Neighborhood Guide to Newborn Parenting in Jersey City
Mom to a brand new Baby Girl, one Jersey City member takes us through life as a new mom in the city she loves.
An afternoon with Julia Ben Shalom
There are so many new families moving into Jersey City, what is your number one recommendation to a new/expecting local parent?
A complete must to any new/expecting parent is setting up the support system to help the transition into parenthood. We love Jayne Freeman, a postpartum doula who's role is to ease that transition and help with any postpartum related issues. Plus she makes house calls!!
In hindsight, what do wish you would have known about raising a baby and motherhood in Jersey City?
I wish I had known what places have changing tables in the bathroom. I never thought about how difficult it is to change a baby without a designated place. Also how hard it is to maneuver a stroller around a restaurant!
Because I know you still like to go out and be with friends, where do you go on the weekends as a family?
Hudson Hall is great place to grab a beer on a Saturday afternoon. When it's just me I love the cheese from Van Hook and frequently pop in to grab treats for the weekend. The staff loves babies and gives us all kind of goodies. When I can get out alone I pop into Bucket & Bay for solo time coffee - a necessity to recharge.
More on Hudson Hall and Van Hook in our Jersey City Neighborhood Guide