Pregnancy

When it comes to dressing your baby bump, leggings can only take you so far. A few disposable duds work well in a pinch (as in, you’ll never wear them again after the 9 months are over) but you’re looking for clothes that will instantly transform you into one of those effortlessly put-together, only-in-New York pregnant women.

Hatch is a chic and comfy new maternity collection, born of a designing mom and founder of twobirds Bridesmaid. These wardrobe essentials — about a dozen key pieces that include a cozy Japanese cotton cardigan, simple striped dress and silk drawstring pants — are classics you can wear from before you’re actually showing through those first few months of post-pregnancy mayhem. Mix and match a wear-with-everything wrap with an extra-fine knit maxi dress, and you’ll achieve a mommy-to-be-style to take you through winter without a fashion mishap.

We don’t know how you do it.

Visit hatchcollection.com.

Your BFF is expecting her first bundle, and you want to throw her a shower that will give her a moment of calm before the insanity starts.

Head to a downtown oasis: The Spa at Trump SoHo will now help you plan the perfect pre-baby bash at its sleek hotel. The selection of party themes is especially enticing to pamper a mom-to-be and her pals: Baby Shower Brunch, where the ladies can indulge in mini 15-minute spa treatments like a seated aromatherapy massage or organic spray tan; Beauty Bar Baby Shower with makeup applications, oxygen facials and hand exfoliations; or Happy Baby Hour, an after-work fete with mocktails and cocktails, and 30-minute treatments like reflexology and scalp massage. Each option includes yummy treats and spa gifts for guests. Parties take place in chic Bar d’Eau, or in the spa’s serene relaxation room or pretty private outdoor area, depending on the size and season.

Nothing but luxe for the baby bump.

Visit trumpsohohotel.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.

Your pregnancy feels like a game of 20 questions: Disposal diapers or cloth? Breastfeed or bottle? If only you had a room full of experts to guide you on the best path for you and your baby.

Get some answers. This Wednesday, stop by the Maclaren store in Soho for the next installation of The Pregnant New Yorker, an event where moms-to-be can gather info on how to feng shui your nursery, green your home and use safer cleaning products. Plus, pick up tips on prenatal yoga, physical therapy, massage and other ways to ease your pregnancy — plus post-natal baby solutions for cloth diapering and breastfeeding. Guest speakers like a lactation consultant, doula and acupuncturist will be on hand to answer your most pressing questions for the next nine months.

No more guessing games.

When: Wed. 12/8, 6:30-9pm; $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Where: Maclaren, 150 Wooster St. (bet. Prince & Houston), thepregnantnewyorker.com.

It may be the city that never sleeps, but you’re pregnant and desperately need a nap. With an urban baby kicking around in your tummy, it’s time for an escape to the country.

Schedule a last-minute babymoon, no JFK required. The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa just about three hours from NYC in Pennsylvania’s lake region, is a scenic car or train ride away. Give yourself two or three nights to enjoy the serene spa, which includes prenatal massage, soothing body polish and gentle facial treatments, not to mention a relaxing indoor pool. In between appointments, schedule a mani/pedi at the salon (try the autumnal harvest-inspired options) or stop by one of the many classes going on throughout the day, from meditation and nature walks on the pretty outdoor trails to watercolor painting and cooking demos. Or, simply curl up with a good book and comfy robe in front of a stone fireplace. If you’re bringing the DH, keep him busy with cocktail mixology lessons, golf at nearby Woodloch Springs or couple’s massage. The Lodge is quiet as can be, which means you’ll (finally!) be able to detox from city noises, dream up a few new baby names, and get ready for that special delivery.

Relax and say spaaa.

Visit thelodgeatwoodloch.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. 

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.

We’ve all heard the ubiquitous proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, the same can be said of having a baby, especially in NYC where there is a service to help with nearly every aspect of pregnancy and new parenthood (including a meal delivery service for breastfeeding women). Maternity wear designer Rosie Pope is that village.

The British designer already gives us clothes that are so chic and streamlined, you’ll want to have them taken in to wear post-pregnancy. Now this bubbly overachiever you can’t help but like - Pope was accepted into Edinburgh Medical School, trained as a dancer at Alvin Ailey, modeled extensively and studied neuroscience at Columbia - is extending her brand and opening the doors to MomPrep. MomPrep, housed in a studio two blocks from Pope’s UES boutique, is the ultimate pregnancy/new mom center. MP offers both private and group classes, including A-Z of Childbirth (a comprehensive labor and delivery primer), Parenting 101 (baby care basics), Baby & Infant CPR, Pre-natal Yoga, Pre-natal Pilates plus a lactation class with the cheeky name Got Jublies? The Sweet Dreams sleep seminar and Baby & Me Yoga Play Date with Rosie and her little guy are also on offer. (The medical-related courses are all taught by l&d nurses.)

Pope says her goal is to have a “lifestyle brand for your entire pregnancy … one-stop shopping for your 40 weeks of pregnancy” so you won’t have to run all over town. She recalls being pregnant and taking a Lamaze class “in the psych ward of a hospital. I had to keep going to the bathroom, and then they would have to keep buzzing me back in” to the classroom because of the tight security.

The best thing about MomPrep? No ERB required.

MomPrep classes begin next week. Visit rosiepopematernity.com and scroll down for a full list of offerings.

*MomPrep, 1316 Mad. Ave. Call 212-608-2036 (Rosie Pope Maternity) for pricing and scheduling.

*Rosie Pope Maternity, 1265 Mad. Ave. (bet. 90th and 91st Sts.)

Your iPhone/BlackBerry has gone a long way in streamlining your life. Your MP3 player has helped you organize decades of music, including finding a home for all the songs from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack. But the whole pregnancy thing has thrown you for a loop, and no little piece of technology can help you navigate this strange new world. Time to go low-tech with some face-to-face interaction with live human beings … and a hula hoop.

This Wednesday, The Pregnant New Yorker is hosting an “alternative health event” featuring a panel of experts who will discuss tips for labor and delivery, breastfeeding, prenatal massage and yoga, and acupuncture. Joanna Lindenbaum, the woman behind Soulful Coaching for Busy Women, will be on hand to advise moms-to-be on managing their time and energy in the first few months of life with baby. (There’s no app for that.) And the piece de resistance - a prenatal hula hooping demo. It’s called Pre/Postnatal Hoopnotica Hoopdance and combines hula hooping with dancing. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Long live the 50s … minus the saddle shoes.

When: Wed. 9/16, 6:30-9pm; $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Register at thepregnantnewyorker.com.
Where: Yummy Mummy, 1201 Lexington Ave. (bet. 81st and 82nd Sts.)