Customer Reviews

City Baby: The Ultimate Guide for New York City Parents from Pregnancy to Preschool, 2nd Edition (City and Company)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you live in Manhattan and are considering enrolling your two-year-old in French classes, this is the ideal book for you. If you, too, think that Central Park is the biggest park in NYC, you've found two authors with your point of view. But if you live outside of Manhattan, there's much less here for you.

Still, if you're going to be giving birth in Manhattan this book has a large amount of useful information, including the phone numbers and Cesarean rates for many hospitals, where to take childbirth classes, and how to hire a midwife. This edition has a chapter on Brooklyn (well, Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights) -- a step in the right direction.

I read the first two reviews above before I bought the book and bought it anyway, figuring it was probably going be a useful reference, even if it was Manhattan-centric. Unfortunately, the book turns out to be written exclusively for uptown yuppies. This is a quote from the introduction to the "from health care to day care" chapter: "We have each changed nannies several times since the first edition...."

Don't bother. It's unfortunate that, with the enormous amount of resources in NYC, no one's yet put together a decent guide for real parents.

As someone who is new to New York with a baby, this book has shown me all that I need to know about what to do in NY with a baby. I found all the places to buy a stroller, crib and all. I also was turned on to the New Mothers Luncheons through the book. I also found a really great babysitter through an agency that was listed in City Baby. I think this book is a must have for all New York parents.

Although City Baby has become required reading for new mothers in New York City, it is not yet complete so I trust future editions will be better researched. I know of amazing preschools like Smarter Toddler Nursery & Preschool which are not listed in this book, in addition some quality smaller toy stores and Lamaze classes are missing. So I would urge parents to also supliment their reading of this book with a Google search for whatever it is they are looking for.

Reading City Baby is like talking to a good friend who has already had a baby in New York City and lived to tell about it. The authors of City Baby really did a great job by not just writing a typical list book. They provided the little bits of information that can actually help a new parent be a smart parent. Thanks.

I found this book very helpful when searching for hospitals and prenatal classes, and continue to find it a good resource when shopping for baby gear and looking for fun activities. It has a great chapter on Brooklyn as well as a thorough listing of Manhattan resources. Most of the information has been right on the money and when we trekked all the way down to avenue U to MB Discount Furniture in Brooklyn because the book said it was just about the best place to buy quality furniture, we were not disappointed. Some of the resources they include do seem a little silly (music classes for three month olds?) but the fact such oddities exist here is the reason New York is the most colorful place to raise kids! Worth buying if you live close to the city.

I was considering buying this book at the bookstore, but after thumbing through the pages, I could see that there wasn't any information that you couldn't find on the internet by yourself, particularly on urbanbaby.com.
I was most interested in buying this book particularly for the hospital delivery and preschool section (I'm expecting my second one Dec. '03). So I wrote down the website info for one of the hospitals listed, and went home to check it out - no web address found. Also, the preschool section is about 2 pages long - it gave very little advice and guidance on looking for a preschool.

Not only is this a must-have resource for rasing your little ones in New York, but it makes a great gift for all expecting or new moms. And, I hear from my friends in Los Angeles that they a local L.A. addition will be out in the next few months.

I received City Baby as a gift at my baby shower. It has become an essential part of my backpack. It helped me when I was looking for furniture, selecting a Lamaze class and so much more. It introduced me to playgrounds in my area as well as child-friendly restaurants. I have met new friends at a new mother's group. I would recommend this book to native New Yorkers as well as newcomers like me.