It takes a village/town to raise a child, especially in the early years. That’s where the community in StuyTown and Peter Cooper Village comes in. A quiet oasis within the city extending from the East Village's 14th street up to 23rd street in Gramercy, it’s one of the most family-friendly neighborhoods in Manhattan. It’s also the perfect place to spend your parental leave as you adapt to your new life of frequent feedings, changing one diaper after another, and attempting to sleep when the baby sleeps. Here’s why.
There’s strength in numbers
When you’re a new parent, it’s important to find your tribe and create your support network. As a new mom or dad, you likely have a lot of questions about baby. The numerous StuyTown/PCV resident-only groups on Facebook allow you to tap into a deep wealth of knowledge from a community of around 30,000 residents. You can post all your most pressing questions about daycares, pediatricians, babyproofing, and baby gear to the “StuyTown Moms” group, find a date-night babysitter on “Stuytown Moms - Help Wanted,” look for pre-owned bassinets, buggies, and bouncers on either the “StuyTown Moms Spring Cleaning” or the “Community Giving – Stuyvesant Town/Gramercy Park” groups.
Online communities are important, but new parents often long to meet people in real life who aren’t wearing snap-crotch onesies and don’t cry quite as much but can still relate to what they’re going through. On Sunday mornings at 10 am, wear your baby in that new carrier to the Oval Kids Parents’ Meetup, where you can have coffee, doughnuts, and conversations with other StuyTown/PCV parents of babies and younger kids. Once your toddler starts toddling, check out the open play sessions at Oval Kids, where your children can play safely while you meet other parents and caregivers.
It's easy to get out and about with baby
Ready for some group classes with other parents and their little ones? There are a variety of options in and around StuyTown/PCV. To brush up on some of the children’s songs that you will inevitably be singing for the next few years, go to Oval Kids and check out “Little Maestro’s Music Classes, which is an early-childhood-educator-approved infant and toddler music program for ages 3 months to 3 years.
There are events and workshops including sing-alongs with Audrey in the community center, or with Ramblin Dan's Freewheelin Band. Oval Kids also offers Karma Kids Mommy & Me and Toddler Yoga classes for ages 3 and under, where children are encouraged to "play" yoga and experience how their breath and body move together in a fun-filled way. Later, you’ll enjoy their learnings from yoga -- watching your toddler’s wobbly tree pose and their sweet but misguided reminders to belly breathe when you are frustrated with them.
As your baby grows, the class options grow with them, including Jodi’s Gym Tumbling & Gymnastics for 18 months to 7 years, Art and Play with resident artist Toni Short and Spanish Conmigo NYC for ages 2 and up, among others.
The grass is greener
Going out for a quick spin with your newborn is beyond easy in StuyTown/PCV, which offers 80 acres of green space. On warm, sunny days, text your new parent friends from Oval Kids and meet them at the Oval Fountain with your diaper bag and picnic blanket in tow. Head to the Oval Lawn and stretch out under the trees and watch the clouds float by. You’ll see other parents and caregivers there with their little ones, as well as toddlers scooting around the fountain.
It’s hard to believe, but in just about a year or so, your infant may be one of those toddlers flying around StuyTown on a tiny scooter, too. When that time comes, there are five themed playgrounds for children ages 2-12 years, with themes including trains, the harbor, and “The Village,” with state-of-the-art play equipment. Plus, kids can cool down in the summer with sprinklers in select playgrounds. Already thinking about that first birthday party for your baby? Some of the playgrounds, Oval Kids, and the River Room are fun and very convenient places to host all kinds of gatherings and are available for birthday party rentals.
If you’re a new parent, chances are you’re feeling both tired and a little hungry at this point, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Head over to Five Stuy Café and treat yourself to a little pick-me-up of coffee and a pastry or a rainbow cookie and feed your baby in the comfortable dining room. In the summer, look for Peter Coop’s Scoops, the community’s own ice cream truck, for frozen treats from Brooklyn-based Ample Hills Creamery.
There’s support for nursing moms
For those who breastfeed their babies, questions may come up in the early days and throughout the first few months as mom and baby get acclimated. In addition to the residents who are lactation consultants and offer their services, there are some support groups nearby that even offer access to a digital scale to weigh your baby. Once a month, the 14th Street Y hosts a Breastfeeding Support Group led by Leigh Anne O’Connor, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with more than two decades of experience working with breastfeeding families, that’s open to members and the general public for a fee. In addition, NYU offers virtual breastfeeding classes and support with Virtual Breastfeeding Cafes that are free for mothers who delivered there and open to the general public for a fee.
A variety of pediatricians are nearby
While most pediatricians are just a phone call, email, or text away, it’s nice to know that you can easily walk or take a short bus or train ride to your doctor’s office for the many well visits or when your baby is sick, especially during that first year. There are a bunch of pediatricians close to StuyTown/PCV, including Tribeca Pediatrics, East Village Pediatrics, Premier Pediatrics, Pediatric Associates and NYU Pediatrics. Many practices offer tours and open houses so you can meet the doctors, learn more about their philosophies, and see their facilities before you decide if they are right for your family.
Whether it’s your first kid or your fourth, the caring community in and around StuyTown/PCV can help you navigate the fourth trimester and beyond.
Written by Heather Andrews