Get your village: New parents can lean into these local services

From the moment you find out you’re expecting, there’s a lot of excitement.But there’s also a lot of: “How are we going to do it?” You may live in a concrete jungle or its periphery, but you don’t need to go at it alone.In fact, from postpartum meal delivery services (check out Brooklyn-based Welcome Home) to new parent education classes and support groups aplenty at area hospitals (NYU Langone and Northwell Health, to name two), there’s quite the range of offerings to clueless first-timers.

Here are some of the standouts on offer.I’m expecting my first baby in May and one of the first things my dearest friend told me was “hire a doula, because someone needs to take care of you, too.”For those who don’t know, a doula is a nonmedical worker who supports women through childbirth.Birth doulas help you prepare for the birth and are present with you for the delivery.

Meanwhile, after the baby is born, you can enlist the service of a postpartum doula.“Daytime postpartum doulas provide a lot of educational and hands-on support,” explains Jen Mayer, founder of Baby Caravan, a Brooklyn-based doula collective that serves all five boroughs plus parts of the tristate area.The free matchmaking service includes more than 70 birth and postpartum doulas.What can you expect from a doula? Mayer shared the example of Baby Caravan member Allie Blanchard, a postpartum doula working with a client in the early days of new parenthood.“The baby came early, and the parents were overwhelmed and exhausted in those first days home from the hospital,” she said.

“In her first visit, Allie helped make a feeding plan for the baby, made them some soup and protein bites while wearing the baby and the parents took a nap.”Overnight postpartum doulas primarily focus on infant care, “so that parents can get as much sleep as possible.” Price ranges from $40 to $85 per hour.Doula services may be available free for qualifying New Yorkers or covered by employee benef...