Visiting Manhattan with 3 mos. old and 3.5 yr old

[azzeps]

Hi all,

Sorry to crash your tribe here, but I had a question... I'm considering tagging along with DH on a business trip out east next month.  (We are in OR).  We are thinking of going a few days ahead of his business meeting in NJ to visit NYC with our baby boy who will be 3 months old, and our daughter who is 3.5 yrs.  On the one hand, I feel like it's a little nuts (long trip, 3 hour time change, challenging logistics), but on the other, I figure, why not live a little, and take advantage of the last few days of my maternity leave?  I mostly am concerned about the logistics.  Do we take car seats for both kids?  How does that work in cabs?  We don't plan on renting a car.  What about a stroller?  Use the baby bucket carseat in a stroller?  (We have an Inglesina zippy which will take the car seat and an umbrella stroller which will not)  Baby carrier?  I have a pouch sling which works okay, and an Ergo, which he doesn't really fit in yet.  Maybe an infant insert would solve that. 

Any recommendations on where to visit?  Kid friendly/baby friendly spots?  Places to breastfeed?  Places for the rest of us to eat?

We used to visit NYC frequently when we lived in Philly, but that was before we had 2 kiddos!!

Thanks!

[NicaG]

I would take public transportation rather than messing around with cabs and car seats.  If you feel like you really need to use cabs, take the infant car seat and maybe a backless booster for your older dc.  But your dd might actually enjoy the novelty of the subway and bus.  Just be aware that the subway lines can be pretty confusing on the weekends--they often do maintenance and re-route the lines.  I think the MTA's website was supposed to start posting a weekend map every week.

Off the top of my head....the Manhattan Children's Museum is a lot of fun, American Museum of Natural History is great, lots of nice playgrounds in Central Park.  If you and your dh like art, the Metropolitan Museum is actually pretty kid-friendly, with a nice cafe and a library of children's books in the basement.  If you want to venture into Brooklyn, there is a great Transit Museum with retired subway cars that kids can play in.  Near that museum, in Brooklyn Heights, is the Promenade, a long walkway with great views of lower Manhattan and a nice playground.  Brooklyn also has a nice children's museum, but it's a bit difficult to access from Manhattan without a car.

Our favorite restaurant on the Upper West Side is Saigon Grill, around 90th/Amsterdam.  Great food, lots of kids. If I were visiting Manhattan, I'd probably stay on the UWS because it's so close to the Park and the museums. 

Have fun!

[mommariffic]

You don't really *need* to use a car seat in cabs -- it's not illegal I believe. I've brought a baby in a sling and my 4 year old in a cab and she's just been buckled in and sitting there. I know it's not ideal safety wise but I can't say I've even hesitated..bad mom award much? 

I'd say wearing your babe around will be much easier, but having a light weight stroller can be a god-send for when you need a break. Light weight is easier to get down the subway stairs too for obvious reasons...

We love going to Moomah which is really fun for a morning or afternoon. They do a great bunch of crafts and it's really mommy-friendly (a little pricey..) and a few corners down there's the most beautiful toy store with a ton of "natural" Waldorf toys..I forget the name of it! Shoot! But it's amazing, we have spent hours in there browsing happily. 

Check out mommy poppins for things to do in the area, she has a great list! The Children's Museum of the Arts is also great! 

[LightForest]

Mommariffic, are you thinking of Playing Mantis? That toy shop is definitely awesome. It's also within walking distance to some nice playgrounds in Battery Park.

Other thoughts for things to do: Just a couple of weeks ago we had fun walking along the Hudson River - there is a playground and a carousel at the Chelsea Piers, the Highline is a nice new above ground park, and there are many nice food options in Chelsea Market (all within easy walking distance).

The stroller may be more cumbersome than it's worth, but you could bring it just in case. I almost always carry my baby in a wrap when using public transport, fwiw. If your stroller reclines, it may be useful for changing the baby's diaper, though ;) Some babies nap better in a stroller, some nap better while being worn - this is another thing to consider if you will be out during nap times.

As for nursing in public - I've nursed everywhere you could possibly imagine in the city. Most people ignore me completely (New Yorkers are so very good at ignoring things!), and the very few who've commented have only had positive things to say. The city is full of park benches and coffee shops where you can nurse a baby in relative peace.

Oh, and as for the taxi conundrum: child restraints are NOT legally required in NYC cabs. You will, of course, have to use your own judgement. Also consider how you will travel from the airport to your hotel or other destinations in Manhattan (getting to the city from LaGuardia, Newark, or JFK requires travel on busy interstates). You may want to bring the infant seat, even if it's just to travel to/from the airport.

[mommariffic]

Playing Mantis! That's IT! Best store ever 

[azzeps]

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions!!!  I think we will plan on using subways as much as possible, or walking, but the car seats will have to make the journey out so that we can get to/from the airport.  Then we can just stash them in the hotel closet.  It certainly will feel weird to get in a cab with no car seats, though.  I figure we can use them as a "last resort" if we are just toast and need to get back to the hotel quickly.  Or if we are going somewhere really far from where we are staying. 

I was at the zoo this week with both kids, on my own, and I took the stroller (the full-size, not the umbrella stroller) just to see how I'd like having it along.  It was great for pushing the diaper bag, blankies, jackets, snacks, etc. around.  I used it to change baby boy's diaper, and sat him in it while we ate lunch.  Otherwise he was in the Ergo carrier the whole time.  My daughter actually did really well walking everywhere, and I only asked her to sit in the stroller when it was time to leave, so that we could zip through the zoo to the exit.  But I would imagine that if we are out all day long in the city, she may tire and want to sit and ride.  Or I might need a break from carrying the baby, and it's nice to have the big stroller because it does recline all the way, and it's good for diaper changes.  I say "full-size" but technically I don't think it is.  It's an Inglesina Zippy, which I think is comparably lightweight, though still heavier than an umbrella stroller, obviously.  Might be a pain to get up and down subway stairs, but I will have DH with me, so maybe between the two of us we could manage.  I'm still undecided.

Playing Mantis, that sounds fantastic!  I hope we can slip a toy store onto the itinerary.  DH wants to do FAO Schwarz, of course, but Playing Mantis sounds great!

Thanks again, and if anyone else has any other recommendations or tips, I'd love to hear them.