: Fri. 9/10, 6-11pm; Free.
Where: Destination Maternity, 57th St. & Madison Ave, RSVP at 212-246-2977, destinationmaternity.com.

Fashion’s Night Out at Baby CZ
Browse the classic kids’ styles, sip a little bubbly and enter to win a cashmere shopping spree.
When: Fri. 9/10
Where: Baby CZ, 820 Madison Ave. (bet. 68th & 69th St.), 212-288-8030, babycz.com.

NYC is a great place to have a baby. We’ve got incredible doctors, classes, pre- and post-natal services, (not to mention scores of fellow new moms on the streets pushing strollers). But with all of these choices, navigating urbanbabyhood can be a hell of a lot of work.

Time to get Mommywise, a high-end concierge service for expectant and new moms. Mommywise offers fully customizable packages of services and can help with just about anything. The company can assist you in finding health care providers, including OB/GYNs, midwives, pediatricians and psychologists, plus other members to round out your bambino team- baby nurses, doulas, massage therapists, fitness experts, acupuncture specialists, lactation and sleep consultants, personal chefs, green house cleaners, etc. Mommywise will create reading lists and tag-team with you when you register. Better yet, their consultants can lend a hand in baby product assembly. And they’ll even demystify the strange new world of mommy-and-me classes.

So you can de-stress, decompress and go about the business of being a mom.

Visit mommywise.com. Package prices range from $490 t0 $1,250, and concierge services are available at an hourly rate of $120. A 20% off summer promotion is available through August 31st.

This weekend in New York - rap, rock and Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird. And on Monday, learn about a nine-room house that’s easily worth more than any Classic Six in the city.

Hear
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Definitely not your typical kiddie fare. And we’re loving that. Combine rap, funk and reggae with dragons, mermaids and robots, and you’ve got Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. It’s “Kid Hop,” upbeat hip-hop music with kid-appropriate lyrics. Perfect for any urban baby and parent. The concert is part of 92Y Tribeca’s B.Y.O.K. (Bring Your Own Kid) Sunday concert series.
When: Sun. 4/25 at 11am. Tickets, $15 per person, are available at 92y.org. Kids under two are free. (All ages)
Where: 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.

And

Earthrockers, a Kidrockers Concert
How suitable for Earth Day. This concert features the beach-town sounds of bands Real Estate and Apollo Sunshine and integrates a little environmental education. A portion of proceeds will go to the non-profit organization 1% of the Planet.
When: Sun. 4/15, 1-3pm. Doors open at noon. boweryballroom.com. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Adults must be accompanied by a child and vice versa. (Ages 3-13)
Where: The Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St.

See
Carnival of the Animals & The Firebird
New York Theatre Ballet
A recession-friendly presentation. See two shows for the price of one! Each performance is only an hour long and includes interactive elements, along with a talk from director Diana Byer about what’s taking place behind the scenes. Carnival of the Animals, set to the music of Saint-Saens, is about a magical forest and its creatures who befriend a pair of lost children. Igor Stravinsky’s music sets the tone for The Firebird, a story based on a Russian fairy tale about a young prince capturing a firebird.
When: Sat. 4/24 at 11am & 1pm and Sun. 4/25 at 11am, 1pm & 3:30pm. $35 for adults and $30 for children. Tickets available at nytb.org. (Ages 3-10)
Where: Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St. (bet. Mad. & Park Aves.)

Learn
The Pregnant New Yorker’s
Alternative Health Expo
Head down to Nimble Fitness to learn about prenatal and labor massage, hypnobirthing, breast feeding, and pre- and post-natal fitness. Janet Markovits, founder of The Pregnant New Yorker group, has pulled together a variety of pregnancy experts to give you an education. Demos, classes, mini consultations and samples are all part of the session.
When: Sat. 4/24, 1-4:30pm. $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Register at thepregnantnewyorker.com.
Where: Nimble Fitness, 42 E. 12th St. (bet. B’way and University)

Analyze This
The Nine Rooms of Happiness
Clean house. Lucy Danziger, editor in chief of Self magazine, and Catherine Birndorf, a psychiatrist and expert on women’s mental health issues, discuss their new book, The Nine Rooms of Happiness: Loving Yourself, Finding Your Purpose, and Getting over Life’s Little Imperfections. The two use a house metaphor to describe how women need to clean their “emotional architecture” and break self-destructive patterns. The house analysis teaches women how to determine what’s most meaningful to them and to find pleasure while coexisting with the inevitable messy room. Gives new meaning to the phrase “spring cleaning.”
When: Mon. 4/26 at 7:30pm. $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Tickets are available at jccmanhattan.org.
Where: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St.