Welcoming a baby is an exciting journey, but we know it can also feel overwhelming with all the choices to make. From prenatal appointments and postpartum recovery to pediatric check-ups and selecting the perfect stroller, there’s a lot to consider. That’s why we created the NJ MOM Baby Guide. It’s your go-to resource for new and expecting parents in New Jersey, brought to you by our trusted NJ MOM Partners. Whether you’re looking for prenatal care tips, cute newborn photography options, baby-friendly activities, or ways to connect with your community, we’re here to support you every step of the way from pregnancy to parenthood. (featured photo credit: Loveprint Photography, LLC)
SPONSORED
RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is a leader in women’s health in our region and offers award-winning care in family planning, gynecology, and maternity care. Their maternity units and birthing centers offer a range of pregnancy and childbirth services, and are equipped with the latest technology to support healthy births. About 70 babies are born each day at their nine birthing hospitals — that’s one every 20 minutes. Whether you’re expecting, a new mom, or a seasoned parent, you can also use RWJBarnabas Health will keep you informed, supported, and healthy. From childbirth preparation and breastfeeding support to parenting tips and mom-to-mom connection groups, you’ll find expert guidance and a welcoming community to share ideas, advice, and encouragement every step of the way.
RWJBarnabas Health locations are throughout NJ
SPONSORED
The Bunny Hive
The Bunny Hive is a social club for little ones and their grown-ups. This elevated studio is designed to create a peaceful, clean, and welcoming environment for little ones and their caregivers. Littles can enjoy classes of all types, including culinary, baby massage, learning lab, music, and more! This social club focuses on facilitating an exciting community by offering social events where grown-ups can make connections. You won’t want to miss our Here for the Boo’oze Halloween Party, Cabana Night, or Spritz & Movement Yoga Class. Be sure to sign up now to secure your spot and have first dibs on our littles workshops as well, like our Build a Stuffie event on September 27.
209 Rivervale Road, River Vale, NJ 07675
NJ MOM Baby Guide
Congratulations! You’re pregnant, now what?
As soon as the joy settles after a positive pregnancy test, you’ll need to ensure you’re getting the care and support you need throughout the next nine months. The network of OB/GYNs and Midwives through RWJBarnabas Health offers providers who provide pre-term care, high-risk pregnancy support, and personalized birthing plans affiliated with an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Center in New Jersey. Research a doctor near you and explore one of their award-winning maternity units or birthing centers, which offer a range of pregnancy and childbirth services and are equipped with the latest technology to support healthy births.
Maternity milestones
For support during and after pregnancy, check out Your Maternity Journey, specializing in labor and postpartum doula services, prenatal and postpartum massages, lactation consultants, placenta encapsulation, childbirth and baby care classes, and photography services focusing on pregnancy, birth, and newborn sessions. Want a sneak peek at your little one? Ultrasound Techniques and Beautiful Beginnings Ultrasound are great options for ultrasounds. And once your newborn arrives, there are many newborn photographers available, like Melz Photography, to help freeze core memories in time.
What to put on your baby registry
When you are putting your registry together, there are so many items for the baby, from a stroller to clothing to diapers—the list is seemingly endless. BelleThreads is the spot for beautiful baby wear for boys and girls, with special occasion outfits for first photos and birthdays. Boystory Boutique is another top choice for clothing for littles. They have hand-picked 100% organic cotton baby boy clothes and accessories from newborn to 4T. Swaddling is a technique used by many new moms to help soothe and calm a baby, and the SwaddleSak is the way to go if you are looking for a built-in sack, strap, and snap to tuck the swaddle away when not in use. Can’t imagine spending a lot on stuff? Consider scouring a kids’ consignment shop in NJ to find gently used gear and clothing without breaking the bank. Once your registry is filled, you’ll need to make sure your baby is riding safely. Before you go to the hospital, consider signing up for car seat installation checks at your local police or fire department, or at medical facilities, including RWJBarnabas Health.
Taking care of mama
It’s just as important to take care of mom as it is for the baby. If mom needs to talk, there are several resources, like A Work of Heart Counseling and Wellness and The Brown Therapist Mama, that specialize in supporting mom throughout pregnancy and beyond. It’s essential to stay active before and after pregnancy, and places like Wellness by Namasteff, run by a mom certified in Prenatal & Postnatal Fitness, can help get moms back on track. Other options include postpartum doulas, pelvic floor therapy, and support for new moms. One other unique option is Gentle Landing, which offers in-home postpartum and newborn care. Moms who are breastfeeding can find classes for support at RWJBarnabas Health through their locations in Monmouth Medical Center, Clara Maass Medical Center, and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. If you are unsure where to start, check out their breastfeeding tips. And if breastfeeding is not your thing or you want to enhance feeding time, PediaGROW, the 1st French-made formula & nutritional milk brand in the United States, is another resource to consider.
Baby time–what you can do to keep your baby happy and healthy
Once your baby is here, it’s all about keeping them healthy and thriving. There are a variety of resources from RWJBarnabas Health to find pediatricians, specialists, developmental pediatricians, therapists, and intervention programs. Some other pediatric doctors to check out include Tenafly Pediatrics and Samra Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. In addition, if you feel like your child may need services, Early Intervention NJ can help infants and toddlers with developmental delays, and for affordable health coverage options for families, be sure to check out NJ FamilyCare.
Settling in
Can’t get your baby to sleep at night? Good Night Sleep Site with Jennifer is an ideal starting point for parents to create a plan to improve their baby’s sleep. Other resources include nannies to help when child care is needed, like The Nanny Smith Agency, Hometown Nannies LLC, and Nanny Heroes Agency & Consulting.
Make mommy connections
Down the road, you’ll want to get your baby out and about and meet other moms. If you’re looking to connect, join our NJ MOM Facebook community, where other moms are sharing tips about having a baby in the Garden State and what you can do with them, or sign up for the NJ MOM newsletter so that you don’t miss a new mom tip or idea. Try Mommy and Me classes that include everything from music classes to swim lessons to mommy and me yoga. Or bring your little one to a play space like The Bunny Hive or Play Away Indoor Play Space in Hackettstown, NJ, that specializes in play for ages 0-6. Local bookstores typically have story time and author visits for kids to experience books starting at a young age, too.
Want more info? Come out to The NJ MOM Baby Expo on November 2, 2025
Don’t miss our annual NJMOM Baby Expo at the W Hoboken in Hoboken, NJ, a must for new and expecting parents.
The NJ MOM Baby Expo, presented by NJMOM and powered by RWJBarnabas Health, is the premier celebration for expectant and new NJ Moms and NJ Dads on November 2, 2025, at the beautiful W Hoboken in Hoboken, New Jersey. At our baby expo, you will connect with leading baby and kids brands demonstrating the best in baby gear and accessories while receiving education on everything from sleeping to feeding to ‘taking care of mama’ and beyond. Learn and shop about everything you need to know to step into parenthood with ease, attend educational demos, meet face-to-face with national and local vendors to ask all your burning questions, network with brands and other new moms, and enter to win over $15k in giveaways (strollers, car seats, high chairs, maternity shoots, babymoons, and more!). Take advantage of one-day-only deals from vendors, play The NJ Baby Expo Scavenger Hunt for additional chances to win big prizes, entertain the kids in the Family Lounge, learn about fatherhood in The Dad Lounge by NJ Dad and get pampered while enjoying healthy treats in a relaxed setting at the beautiful W Hoboken! What’s more, if you sign up for VIP tickets, you’ll receive an exclusive VIP gift bag loaded with some of our favorite products and baby must-haves.
If you’re interested in learning more about vendor and sponsor opportunities, please visit here.
Stay social and follow @njmom for exciting new details about the NJMOM Baby Expo.
We can’t wait to see you at our NJMOM Baby Expo this November 2, 2025! More details to follow!
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