let's party! Need ideas for a fantastic first birthday bash? We’ve got plenty.
STOCK UP Must-haves for your parental medicine chest
NIGHTY NIGHT Experts weigh in on sleep myths you should put to rest
TASTE SUCCESS A dietitian mom’s tips to ward off picky eating
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contents BABY AND BEYOND 2020–2021
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Traditions From Around the World
Sweet Dreams Are Made of These
Explore how five cultures really nurture new moms with postpartum nurses, plenty of rest, and more.
Sleep experts weigh in on which myths about newborn sleep you should put to rest.
40 The Big One
Five picture-perfect parties to inspire you ahead of your child’s first birthday.
PHOTOGRAPH ON COVER BY ISTOCK/OLESIABILKEI; THIS PAGE BY LUCY MUNOZ PHOTOGRAPHY
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 5
IN EVERY ISSUE
63 the list
79 new arrivals
Local cuties make their debut.
80 the last laugh
Toddlers tell us what they think is growing in Mommy’s belly.
FIRST WORD
12 baby talk
Parenting podcasts, kids’ books by celebs, smart diapers, and more.
14 mom boss
Model mom Laura Cianciolo on what she hopes to pass on to her daughter.
16
16 spaces
Designing a new room for school, at home.
18 doctor’s visit
A pelvic floor physical therapist shares what you need to know about her field.
20 real talk
To throw a gender reveal party or not? Two moms discuss their choices.
22 gear
Luxurious items for your hospital bag.
24 ideas
Six spots around the country that are nurturing new parents in lots of ways.
26 play
Graeter’s has an ice cream–themed playspace at the Cherry Grove location.
A TO Z GUIDE
52 stages: pregnancy
Consider these ways to ease labor.
54 stages: infant
A nurse practitioner shares medicine cabinet must-haves for your little one.
56 stages: toddler
Prevent picky eating with these tips.
58 stages: day care
The scoop on Montessori programs.
60 stages: health and wellness
When should your child ditch the pacifier or thumb-sucking habit?
61 stages: child care and education Cognitive milestones to see before preschool, according to experts.
6 baby and beyond 2020–2021
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IMAGES: (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) BY DEVYN GLISTA / BY LUCY ROSE / BY AARON M. CONWAY / COURTESY FRESHLY PICKED
Our guide to local doctors, child care facilities, schools, and party venues.
No matter the occasion or the size, from birthdays and showers to gender reveal parties, celebrations and holidays, we offer the perfect centerpiece for your memories. Visit us at any of three convenient locations: Cincinnati
Mason
Florence
2733 Madison Road Cincinnati, OH 45209 (513) 321-7400
9540 Mason Montgomery Road Mason, OH 45040 (513) 492-8115
4960 Houston Road Florence, KY 41042 (859) 594-2292
NothingBundtCakes.com
P.O. Box 14487, Cincinnati, OH 45250 (513) 421-4300 CINCINNATIMAGAZINE.COM/BABYANDBEYOND
PUBLISHER Ivy Bayer DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL OPERATIONS Amanda Boyd Walters DESIGN DIRECTOR Brittany Dexter ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Fisher ART DIRECTOR Jen Kawanari JUNIOR DESIGNER Paisley Stone CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Aaron M. Conway, Devyn Glista, Jeremy Kramer PRODUCTION DIRECTOR & IT SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Vu Luong EDITORIAL INTERNS Julia Arwine, Eileen Bunch, Madison DiBattista, Tyler Kitts, Vivian Kolks, Regan Meyer, Sami Reed, David Rees, Aaron Sary DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGING EDITOR Katie Coburn DIGITAL INTERNS Madelon Basil, Haley Parnell, Avery Samuels
SALES SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Maggie Wint Goecke ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Hilary Linnenberg, Julie Poyer SENIOR OUTSIDE ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Laura Bowling SENIOR MANAGER, SPONSORSHIP SALES Chris Ohmer SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER Cecilia Rose
BUSINESS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Missy Beiting BUSINESS COORDINATOR Erica Birkle
CIRCULATION CIRCULATION MANAGER Riley Meyers
CEO: Stefan Wanczyk | PRESIDENT: John Balardo MARKETING AND EVENTS DIRECTOR: Mary Sutton
mason
MANAGING EDITOR: Dan Caccavaro DEPUTY EDITOR: Morgan Voigt CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lindsay Richards ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Keagan Coop
creativetotsmason@gmail.com
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inspiring young minds
STEM Education • Yoga • Music • Fine Arts • Science • Spanish Call today for a personal tour! 513.770.6776 8 baby and beyond 2020–2021
Cincinnati Baby and Beyond is a registered trademark of Hour Media
we treat your kids like our kids! Small practice by design with two American Board Certified Pediatricians and two Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioners with caring and compassionate staff ensuring quality patient centered care from birth to adulthood.
• Nationally recognized Level III Patient Centered Medical Home • Convenient same day and Saturday appointments • Onsite certified lactation and behavioral health specialists • “Meet the Doctor” appointments for new parents/patients
Kathryn O’Malley MD Todd Habel MD Toral Freson CPNP Erin Clancy CPNP
• Online patient portal allows easy access to your child’s immunization records, healthcare visits, forms, and great education resources, as well as appointment scheduling for routine care
(513) 398-3900 6400 Thornberry Ct, Ste 610 Mason, Ohio 45040 www.muddycreekpeds.com
conquering a cough Listening to your little one cough can be very concerning and confusing. But know you are not alone! A cough can develop at any time of year, especially, whether from illness or allergy. Coughs keep fluid or other objects out of our lungs. Lots of things can bring on a cough, from illness to dry air. Coughs may sound awful but normally aren’t serious.
five steps to soothe that cough
1 Hydrate the inside Fluids breaks down and thins mucous, eliminates waste and soothes a scratchy throat. If your infant won’t stop coughing consider nursing them or giving them a few ounces of formula in a bottle. Or if they are old enough, offer a sippy cup of water.
3
Cool air Try opening the freezer door and having your child breathe the cold air for a few minutes. The chill can shrink the blood vessels and reduce inflammation.
4 2
Hydrate the outside In the colder months — which in Ohio can run until May! — the air is really dry. A humidifier adds moisture to the air and reduces dryness in the throat. For an extra boost, run a shower or have your child hold a warm, wet wash cloth over her mouth and nose (loosely, of course!) — instant personal humidifier!
Nasal aspirator AKA the snot sucker. A not-so-favorite activity but it really does help if your kiddo is super snotty.
5
Nasal saline This adds moisture and cuts through mucus. Try a mist applicator to avoid the “drowning” sensation. Plus it can help keep your kid from picking his nose!
visit Kids Express for that pesky cough or other minor conditions like ear infections or pink eye Springboro Mason West Chester open 7 days a week save your spot online
FirstWord BABY TALK 12 MOM BOSS 14 SPACES 16 DOCTOR’S VISIT 18 REAL TALK 20 GEAR 22 IDEAS 24 PLAY 26
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MRS. PATEL'S
Treat Yourself Based on a traditional Ayurvedic recipe, Mrs. Patel’s rich, warm chai spice blend elevates lactation tea to near-nirvana. The powerhouse herbal tea is fenugreek-free, so if that’s your preferred galactagogue, reach for a bar of the fenugreek-based handcrafted lactation treats (pictured), which come in such flavors as salted caramel-dark chocolate.
Tea from $12.99; lactation treats from $23; mrsmilk.com
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 11
FirstWord
BabyTalk Big Little Choices spotlights the bold or unconventional choices mothers make (hence the name).
Chew on This
Parenting can be lonely and exhausting. Here are three podcasts that can offer inspiration, encouragement, and solidarity. WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
SRI BODANAPU’S PODCAST series Big Little Choices spotlights the bold or unconventional choices mothers make (hence the name). Each episode (usually around 20 to 25 minutes long) features an interesting, open conversation with a woman who has made such a choice — say, moving to a foreign country while pregnant and launching a new business, or opting to have a home birth — to encourage mothers everywhere to make decisions that are right for them and their family. biglittlechoices.co Journalist Katherine Goldstein’s series The Double Shift bills itself as a show about “a new generation of working mothers” and the challenges they face. Episodes are usually 30 to 40 minutes long and offer a mix of storytelling, profiles, and frank conversations about such weighty topics as the mental load mothers carry and parental leave policies. thedoubleshift.com Hosts Jamilah Lemieux and Dan Kois provide parenting advice and insight on Slate’s Mom and Dad Are Fighting podcast. (They’re not actually fighting, just debating and discussing.) Episodes can be up to an hour long and offer plenty of practical tips from their families and experiences; one episode during the coronavirus pandemic even offered ideas to survive quarantine and for home-schooling your kids. (Warning: Episodes aren’t always friendly for little ears, as there can be explicit language.) slate.com/podcasts/mom-and-dad-are-fighting
12 baby and beyond 2020–2021
PHOTOS: ISTOCK
Listen Up, Moms
Sure, salmon is widely known to be a superfood thanks to brain-boosting omega-3s, and most expectant mothers know that raw sushi isn’t recommended. But beyond that, what seafood is safe to eat, and how much, has been a bit murky — until the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency teamed up to release new guidelines in July 2019 for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. (It also applies to breastfeeding mothers, as well as kids ages 2 and up.) The guidelines separate fish into three easy categories: Best Choices (eat two to three times per week), Good Choices (eat once per week), and Choices to Avoid. Looking for a fish that isn’t on the list? Some popular regional fish such as larger carp, catfish, trout, and perch are missing from the lists because those are commonly caught by people fishing and they are more likely to have advisories due to mercury or other contaminants, according to the FDA, which urges consumers to look to state advisories in those instances. Find the full list and portion guidance at fda.gov.
They’ve Got Stories to Tell Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has a knack for making us grown-ups laugh, but youngsters are his target audience for giggles with his new book, The Serious Goose, released in 2019. (But we’re not immune to the goose’s antics, either.) Kimmel also illustrated and lettered the book, which even includes a Mylar mirror so you and your little readers can try to make his extra-stern goose crack a smile. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor turned her own childhood experience with feeling different — she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a young age — into a book to help kids navigate their differences and ones they encounter. Her brightly illustrated Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, released in 2019, takes a delightful approach to disabilities. Children featured in the book have autism, Tourette syndrome, and asthma, to name a few, and the book encourages kids to, well, just ask if they’re curious about others.
Watch Their Screen Time Warnings about the hazards of extended screen time for little ones are hardly new, but recent research indicates that too much screen time actually has a visibly negative effect on developing brains. A study by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019, looked at the brains of children ages 3 to 5 using a specialized MRI known as diffusion tensor imaging. What researchers found was that screen time beyond what is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics resulted in poorer development of “white matter tracts supporting language and emergent literacy skills in prekindergarten children.” (The AAP recommends no screen-based media for kids less than 18 months old, and limiting it to an hour per day for children ages 2 to 5.)
Texts, Missed Calls, and . . . Your Baby’s Diaper Is Wet?
PHOTOS: ISTOCK
Move over, basic color-changing wetness indicators on diapers. Researchers at MIT have developed a “smart” diaper that’s embedded with a moisture sensor — meaning it can send a caregiver a notification when the diaper is wet. The way it works is simple: Dampness triggers a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to send a signal to a receiver, which can then transmit an alert to a smartphone or computer. RFID tags are cheap: The MIT researchers estimate the manufacturing cost of a tag is 2 cents, which makes it a low-cost, disposable alternative to other smart diaper technology involving battery-powered, reusable sensors. As an added perk, smart diaper technology may offer a new way for parents or medical providers to prevent rashes as well as identify and track such issues as constipation or incontinence.
4,569
$
The mean out-of-pocket amount spent by mothers hospitalized for childbirth during 2008 to 2015, according to a study published in the January 2020 issue of Health Affairs. Researchers found that during that time, the mean amount rose $1,500, up from $3,069 — an uptick driven mostly by increases in insurance deductibles. (All the women in the study had employer-based health insurance.) The study also found that the overall share of maternity care costs paid by patients had increased to 19.6 percent, up from 12.3 percent.
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 13
FirstWord
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Laura Cianciolo You might recognize Laura Cianciolo (née Kirkpatrick) from her successful stint on America’s Next Top Model, where the Kentucky native’s charming accent and bubbly personality earned her the title of both runner-up and fan favorite. Today, Cianciolo balances an active modeling career, several small businesses, and mom life. WRITTEN BY LAUREN FISHER
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO “OFF-DUTY MODEL LOOK?” A simple sundress
and boots or sneakers. It’s comfy, I still feel sexy, but I also can move. As a mother and a business owner, being able to move is so important. WHEN YOU FIRST ANNOUNCED YOUR PREGNANCY, SO MANY PEOPLE WARNED YOU THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO KEEP MODELING. HOW DID YOU FIND BALANCE?
From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I was a single mom with no extra financial help, and I had just started a new business. I wanted more for my daughter and myself. I just didn’t believe that being a mother meant giving up my own identity. HOW DID GROWING UP ON A FARM INFLUENCE THE WOMAN YOU ARE TODAY? You learn to
work very hard. Now, working toward my dreams, it’s ingrained in me to work hard and be humble—and that’s something I hope to teach my daughter, because that’s one thing that got me where I am today! PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON M. CONWAY
14 baby and beyond 2020–2021
Responsive, Sensitive Health Care— Throughout All Stages of a Woman’s Life‌ OFFICE LOCATIONS )DLUČ´HOG 2É?FH 3050 Mack Road, Suite 375 )DLUČ´HOG 2+ :HVW &KHVWHU 2É?FH 7759 University Drive, Suite D :HVW &KHVWHU 2+
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FirstWord
Spaces
“Leah is a great DIYer,” Trimmer says. (She made the table and some of the artwork.) “So we wanted to customize our plan for her to include opportunities for her creativity to come through.”
Home Away From School
This kid-focused design company is helping Cincinnati families create specialized learning spaces for a school year unlike any other. WRITTEN BY LAUREN FISHER
KIDS TAKING OVER YOUR KITCHEN
table? Christine Trimmer understands your frustration. The cofounder of CASA Design Consulting (@casadesignconsulting) also happens to be a Montessori teacher who knows firsthand just how challenging this school year has been. Trimmer and her design partner saw an opportunity to help local families create vibrant at-home learning spaces through a new program, School
by CASA. “By setting up your home to be developmentally appropriate and ready for whatever version of learning occurs, the child feels more centered, the parent feels more prepared, and the teacher has a student who can concentrate and attend lessons without impediments,” Trimmer says. “Winwin-win.” In designing a space for Montgomery mom Leah Vasiliadis and her two sons, CASA created custom opportuni-
ties for sensory and cooking activities, as well as math and language opportunities that align with the state’s pre-K and kindergarten learning standards. “We walked away from this project confident that we helped Leah accomplish her goals of creating an invitation for learning for her boys,” Trimmer says. “As well as an organized space to keep all of their school supplies organized in the event that their school would go virtual.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEVYN GLISTA
16 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
Kids’ Point of View
Ryan & Amber’s kids share “what makes a great house”
Grant, 17 Likes having his bedroom in the basement so that he can get away from the “younger kids.” A basketball hoop and pool are also must-haves.
Ryan Kiefer, PrimeLending If you’re expecting your first or welcoming a second or third child, you’re probably thinking about a larger home, a new neighborhood or an addition to your current residence. Let me help you achieve your home ownership goals through our simple and hassle-free home loan process. I am a 22-year veteran of the mortgage business and the Branch Manager for PrimeLending in Greater Cincinnati and the state of Kentucky. I’ve appeared on Lifetime’s TV show “Designing Spaces” as a home renovation loan expert. Plus, catch me locally as the host of “Cincy’s Hottest Properties” every Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on Local12 WKRC-TV. I also nationally co-host CNBC’s “Financing the American Dream” at 9:30 a.m. each Saturday. As your local go-to resource, I’ll be by your side delivering personalized service, professional guidance, and timely results on the way to your ideal home loan.
AS SEEN ON
Audrey, 2 Like big brother Grant, she loves having a pool to swim with mommy & daddy. A big yard also gives her plenty of space to explore and play.
Brayden, 15 Loves the family house, and a favorite feature of their neighborhood – walking trails through the woods.
2718 Observatory Ave., Floor 1, Cincinnati, OH 45208 (513) 314-2248 | ryankiefer.com
FirstWord
Doctor's Visit
Inner Strength A pelvic floor therapist shares what new moms need to know WRITTEN BY VICKY HALLETT
WHEN DR. ADINA LEIFER graduated as a doctor of physical therapy in 2007, she knew absolutely nothing about the pelvic floor. Like most programs, hers simply ignored it. But on a whim, she signed up for a continuing education course on the topic a few years later. “I’d just had my first child and it looked cool,” says Leifer, who got hooked on learning how to help with problems associated with pregnancy, such as prolapse (when organs drop into the vagina) and diastasis recti (abdominal separation). She became a certified pelvic rehabilitation practitioner, and the mom of four now runs Able Pelvic Physical Therapy in Atlanta. Q: Why aren’t new moms better educated about pelvic floor physical therapy? A: That’s what happens when it comes to areas people can’t see. My job is pee, poop, and sex. No one wants to talk about these things. Postpartum, you go to your six-week appointment with your doctor and you’re sent on your way. No one is telling you that women who nurse have decreased estrogen. That makes pelvic muscles get weaker, which can cause urinary and bowel issues. No doctor is just saying, “You had a baby — go to physical therapy.” It’s starting to change.
Q: In France, pelvic floor therapy
is standard for new moms. Why not in the U.S.? A: The way we do medicine here is very different. We treat an issue; we don’t prevent. That’s what insurance will pay for. And there’s another issue. The men who come into my office say, “I’m leaking urine and sex is painful. Fix it. Fix it now.” The women will say, “I’ve had this for years.” New moms are so overwhelmed with their babies — and other children. You have to take care of yourself too. Q: With age, some of this is
inevitable, right? A: Yes, like everything in our body. But it can be made a lot better. One study showed that a minimum of 10 Kegels per day can drastically change your pelvic floor. Q: What can people expect
during an appointment? A: We do biofeedback using internal vaginal sensors or external wires. We do pelvic contractions. Breathe
in through your nose, breathe out through your mouth. You see that ticker go up as you tighten, and then, as you rest, it goes down. Biofeedback is a tool that makes you able to see what you’re doing. Q: I know moms who avoid jumping and certain kinds of exercise. How common is that? A: It’s a big issue called stress urinary incontinence. If you’re having problems when you jump or cough, it’s not normal and it can be fixed. It’s a muscle weakness. If it’s our leg and we’re having trouble walking, we’d get it fixed. It’s the same thing. Q: Is there anything you tell patients that surprises them? A: The bladder is really dependent on your habits. It’s one thing if you’re getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom because the baby is up. But once the baby is sleeping through the night, that should stop. If you’re younger than 65, you shouldn’t need to wake up in the middle of the night. ILLUSTRATION BY LUCY ROSE
18 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
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FirstWord
Real Talk were rewarded with pink champagne and M&M’s. Then everyone enjoyed a feast of pink food — including pasta and fries — and the party has become the stuff of legend among their crew. “They still talk about it,” Mehndiratta recalls. “Knowing the gender just made us feel closer to the destination and gave us something to prepare for — and dream about.”
Split Decisions Next to cat videos, gender reveals may be the next way to get a dopamine fix online. A big reveal can be a way for expectant parents to temper the stresses and discomforts of pregnancy with a fun event — and help loved ones near and far feel included. Still, not everyone is on Team Gender Reveal: Some criticize such events for being an unnecessary excuse for a party or for reinforcing cultural norms with their blue and pink themes. Here’s how two moms came down on the idea. WRITTEN BY AMBREEN ALI
SHOW AND TELL
Shikha Mehndiratta and her husband had been speculating about the gender of their baby ever since they found out she was pregnant. By the time they were about to learn the baby’s sex at the 20-week scan in 2015, they had waged bets: Her husband guessed it was a girl — and won. “He always wanted a girl. In fact, he wanted only girls,” says the Houston-based software engineer. “I picked a boy to create a fair game.” On the way home, they began brainstorming how they would break
20 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
the news to their friends. This was the first baby among their close crew. On a whim, the couple put together a treasure hunt gender reveal, picking up items on the way home to execute it. “Everybody was speculating about the gender, so we decided to make it a game for them to figure it out,” she explains. Later that evening, their guests split up into two teams — “team girl” and “team boy” — and raced around the couple’s apartment building to beat each other to the next clue. “Team girl” won, which was appropriate because they
Lauren Gardiner has thrown her share of baby showers and sprinkles for her friends, but she has little patience for gender reveals. A tutor in New York City and mother of two, Gardiner waited until the births both times to find out and announce the gender of her babies to family and friends. “I don’t know what we’re celebrating,” she says. “Most people have these parties before they even have the anatomy scan.” As awareness of gender fluidity increases, Gardiner says, it’s presumptuous to celebrate the gender of a child who hasn’t yet had a chance to enter the world or assert their own identity. She has gay friends who joke about throwing a gender reveal where purple balloons pop out and nobody knows what to do. “I didn’t want to find out for either one,” she says of her pregnancies in 2014 and 2017. “Instead, I wanted to celebrate the life inside me and be excited about that.” People speculated the first time around about whether she was having a girl or a boy. But Gardiner says no one gave her a hard time about wanting to wait; many of her friends also made the same choice. “They thought it was special,” Gardiner says. And how did she feel when she finally found out the gender of each of her newborns? “I reacted by being happy my baby was healthy,” she says. “Honestly, both deliveries were emergency C-sections. I just wanted everyone to make it out healthy.”
PHOTO: ISTOCK
WAIT AND SEE
FirstWord
Gear 3
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Labor of Luxe Birth isn’t exactly glamorous — we’re looking at you, grippy socks — but these 13 products to pack in your hospital bag will give you some glitz from head to toe. (And help you look your best for that Fresh 48 photo session.)
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STYLED BY ERIKA PATTERSON 8 9
PHOTOGRAPH BY E.E. BERGER 1. Kusshi Makeup Bag, $69, kusshi.com. 2. Sara Happ The Lip Scrub, $24, neimanmarcus.com. 3. Cozzette P Series Makeup Brushes, $22-$24 each, cozzettebeauty.com. 4. Sara Happ The Lip Slip-One Luxe Gloss, $20, neimanmarcus.com. 5. Natori Fiesta Printed Satin Floral Pajama Set, $139, nordstrom.com. 6. L.Erickson USA Sash Pony in Silk Charmeuse Turquoise, $44, amazon.com. 7. Pure Enrichment PureSpa USB Personal Aroma Diffuser, $14.99, amazon.com. 8. Now Foods Eucalyptus Pure Essential Oil, $5.99, vitaminshoppe. com. 9. Kate Spade Weekender Bag, $139, nordstromrack.com. 10. Coconuts by Matisse Botanical Slide Sandals, $75, nordstrom.com. 11. Cala Tangle-free Hairbrush, $6.95, calaproduct.com. 12. Fresh Sugar Blood Orange Hydrating Lip Balm, $18, sephora.com. 13. Miamica Portable Pill Case, $15, neimanmarcus.com.
22 baby and beyond 2020– 2021
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Ideas
It Takes a Village Whether you’re East Coast, West Coast, or somewhere in between, spaces for wellness and co-working are popping up all over the country to nurture and support moms (and dads!) in all sorts of ways. Here’s a look at a few. WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
BIG AND TINY
MODERN MILK
HONEY
California Full-service child care — age-based classes and activities, meals, and diapers included — for littles 3 months to 6 years old is the main attraction at Brella in Los Angeles. Parents can use a family room, and conference rooms and private desks are available for rent, too. Or sign up for a class such as parent-child yoga or navigating picky eaters. The bright space is open daily, and no membership is required: Just book as needed through the app. hellobrella.com
California This chic studio in Southern California touts two locations for work and play, in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Youngsters 3 months to 6 years old at Big and Tiny can enjoy music and art camps or enrichment classes such as “Baby Bootcamp” and “Preschool Prep” while parents work or enjoy luxe amenities, including Peloton bikes, a music studio, and a meditation pod. Retail pop-ups, workshops, and speaker series are also offered. bigandtiny.com
Arizona Founded by a lactation consultant, Modern Milk offers plenty of breastfeeding support and pump rentals at its two locations near Phoenix. But there’s also a bevy of fitness classes — yoga, boot camps, and dance-inspired HIIT, to name a few — and educational offerings, such as “Happy Mom School,” an eight-week series to help new moms with their adjustment, or “The Dad Class” to cover the basics for fathers-to-be. modernmilk.com
Michigan “Working moms” might sound a little redundant, but however they work, Honey wants to be there for them in Detroit with an extensive lineup of parental support and mental health services. (Think sleep consultations, motherhood groups, or individual therapy sessions.) Four-hour coworking and child care packages encourage “rhythm, ritual and routine.” And, of course, booking a massage there encourages relaxation, too. honeyformoms.com
24 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
MERAKI MAMA COLLECTIVE
Georgia Fitness and wellness for moms — before and after baby — takes front stage at Meraki Mama Collective in Atlanta. Yoga, Pilates, and barre are all on tap, to name a few. Feeling empowered to grow and teach others? Sign up to take a prenatal yoga certification class. Meraki Mama also offers a doula directory and birth classes. There are even breast-feeding support groups geared toward working families. merakimama collective.com
KITH + KIN
Pennsylvania The charming, bright 3,000square-foot play space at Kith + Kin in Philadelphia encourages “open-ended, meaningful play” for children up to age 5. Find a host of classes for you or your little one (Potty Training 101 is even offered for parents needing guidance), and enjoy workshops and chats with experts. Little one kept you up all night? Sign up for a sleep workshop — and then grab a strong coffee at the on-site cafe. kithkincommunity.com
PHOTOS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) COURTESY BRELLA; COURTESY AARON LYLES FROM PIXELLAB; COURTESY TERESA GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY HONEY; ISTOCK; COURTESY KITH + KIN
BRELLA
Congratulations to our Top Doctors, Nicole Baldwin, M.D. and Pierre Manfroy, M.D.!
NCQA recognition as a Patient Centered Medical Home
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Including
EVENING S& SATURDA YS
Dedicated to the highest quality of pediatric medical care! • Check-In from Home dž kıĩĕıø ëđøñūĩĕıČ øŖūøŜťŜ Ș ŗøŜëŗĕŔťĕĺıŜ øƧĩĩŜ • Same-Day Sick Child Visits dž YÑëťÑťĕĺı ĺıŜūĩťÑıťŜ Ș ĩĕıĕëÑĩ ĺūıŜøĩĺŗŜ ĺı ťÑƥ dž HıǞĺƥĕëø Ș øĩøđøÑĩťđ ¯ĕŜĕťŜ žÑĕĩÑêĩø dž ¯ĕŗťūÑĩ ĺūŗŜ ĺċ ĩĩ đŗøø kƥĕëøŜ žÑĕĩÑêĩø ĺı ĺūŗ °øêŜĕťø
Providers: Robert Evans, M.D. Denise Rankin, M.D. Balzer Sandrock, M.D. Pierre Manfroy, M.D. Lea Kirkham, M.D.
Scott Steinberg, M.D. Cindy Cook, M.D. Nicole Baldwin, M.D. Laura White, M.D. Emily Kelleher, M.D.
Stephanie O’Rourke, M.D. Cindy Allison, A.P.R.N. Laurie Freese, A.P.R.N. Ellen Glassmeyer, A.P.R.N. Wøĩĩƅ ?ŗĕƥĕťđLj Ǎ Ǎ ǍbǍ
Kierstin Ullom, A.P.R.N. Carla Seemann, L.P.C.C. Vicki Gedert, L.P.C.C. Scott Borchers, L.P.C.C. Erin Hannah, L.P.C.C.
Landen/Mason
Blue Ash
Lebanon
8185 Corporate Way • (513) 398-7171
11238 Cornell Park Dr. • (513) 530-0200
986 Belvedere Dr. • (513) 934-1200
www.cincinnatipediatrics.com
FirstWord
Play
After a turn on the banana seesaw, littles can serve pretend ice cream in this mini food truck.
The rubberized oor keep slips at bay and helps to cushion falls.
26 baby and beyond 2020–2021
Two paths lead to the top of the slide, one with slats and one with handholds.
Sweet Treat
Who wouldn’t scream for this playspace? WRITTEN BY KATIE COBURN
MODELED AFTER AN ICE CREAM–themed playground
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KRAMER
built in a Columbus Graeter’s in 2001, the Cherry Grove Lil’ Pints Playroom is open to the public and features two attached party rooms. Children 9 and younger can teeter on a banana-shaped seesaw, jump off oversized Chip Wheelies, scoop fake ice cream inside a mini Graeter’s food truck, and scale a sloped climbing wall before descending a giant ice cream cone slide. There’s also a smaller slide for toddlers, and rubber flooring prevents kiddos from taking hard falls. Parents can join in on the action or sit back and watch their little ones play from behind a viewing glass. Can you think of a better way to sweat off a sugar rush? We certainly can’t. 202 0 – 2021 baby and beyond 27
Traditions NEW MOM
BY AMBREEN ALI
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK
Around the World Explore how different countries nurture new moms — and what you can do to create a more restful postpartum experience at home. (No travel required!) cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 29
30 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
AYURVEDIC CARE
POSTPARTUM CARE IN INDIA TOUTS A TRADITIONAL 40-DAY TO 60-DAY CONFINEMENT PERIOD FOR NEW MOMS THAT’S RICH IN AYURVEDIC FOODS. Many postpartum doulas in India will bring their own mix of herbs for the mother when they visit. Herbs such as fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, neem, and betel leaves are the basis for mixtures that are used not just in foods but in baths and massages for both mother and baby. Ayurvedic principles steered Arizona mom Michelle Peterson to herb- and protein-rich meals that helped her heal after the birth of her second child. She recruited a friend to help prepare those meals and says she felt amazing from eating warming, easy-to-digest food. (Ayurvedic meals tend to be soupy and soft, and Peterson avoided cold food, dairy, and any nightshade vegetables.) She also drank tea day and night, as well as kombucha, which she left out on the counter and drank warm. “My mind was clear and my energy was up,” she recalls. While the diet can be restrictive in some ways, such as avoiding cruciferous vegetables, Indian doulas also sometimes treat the mothers to desserts made of daal, almonds, milk powder, sugar, and raisins — sweet treats packed with nutrients.
DIY: Look for an “Ayurdoula,” or postpartum doula who is trained in Ayurvedic methods of massage and meal prep. In Los Angeles, the Mother Baby Program at Surya Spa provides such Ayurvedic offerings as in-home massage sessions and meal preparation for the six weeks following birth. In-home programs begin at $285 for a single session. Or try an herbal soak at home to promote healing. While their concoction is not an Ayurvedic blend, maternity clothing brand Storq teamed up with Earth tu Face to create a soothing yarrow and rose blend ($22, storq.com) for sitz baths and regular baths, too.
PHOTO: ISTOCK (TOP); COURTESY OF SURYA YSPA (BOTTOM)
or most American moms, life after birth is all about the baby. Yet in many other parts of the world, the immediate focus turns not just to caring for the newborn, but to pampering and nurturing the mother who is making a major life transition — not to mention recovering from nine months of pregnancy and a birth. To help her heal, the new mom is surrounded by care, fed a special diet, encouraged to rest, and — depending on the culture — given a daily massage. That’s a far cry from the night or two most American women get in the hospital, after which many of them are left alone to tend to the baby. “Everybody celebrates the mother during the pregnancy, but afterwards, she becomes a background,” says Diane Speier, author of Life After Birth: A Parent’s Holistic Guide for Thriving in the Fourth Trimester, and a childbirth educator and doula who supports mothers through the postpartum period. That time can be especially tough on women who have to return quickly to work. The pressure to return to one’s previous life is strong in America, Speier notes, when in reality, what is “normal” for new moms has changed forever. Contrast that to the experience of the Moroccan-born mother of one of Speier’s clients. A community of experienced mothers swooped in after she gave birth in Morocco and helped for weeks so the new mom could stay in bed and focus on the baby. It’s not just Morocco: Women all over the globe experience lengthy, supportive postpartum care that can be absent for many Americans. Yet there are ways that moms here can find support and encourage postpartum wellness. Here are some of the traditions around the world and how they can be adapted for busy, modern lifestyles in the United States.
DIY: Consider
ZUO YUE ZI
PHOTO: ISTOCK
PERHAPS ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN POSTPARTUM TRADITIONS COMES FROM CHINA. Zuo yue zi, which translates to “sitting the month,” refers to a resting period that can last from a month to 100 days, depending on the family’s culture. During this period of rest and tender loving care, some women in China stay with their family. Others check into luxurious facilities that specialize in this kind of care for thousands of dollars. New moms are fed a restricted diet of warm, nurturing foods and drinks, such as soups and tea, to help with lactation. While the tradition — and how much of it is followed — varies from family to family, there may be an emphasis on organ meat and seaweed, or a restriction on raw fruits or vegetables and cold water. The mother may also be restricted from showering or even brushing her teeth as she restores her yin and yang and helps strengthen the newborn baby. Her primary purpose in this period is to rest and heal — not even, according to some, carrying her own baby. Leslie Hsu Oh, a writer and mother of four, tried zuo yue zi at the urging of her aunt when her youngest child was
disconnecting from your phone and other screens, and spend that time doing deepbreathing exercises or practicing mindfulness to give your body a chance to restore. The extra stimulation from screens can actually prevent the mind from getting rest that’s essential according to Chinese tradition. If you’re seeking the culinary experience of zuo yue zi, look for a 28-day to 40-day readyto-eat Chinese postpartum meal delivery service. Moms can order traditional porridges, bowls, broths, and teas from Los Angelesbased MotherBees, which was started by Ou, the author. Jing Mommy, the Los Angeles-based meal service that Oh used, will ship a month’s worth of food across the country, with packages starting at $2,080.
born in 2016. As a self-proclaimed “ABC” — American-born Chinese — she relied on a meal service called Jing Mommy that shipped a 94-pound box of meals to her home in Delaware for the month of rest. It contained daily sustenance such as a breakfast of congee and egg; soups made of fish, sesame oil, and pig trotters; and vegetable and rice dishes with ginseng. By sharing it with her husband and kids, Oh says, she was able to take away some of the stress of those early weeks after birth — and even enjoy them. “I was raised in a society that made me believe I should present myself as a woman who never needed to rest. I never really took maternal leaves. When I was in labor, I often responded to work emails with my mobile phone,” Oh says. “When I studied zuo yue zi, I realized that women should not expect their weight, energy levels, or mood to miraculously bounce back without any assistance.” Oh decided to pick and choose the elements of zuo yue zi she followed — for example, she only nibbled on the organ meat provided to her. And while Heng Ou, the author of The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother, writes about stashing away her computer and cell phone to focus on rest, Oh decided not to do that. (Many women don’t even allow themselves television during zuo yue zi.) “Zuo yue zi, for me, was my chance to binge-watch Game of Thrones,” Oh admits. The best part for her was staying in bed and allowing herself not to worry about her older kids, thanks to her husband’s help.
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 31
SAMCHILIL
KOREA’S SAMCHILIL — WHICH TRANSLATES TO “21,” ALTHOUGH THE PERIOD CAN LAST UP TO 100 DAYS — usually means no outdoor walks and a strict diet of miyeok-guk, or seaweed soup, for mom. (Seaweed soup is said to help restore nutrients lost during birth and aid in lactation.) The newborn doesn’t get introduced to relatives until the baek-il ceremony, which marks the end of the 100-day period. For some, that means no visitors at all until that point, while others allow close visitors but use this occasion as a public celebration of the baby. Kendra Stanton Lee got a taste of the postpartum tradition when her Korean in-laws came to visit for a week after her daughter Madigan was born in 2008. Lee wasn’t allowed to turn on the TV or go for walks, and her mother-in-law offered her a breast massage to aid lactation. Lee politely declined. “Not for a million dollars would I let anyone give me a breast massage,” Lee says. “I can understand why it is used — to help the milk ducts not get blocked — but it was way too invasive a therapy for my comfort zone.”
32 baby and beyond 2020 – 2021
well-wishers often accompanies a new arrival, but if that sounds too exhausting, borrow from the baek-il ceremony and turn away visitors in the early weeks after birth. Rest is what it’s all about. Want to try slurping Korean tradition in the form of miyeok-guk? An international grocer is your best bet to find wakame, the typical staple seaweed, or you can find prepackaged soups online. (Bibigo is one common brand.)
Lee later realized her mother-in-law wasn’t being quirky, but she was practicing a generations-old tradition. While it felt inconvenient at the time, Lee is now appreciative of the encouraged rest. “Your body has done a major thing. The idea that you would just get up and bounce back and get your pre-birth figure, which we read about a lot in American magazines, is completely opposite of what samchilil supports,” she says. And when Lee finally did convince her in-laws that she needed to walk to avoid blood clotting after her C-section, she booked it for a bakery and ordered the biggest cupcake she could find. What Lee says she valued most was the steady presence of another adult at home while her husband worked three jobs. “She wasn’t going to leave the apartment. She was going to stay right there and be completely supportive of what I need,” she recalls. “Even though it was difficult, it bonded us in a way that no other experience has.”
PHOTO: ISTOCK
DIY: A parade of
KRAAMZORG
PHOTO: ISTOCK
MOTHER ROASTING
INDONESIAN TRADITIONS INCLUDE DAILY VISITS AND MASSAGES FROM MIDWIVES, THERAPEUTIC BATHS, and a nourishing drink called jamu — a blend that can feature egg yolks, herbs, palm sugar, and tamarind. The placenta, which is thought to have protective powers, is kept nearby for this period to guard the mother from infection and illness, and then it is ceremonially buried. Peterson, the Arizona mom, was nowhere near Bali when she had her second child in 2013, but she was especially drawn to the practice of “mother roasting,” or keeping the mother warm for the first six weeks after birth. The practice refers to using heat, nourishing broths and teas full of warming herbs, and belly wrapping to protect the mother from illness and to help her heal after birth. Women also use warm blankets and stay indoors to limit exposure to cold and pathogens, and they get hot oil rubs. Peterson chose to embrace Indonesian practices as she hoped for a better postpartum experience than she had the first time around. She had toughed it out at home alone with her first baby as her husband worked long hours, ignoring her own personal health to the extent that she did not realize she had developed Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition that damages the thyroid gland. “It took me three years to repair everything going on with my body,” she recalls. When it was time to try for another child, Peterson did her homework. A friend gifted her After the Baby’s Birth … a Woman’s Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women, written by Robin Lim, who lives in Bali and wrote extensively about traditions there. Peterson lived in warm Arizona, but she still took precautions such as never sitting around with wet hair, believing that the cold would drain the body. “We don’t have rites of passages in America like they do in Bali,” Peterson says. “When a woman becomes a mother, there is a becoming and there is an identity that goes away. It can be nerve-racking.”
DIY: Layering in warm clothes can help mothers retain heat as they recover from labor. Try wrapping up in a cozy robe, such as the teddy bear robe from Pottery Barn ($79, potterybarn. com), or wearing socks and a hat. Or find a spa with mother roasting treatments, such as the Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing in Pennsylvania, which offers a 105-minute treatment using hot stones and essential oils for $185. (And newborns are even welcome during the treatment, too, so moms don’t stress about leaving them.)
WHILE POSTPARTUM MOTHER CARE MAY BE HEAVILY EMPHASIZED IN EASTERN CULTURES, Speier, the author, likes to point to the Dutch as proof that other Western countries can do better. In the Netherlands, women can hire a kraamverzorgster, or a postpartum nurse, to visit them daily for the eight to 10 days after birth. (Insurance usually covers some, if not all, of the care.) These nurses help smooth the transition into parenthood, whether that is managing the older children, teaching the mother how to breast-feed, or doing light housework and meal prep. “The Dutch really know how to take care of the mother,” Speier says. By being in the house, the nurse can also monitor the health of the mother and baby in the days after the birth. In the United States, women often do not go in for a postpartum visit with their providers until six weeks after birth, which can make addressing postpartum challenges difficult. “When mothers don’t feel isolated or alone, they don’t feel like the only person having this experience, that makes a big difference,” Speier says.
DIY: Hiring a postpartum doula or a night nurse who can care for the baby while mom sleeps can be an invaluable source of support. The doulas can teach mom how to bathe, soothe, and breastfeed the baby, as well as help out with some tasks so mom gets a break. Or new moms can make a list of tasks that need completed and share it with anyone who offers help, Speier says. “If you have a list, people will rise to the occasion,” she says. “They do want to help, and this way, they don’t have to play guessing games about the best way to do so.” cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 33
PHOTO: ISTOCK
34 baby and beyond 2019 2020 –2021
s m a e r D t e e Sw w hat
f o e d a are m
Infant sleep experts weigh in on seven common myths about getting your baby to sleep well
BY JESSICA BYLANDER I L LUST R AT I O N S BY B R I A N G O S S E T T
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 35
/CWTGP %TKjUCP
and her husband knew they’d hit a sleep deprivation low when, convinced their month-old baby didn’t like to be swaddled, they cut all the arms off of her Halo sleep sacks. (A week later, she was taking a swaddle like a champ.) In those early, delirious weeks and months, Brittsan was bombarded with information about babies’ sleep. “I was reading all these books, and going to other people, when I really just needed somebody who had the facts,” says Brittsan, a licensed professional counselor in Denver, who ended up hiring a sleep consultant when her little girl, now 13 months, was about 8 months old. There’s no shortage of myths and misconceptions when it comes to the holy grail of getting your baby to — finally! — sleep through the night. Some are laughably dated — surely, no one’s slipping their baby whiskey at night to help them sleep anymore — while others persist. Should you really never wake a sleeping baby? Are sleep regressions real? Can babies actually sleep 12 hours by 12 weeks? We talked to infant sleep experts to find out which myths can be — ahem — put to bed and which are still up for debate.
Myth:
Myth:
NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY
VERDICT: PUT TO BED
VERDICT: PUT TO BED When my son was a newborn, it was pretty much a given that he’d take his longest nap of the day when we were out or had company over. Once, he slept five hours in his car seat at the beach while I contemplated a power nap on the sand. Let sleeping babies lie, right? But experts agree it’s all about shaping sleep until babies are on a good schedule. “One of the No. 1 tips I give my newborn parents is once they’re awake for the day, never allow them to sleep longer than two hours at a stretch for a nap,” says Portland, Oregon-based sleep consultant Natalie Willes, who runs The Baby Sleep Trainer program. That way, their longest stretch of sleep — probably around four hours — will happen at night, she says. The same rule generally applies for babies 4 months or older, she adds, unless they’re down to one nap per day. Denver-based sleep consultant Gaby Wentworth of Rockabye Rockies, who worked with Brittsan, recommends a set wake time for babies. “Wake them up at a certain time in the morning,
36 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
SLEEP WILL GET BETTER WITH AGE
even if their night has been rough, so you can fit all the naps in,” she says. Jodi Mindell, associate director of the Sleep Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, isn’t sure where the “never wake a sleeping baby” myth came from. “A schedule is the key to a baby sleeping well,” she says. Of course, if your baby is sick, let them sleep, she notes.
It’s tempting to think “this too shall pass” and assume babies will grow out of bad sleep habits on their own. But the opposite might be true. “If you don’t get them on a good sleep cycle at a young age, they do worse the older they get,” says Yolanda Washington, a newborn care specialist in Aurora, Colorado. “It could even last throughout their adulthood.” Sleep training is not for everyone, but experts agree that a solid bedtime routine — the same steps at the same time each night — is important. “It’s hard for any of us to go from an ‘on’ to an ‘off,’ ” says Dr. Shalini Paruthi, medical co-director of the St. Luke’s Sleep Medicine and Research Center in St. Louis. “We don’t have a switch per se.” She points to a randomized trial by Mindell and colleagues that found that a three-step bedtime routine consisting of a bath, a massage or lotion, and quiet activities such as singing lullabies resulted in significant reductions in problematic sleep behaviors among infants and toddlers. “With that, babies slept longer, slept more soundly, and the parents were happier,” she says.
Myth:
Myth: LATER TO BED, LATER TO RISE
VERDICT: PUT TO BED New parents know the days of sleeping in till noon on the weekends are gone. But when even a 9 a.m. wake-up would feel luxurious, it’s tempting to try to get your baby on that schedule with a later bedtime. While newborns do tend to go to bed around 9 or 10 p.m., that won’t fly after a few months and won’t guarantee a later wake-up, experts say. “It totally backfires all the time,” says Mindell, who is also chair of the board of directors at the Pediatric Sleep Council. “Nine o’clock is the tipping point. If they go to bed before 9 p.m., they sleep better.” A February 2020 article in the journal Pediatrics also found that a bedtime later than 9 p.m. was associated with an increased risk of obesity in children ages 2 to 6. “Sleep is far more biological than mothers and fathers are led to believe that it is,” Willes says. “Kids are almost always biologically wired to wake up quite early, anywhere between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. You can put your baby to sleep late, but they likely won’t wake up late.” For her clients, Wentworth urges a bedtime of 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. “Eight [p.m.] is getting late,” she says.
GIVE BABY A ‘DREAM FEED’ FOR LONGER SLEEP
VERDICT: UP FOR DEBATE The so-called dream feed is a much-touted tactic for increasing the amount of sleep that parents get. Since babies do go to bed so early, the idea is to gently rouse, but not fully awaken, the baby when you’re going to bed for the night, for one last feed. Some sleep experts stand by this tactic, while others say it’s disruptive to the baby’s sleep. “I am not a big fan of the dream feed,” says Washington, who runs Now You Lay Me Down to Sleep. For preemies and babies who need to gain weight, a dream feed may be appropriate for a week or two, she says, but she doesn’t recommend it otherwise, especially if parents are in the middle of sleep conditioning or sleep training their baby. “Babies can be creatures of habit,” she says. “After a while they’ll get used to that and they’ll wait for it even if they don’t need it.” Wentworth and Willes agree that dream feeds are not ideal once babies have learned to put themselves to sleep independently. “After 4 months, kids have sleep that’s a little different than the newborn stage,” Wentworth says. “They’re no longer falling into that deep sleep right away. Then they do fall into a deep sleep, and you disrupt that deep sleep with a dream feed and make the rest of
the night challenging.” Willes notes that if a baby hasn’t learned to fall asleep independently yet, it doesn’t really matter if you dream feed or not. “The reason the child is waking is not necessarily totally hunger-based, but because they haven’t learned to be an independent sleeper,” she says. Mindell, on the other hand, doesn’t mind the practice. “I think dream feeds are great,” she says. “The worst feeling in the world is to go to bed and have your baby wake up a half-hour later. It does not seem to interfere with developing self-soothing skills.” There isn’t much good evidence to answer the question of whether the dream feed is beneficial or disruptive, Paruthi notes. “There’s no right or wrong answer,” she says.
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 37
Myth:
THE 4-MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION (AND BEYOND)
VERDICT: UP FOR DEBATE Many new parents could set a clock to the moment their baby’s sleep suddenly seemed to backslide. For Brittsan, this happened right around the 4-month mark. “Her sleep wasn’t great, but we’d have good spurts,” she says. “Then around 4 months, it was every 45 minutes she was awake. She didn’t want to sleep on the go as much as she used to. It really didn’t get better after that until we sleep trained.” Sleep specialist Washington does think the 4-month — and 8-month —
Myth:
BABIES CAN SLEEP 12 HOURS BY 12 WEEKS
VERDICT: PUT TO BED The popular book Twelve Hours’ Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old, by sleep specialist Suzy Giordano, offers a guide for getting “any baby” to sleep for 12 hours at night, and three hours in the day, by the age of 12 weeks old. But sleep experts say this outcome is actually pretty rare. What’s more, the idea
38 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
of sleeping through the night being 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a myth itself, they say. “Sleeping through the night is not that magical eight hours or 10 hours for an infant,” says Paruthi, who is also a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Sleeping through the night should be considered five or six hours [uninterrupted] and should be achieved by 6 months.” The ability to make it 12 hours without a feeding is something to
sleep regressions are real, but notes that not all babies go through them. In addition, the change in sleep patterns doesn’t have to take long to fix, she says. “If you go back to sleep training and conditioning, it’ll last a few nights,” she says. “If you go into survival mode, it could last well into one to two years.” Some sleep experts take issue with the term “regression” and instead call it a sleep “progression.” “A regression implies you’re going backwards,” Mindell says. “It really is just a major milestone in brain development,” Wentworth notes. “They’re going from newborn sleep to bigger baby sleep.” This transition is when that earlier bedtime — and consistent naps (Wentworth recommends four naps at 4 months) — will come into play and could help avoid the regression experience altogether. “It’s not as frightening as some people make it out to be,” she says. Paruthi also recommends that parents be sure to give their baby the iron and Vitamin D supplements recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, as it’s possible that iron deficiency is linked to the 4-month change in sleep.
discuss with your pediatrician, Willes says, as some young babies really do need a nighttime feed or two. “Sleeping through the night for 12 hours without a feeding is not necessarily a milestone that parents need to reach,” Willes says. With her clients, if a baby is eating at night but going right back to sleep after, she’d still consider them sleeping through the night.
Myth:
FEED MORE FREQUENTLY DURING THE DAY SO THEY’LL BE LESS HUNGRY AT NIGHT
VERDICT: UP FOR DEBATE Some sleep blogs suggest feeding your baby more often during the day — even every hour or two — so your baby goes to bed full and doesn’t wake at night to eat. Up until my son was 7 months old, I followed this advice myself until I received a stern warning from my pediatrician: If your baby is accustomed to eating every two hours during the day, how can you magically expect them to sleep eight hours at night? Stretch out the day feeds, and the night feeds will follow, she reasoned. It took a few days to stretch him out to three to four hours between feeds, and he did seem to make it longer between feeds at night. Wentworth agrees with this approach to consolidating feedings. “Newborns eat every two to three hours. After 6 months or so, they eat less frequently but hopefully bigger feedings,” she says. Those too frequent feedings are equivalent to “snacking,” she says, and they create a habit that can carry over into nights. Mindell, on the other hand, subscribes to the notion that feeding more during the day could make them eat less at night. As for whether introducing solids will lead to longer sleep, experts have generally said it won’t. “It can happen that they actually sleep worse,” Paruthi says. “Every baby responds so differently to different foods.”
However, a 2018 study in JAMA Pediatrics made waves by showing that babies who were fed solids plus breast milk at 3 months old slept better (by about 16 minutes per night) than babies who were solely breast-fed — though the results should be interpreted with caution. The study was a secondary analysis and not designed to answer that question, and medical groups still recommend waiting 4 to 6 months before introducing solids. “It’s an interesting question,” Mindell says. “The jury’s out on that one.” At the heart of these myths is the notion that babies are only waking up at night because they’re hungry. Some might be, but after about 6 months of age, it’s more likely they’re waking up out of habit and for comfort. “That’s what a pacifier is for,” Washington says, “to soothe the baby when the baby is not hungry.” cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 39
ONE
The Big
Five parties to help you plan a fabulous first birthday bash
PHOTO: LUCY MUNOZ PHOTOGRAPHY
by morgan voigt
40 baby and beyond 2020 – 2021
PHOTOS: LUCY MUNOZ PHOTOGRAPHY
one for the books To design a fanciful party for story-loving Quinley, Heather Balliet of San Marcos, California–based Amorology reached for a favorite children’s book: The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin. “I wanted to have the event almost read like the pages of the book,” Balliet says. She drew inspiration from the illustrations and created areas in the venue that evoked different sections from the book. A boat with balloons became the spot to stash gifts. A garden-themed nook held watering can favors. Guests marked their heights and signed their names on a giant measuring stick as a guest book. Lush florals, plenty of balloons, and a crepe station added to the whimsy. “It had this very fun atmosphere,” she says. “They loved it.” Design and Planning: Amorology Photographer: Lucy Munoz Venue: Whimsy Florals: Posey Pop Rentals: Found Rentals Tabletop: Hostess Haven Cake: Hey There, Cupcake! Invitations and Stationery: Miss Multee Backdrops: Back Up Backdrops Photo Booth: Amigo Booth Balloon Installation: Oh Shiny Dress Up Costumes: Meri Meri Entertainment: Happily Ever Laughter Catering: Catering of Paris
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 41
just peachy Photographer Tessa Starling of Columbusbased Starling Studio was expecting her youngest daughter when her two older girls went ahead and nicknamed their unborn sibling “Peaches.” It stuck, and with a due date at the height of peach season, Starling knew it was destined to be Parker’s first birthday party theme. “To this day, we still call her Peaches,” she says. Party planning began with a showstopper cake by Starling’s mom, a professional baker. (Rifle Paper Co. inspired the cake design, Starling says: “I have a slight obsession.”) She crafted a floral P for the wall, and decked the space out with peach and white balloons, greenery garland, and more picture-perfect peachy desserts. The result? A sweet party that they’ll always remember.
PHOTOS: STARLING STUDIO
Photography: Starling Studio Cake: Lavender & Honey Wedding Cakes
42 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
PHOTOS: M. BY MICHAELA PHOTOGRAPHY
party animals It was all about bringing the jungle home for Oliver’s “wild one” celebration in Coral Gables, Florida. “Greenery was a must,” says Annabelle Larancul of Happi Smilez Creation, the party’s designer. A lively arrangement of animal print balloons added bold pops of color to the display. “I really wanted to have a lot of animals in there,” she says, so she pulled a safari’s worth into the setup — even including little bags of animal crackers at each place setting — to create an atmosphere that would capture little imaginations and inspire a whole lot of joy. Planning and Design: Happi Smilez Creation Cake: Lux Cakery Photographer: M. By Michaela Photography Balloons: Partycus.com Chairs: T Rose Kids
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 43
birthday, ahoy! For a treasured first birthday party for Adeline, Seri Kertzner of Little Miss Party in New York started with eye patches for the guests. And there were pirate hats for everyone, too. “Even the staff was wearing pirate hats, and some were wearing Captain Hook hooks,” she says. Balloons floated on golden garland, gold skull-andbones plates marked the place settings, and a trove of stylish desserts tempted guests. “When we play with a theme, we really go after it,” Kertzner says.
PHOTOS: ROWA LEE PHOTOGRAPHY
Planning and Event Styling: Little Miss Party Venue: Maman Tribeca Desserts: Making That Cake Entertainment: Hipster Baby Music Photography: Rowa Lee Photography
44 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
PHOTOS: LAUREL CREATIVE
s’more the merrier It took Andrea Pion eight Christmas trees to turn her Brooklyn backyard into the forested celebration she dubbed “Camp Pierre.” The June birthday of her twin boys, Parker, right, and Preston, falls around the official start of summer, she says, “and I thought going to camp was the perfect way to kick off the summer.” Pion, who runs the lifestyle blog A Slice O’ Pi, ordered yards of buffalo plaid fabric online for tablecloths, and little details like vintage squeeze bottles and glass soda bottles added to the classic vibe. Some subtle costuming helped, too: “My husband and I wore hiking boots, and he wore high socks with them,” Pion says. “We called him ‘the head camp counselor.’ ” Planning and Event Styling: A Slice O’ Pi Photography: Laurel Creative Desserts: Frosted Peaks Bakery
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A Z Guide to
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AtoZ Guide
Pregnancy
Take It Easier Consider these three pain-relief options as you plan for birth WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
IT’S ONE OF the big questions for birth plans: “Do you want an epidural?” But there are plenty of other ways to make those contractions more bearable. We asked two experts — Ann Schaeffer, D.N.P., C.N.M., a midwife in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and a consultant for the American College of Nurse-Midwives, and Rebecca Dekker, Ph.D., R.N., the founder of Evidence Based Birth, an organization that works to make research about birth accessible — to weigh in on three options that might be less familiar to laboring moms. NITROUS OXIDE
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is becoming more common again, Schaeffer says. (It was widespread in the ’70s and ’80s but fell out of vogue, she says.) It’s inhaled as a blend with oxygen. Mom controls the mask and holds it to her face as needed. The downside? “It has a very, very short window of effectiveness,” Schaeffer says. Breathe in for relief, breathe out, and it’s gone. Nitrous oxide promotes a feeling of calm, making it more of an anxiety easer than a pain reliever. “The intent is
not so much to relieve pain but to help you cope,” Dekker says, adding that it usually isn’t the first thing moms reach for in labor — but it can help them get through the end. STERILE WATER INJECTIONS
This is exactly as it sounds: sterile water injected into points in the back. The method is “a little old-school,” Schaeffer says. It’s usually administered in four spots, and “it can be pretty painful while you get it placed,” Schaeffer warns. It offers relief through the “diffuse noxious inhibitory control” method, or “deliberately causing an unpleasant sensation to increase your comfort,” Dekker says. In other words, the injections trigger the brain to release its own pain-relieving hormones (endorphins). Research shows the injections take effect quickly — within a minute or two, Dekker says — and can last up to two hours. Since the injections are only water, you can safely repeat them. TENS UNIT
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, is a fancy way of saying
a low voltage back treatment. The sensation is “prickly,” Schaeffer says, and moms control the intensity. It’s noninvasive and safe, but Dekker says it takes time to kick in: One study showed it took laboring moms about two to four hours to feel relief. That’s because researchers think it partly relieves pain by the “gate control” method, which means your brain can only receive so many sensations at once. So, the added sensation helps prevent moms from feeling contractions. Hospitals may have TENS units, but you can buy them for as little as $30. “It’s something you can do at home, or in the hospital, or even while driving to the hospital,” Dekker says. Ultimately, these things are all part of what Schaeffer calls a toolbox of pain relief methods: “Ideally, when we have someone in labor, we are able to give them a few options.” And Dekker says that research shows that the best way to manage labor pain is to combine pain relief options. “You can’t just slap a TENS unit on someone and say, ‘Here you go; have a great labor!’ ” Dekker says. “You have to also include other comfort measures.”
52 baby and beyond 2020–2021
PHOTO: ISTOCK
A Labor Revolution TENS units, nitrous oxide, and sterile water injections might sound foreign to many American moms-to-be, but not to midwives and laboring mothers in the United Kingdom. “They’re all extremely common in England,” says Rebecca Dekker, the founder of Evidence Based Birth. Why is that? “It’s more of a reflection of the medical management model in the U.S.,” Dekker says, “whereas in the U.K., most women are cared for by midwives.”
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AtoZ Guide
Infant Fever 101
Add these five nurse favorites to your medicine cabinet to prep for when your child gets sick WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
REGARDLESS OF HOW VIGILANTLY
you wield that hand sanitizer, at some point, your child is going to come down with a bug. (Sorry, parents!) So what do you need to be prepared for when sickness strikes at 2 a.m.? We spoke with Jennifer Walker, R.N., B.S.N., an Atlanta-based pediatric nurse with more than 28 years of experience and the co-author of the Moms on Call book series, to ask the veteran mom of three to share a few of her favorite medicine cabinet essentials. FEVERALL
This is one thing Walker says she’s sent many parents out to get in the middle of the night. “It’s Tylenol in a suppository form,” she says. “When kids get sick, they won’t be able to hold down fluids very well, so this is one way to get the medicine in.” PEDIALYTE
Keep a rehydration drink or two, such as Pedialyte, on hand, especially if your little one is vomiting. It’s not exactly tasty, so a regular sports drink can be OK, too. “The most important thing is that we hydrate them,” Walker says. But avoid caffeine (including soda!), which can act as a diuretic. Reach for water or breast milk instead.
54 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
PEACHES IN HEAVY SYRUP
This pantry staple is comparable to Emetrol, a sugary over-the-counter syrup used to treat nausea, Walker says. Give your child a teaspoon or two of peach syrup (it helps coat the stomach so they are more likely to take fluids, she says) and wait 10 to 15 minutes before offering something to drink. “It’s natural and easy to have on hand,” Walker says. LOCKING MEDICINE BAG
A stocked on-the-go kit is smart, especially if you’re dropping your child off with family or a sitter. One that locks — so older children can’t access it — is ideal. “So many kids’ medicines taste pretty good,” Walker says, so a locked kit removes the risk of a child guzzling down any on their own. INFO CARD
In your on-the-go kit, keep an index card listing your pediatrician’s phone number, the Poison Control number, and any allergies or medical diagnoses your child has. “We need to recognize that we as parents may not always be the one with the child when they are sick,” Walker says. “It’s essential to identify things that we may not always think to share.” It’s also nice to have at home, Walker says, so if you’re panicking, you have clear information in front of you.
PHOTO: ISTOCK
You’ve Got This!
The younger your child is, the more important it is to get a correct temperature reading. There are heaps of ways out there to do it, from swiping gadgets across foreheads to sticking them in ears, under tongues, or in armpits. But pediatric nurse and author Jennifer Walker says a rectal thermometer is parents’ best bet for an accurate temperature reading. (Research agrees: A 2015 analysis of 75 studies comparing the accuracy of temperatures taken with a variety of thermometers found that rectal readings are the most accurate, aside from intravenous readings.) A fever over 100.4 degrees in a child who’s under 3 months is reason to seek medical care, Walker says. “That means if it’s 2 a.m., call the pediatrician — don’t give them Tylenol and wait until the next day.”
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AtoZ Guide
Todd ler Play With Your Food
This dietician’s strategies will help you handle picky eating WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
TRAPPED IN A VICIOUS cycle of chicken nuggets and crackers? Or maybe you don’t want broccoli to become a battle zone. Setting your child up for maximum success at mealtime doesn’t have to be a stressful, exhausting process, says Jennifer Anderson, R.D.N., M.S.P.H., the registered dietitian and mom behind the website Kids Eat in Color, which promotes healthy eating habits in children. It starts with regular food. “There is this idea that there is ‘kid food.’ In reality, there is food, and there is nonfood,” Anderson says. What kids really need, she says, is food that’s developmentally appropriate — meaning pureed, chopped, or sliced — for their age. Create balanced meals for your child, but also offer them something they like. She uses Goldfish crackers as an example: If you serve a few with a meal, they
56 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
Snack Smartly Dietitian Jennifer Anderson uses this basic formula for snacks: fat + protein + fruit + veggie = healthy snack. Here are some sample combos. • Ground nuts + applesauce + cucumbers • Hummus + broccoli + blueberries + crackers • Cheese + date-nut balls + watermelon + carrots • Plain yogurt + pomegranate seeds + clementines
PHOTOS: ISTOCK (LEFT AND BOTTOM RIGHT); COURTESY KIDS EAT INC OLOR (TOP RIGHT)
Tasting Success
become less exciting and kids are not motivated to wait for snack time. It’s also important to model eating balanced meals. Carve out time as often as you can to enjoy meals together (think family dinners or breakfast every morning), and set a meal and snack schedule so your child knows when food is coming. “It’s OK for kids to be hungry for an hour,” Anderson says. Serve as much variety as you can, because repeated exposure to new foods, flavors, and textures helps kids develop a broad palate. (Not all picky eating is avoidable, because of things like genetics, sensory issues, or anxiety, Anderson says.) Just try to keep mealtime free of pressure. Research shows that using such authoritarian tactics as insisting your kids have to eat every last bite on their plate isn’t beneficial, Anderson says. Taking a relaxed stance often diffuses trouble before it even starts. “When your kid doesn’t want to eat something, and you say they don’t have to, where does the battle go from there? You don’t have a fight,” she says. Instead, Anderson urges parents to focus on putting balanced meals on the table: “It’s going to be a lot more motivating to you than trying to control something like your child’s appetite.” That way, you can rejoice in your victory — healthy options — and when your child tries a new food, that’s their win.
One cute thing — think colored silicone muffin cups or fun food picks (for ages 3 and up) — can make a world of difference to a picky eater. “It piques their interest,” says dietitian Jennifer Anderson of the website Kids Eat in Color. That might be all the encouragement they need to try a taste. Cutouts can add appeal, too. Anderson says she once swore she would never cut a sandwich into a shape. Then she had a child who didn’t eat much and wasn’t gaining weight. “Guess what I started to do?” she says. “Getting a set of mini-cookie cutters is such a big win for so many kids.” They don’t have to take much time, either, she says: Twenty seconds is about all you need for cutouts.
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AtoZ Guide
When to Start?
Finding the Right Fit Montessori programs encourage little ones to learn at their own pace. But is that approach a smart choice for your child? WRITTEN BY BETH LUBERECKI
STEP INTO A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM — they
seem to be popping up all over the country — and you’ll notice children getting hands-on with whatever subject they’re exploring. Using an array of learning materials prepared by their teacher, some kids might be working independently on a counting exercise, and others might be gathered in a group to solve a puzzle. Items on low shelves give kids easy access to their choice of activity, which they can spend as much time on as they would like. Instead of sitting at a desk and leading a group lesson, the teacher supervises the flow of differentiated learning and offers guidance as needed. Montessori child care centers and preschools follow this hands-on, child-directed method of education
58 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
The earlier a child starts a Montessori education, the better, advocates say. Sue Hansen, who leads a Montessori school in Atlanta, prefers that parents enroll children as infants or toddlers. “The older we get the child, the harder it becomes to bring them to Montessori, because they’re not used to the freedom,” she says. A younger starting age can also be better from a developmental standpoint. “The brain develops most rapidly between birth and age 3, and the second most rapid development is from 3 to 6,” says Erin Conway, who runs a Montessori school in Pennsylvania. “When you think about it, it’s absurd that in our country we start formal education at age 5, right before the rapid period of brain development slows down.”
developed by Dr. Maria Montessori around the turn of the 20th century. Classrooms are in three-year age groupings (e.g., 0 to 3) where kids can develop in their own time frame. The approach stresses independence and self-direction, advocates say. “No two children have to be learning at the exact same time at the exact same pace,” says Erin Conway, who leads the Montessori Cottage in Fallsington, Pennsylvania, and co-founded the Pennsylvania Montessori Alliance. “Maria Montessori found that children innately know what they’re ready to learn when they’re ready to learn it. So, we observe children, look for clues as to what they’re ready for, and find ways to foster those skills.” If a teacher sees that a child is ready for a lesson on a new topic, they can offer that. Montessori classrooms emphasize respect and acceptance, and teachers help students feel comfortable exploring a range of subject matter in ways that work best for each child. The spectrum of ages in each classroom means students also learn from their interactions with each other. “The mixed ages is pretty magical,” says Sue Hansen, school leader at Endeavor Montessori in Atlanta. “It allows the older children opportunities for leadership, and for the younger children, there are a lot of role models to learn from.” The Montessori name isn’t trademarked, so any preschool can claim a tie. To make sure you’re getting the real deal, look for schools affiliated with the American Montessori Society or the Association Montessori Internationale. A Montessori program can be a good fit for almost any child. What’s more important, Conway says, is that parents fully buy into the Montessori philosophy of letting the child be as independent as possible. “Parents need to value more than just academics; Montessori is about teaching the whole child,” she says. “So, parents need to look at themselves even more than at their child.”
PHOTO: ISTOCK
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Brush Up On the Basics Your cherub might only have two teeth by 12 months, but that precious grin still needs proper TLC — including regular brushing twice a day, experts say. Here are a few tips from Dr. Kevin Donly, the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, to keep those little teeth healthy.
Parents, it’s OK to let your child thumb-suck or use a paci for longer than you might think WRITTEN BY MORGAN VOIGT
BINKY, PACI, WUBBANUB: There’s no shortage of words to describe those soothing little suckers. But at some point, whether your youngster prefers a pacifier or a thumb, that self-soothing habit quickly turns from blissful to stressful for many parents. But are pacifiers or thumb-sucking really all that bad? “Parents are a little more worried about it than I am,” says Dr. Kevin Donly, the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Fingers or pacifiers don’t usually affect tooth development, he says, but they can affect tooth positioning. And there’s a lot of data out there on pacifier use and
60 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
Stay involved: You might be surprised at how long you need to actively manage your child’s brushing. “I’ve had parents come tell me their 3-year-olds can brush great, so they let them do it on their own,” Donly says. But your toddler probably doesn’t brush those teeth well at all. (Sorry, parents!) He recommends letting kids practice brushing their own teeth first, but that parents take over and brush thoroughly after, up until kids are age 5 or 6. Skip this: One thing Donly doesn’t recommend for kids? Flavored rinses and mouthwashes. “They are really effective, but we are worried they will swallow instead of spit,” he says.
PHOTO: ISTOCK
Calm Together
thumb-sucking, but it’s hard to draw a conclusion on how much of an effect those habits can have. That’s because youngsters use them differently. “All kids suck at a different power rate,” Donly explains. One child might, say, use a pacifier more as a placeholder, while another might really use it with great force. Donly says he doesn’t get concerned until kids reach age 5, thanks to baby teeth, which will fall out anyway, so their positioning is less concerning. But, he warns, once those front teeth are gone (likely after age 7), prolonged sucking can cause bigger issues in permanent teeth that are more difficult to correct. And if you really want to encourage your little one to kick the habit, Donly says not to reach for anything spicy, like Tabasco, to put on your child’s thumb. “When you wake up in the morning, you rub your eyes,” Donley says. “When you get that in your eyes, it really hurts like the devil. So we don’t encourage that.” Still uncomfortable with how long that paci is lingering? Take heart, parents. “Ninety-nine percent of kids stop by age 5,” Donly says. Why? That’s when they usually start grade school, he says. “Peer pressure is a rough thing.”
Start early: The AAPD recommends finding a “dental home” for your child by age 1. “People say, ‘Kids don’t have cavities that early.’ Exactly! You go in for immunizations to keep them from getting disease — so we want to see them before they have cavities,” Donly says.
AtoZ Guide
Education ments are really five-step directions.” Foster this ability by setting your child up for success while they learn. “For sequencing a task like getting dressed, if you lay out all of their clothes, can they do it?” says Karen Harpster, an occupational therapist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “And if they can’t, maybe lay out one thing at time.” ENGAGING IN PRETEND PLAY. Parents
Who’s All Set for Preschool? Experts share key milestones your child should reach near age 3 WRITTEN BY BETH LUBERECKI
GREAT PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION COMPLETE? Check. Adorable little
backpack for your kiddo? Check. But is your child actually ready for preschool? We talked with some experts about key cognitive milestones children should reach around the time they turn 3 and head to preschool — and what parents can do to help their little ones develop those skills related to thinking, learning, and problem-solving.
SEQUENCING A TASK. By this age, children should be able to follow simple two- or three-step instructions. “That’s something like, ‘Get your cup and come to the table,’ ” says Victoria Carr, a professor of early childhood education and human development at the University of Cincinnati. “But parents need to be cognizant of the kind of directions that they give children. They sometimes don’t realize that some general state-
should be seeing some complexity in their child’s play by this point, Harpster says. “Are they making things up? Are they sequencing things together?” she says. “Play can tell you a lot.” Children need to be given ample opportunity to develop this skill. “The No. 1 thing is to take them off the screen,” says Allie Ticktin, an occupational therapist and founder of play-based learning center Play 2 Progress in Los Angeles. “I get a lot of kids who don’t know how to play because they’ve always been given toys that aren’t open-ended. I like the wood-type toys that give them a lot of space for imagination.” A BASIC ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE, REMEMBER, AND COMPARE COLORS, SIZES, ETC. This means they can do a
simple puzzle with basic shape pieces or name their favorite colors. “They can start to sort things by big, small, colors, or shapes,” Carr says. “By the time they get to preschool, they should be able to do a few of these kinds of things.” Working on this skill with your child should be fun, whether you’re reading with them or building a tower out of blocks. “It’s not that you have to sit down and teach your child to do this,” Carr says. “It should all be done in the form of play.”
PHOTO: TK ISTOCK
When should parents be concerned that their child might be missing important milestones? Start by practicing a skill with your child at home. If you’ve been working on it a lot at home and not seeing any improvement, then it’s time to seek help, says Karen Harpster, an occupational therapist in Cincinnati. Have a conversation with your child’s pediatrician and explain your concerns. Your doctor may recommend an evaluation by your county’s early intervention program to determine if your child is experiencing any developmental delays. The assessment is free and will determine if your child qualifies for such services as speech therapy or occupational therapy.
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 61
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TheList CHILDCARE & EDUCATION 63 MEDICAL CARE 76 PARTY PLACES 77 RESOURCES 78
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ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS ACSI Association of Christian Schools International AMS American Montessori Society AWSNA Association of Waldorf Schools of North America CMS Cincinnati Montessori Society COGNIA Created by the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress in 2019 CPS Cincinnati Public Schools IMC International Montessori Council ISACS Independent Schools Association of the Central States MESA Mercy Education System of the Americas NAC National Accreditation Commission
NAEYC National Association for the Education of Young Children NAIS National Association of Independent Schools NLSA National Lutheran School Accreditation OAIS Ohio Association of Independent Schools OCSAA Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association ODE Ohio Department of Education OELDS Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards PEJE Partnership For Excellence in Jewish Education RAVSAK Jewish Community Day School Network SWOAEYC Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children WECAN Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America
Childcare & Education
DOWNTOWN
When you need childcare or early education, the Cincinnati region offers many top-notch facilities. Our list is just a sampling. Some of these schools provide additional programs; however, our list is tailored to include information up to preschool age. Unless otherwise specified, the cost shown is yearly. Every effort has been made to verify the information listed here, however, due to the changing nature of the response to COVID-19, we encourage you to call or e-mail these providers for more information.
CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (CHCA) OTTO ARMLEDER CAMPUS 140 W. NINTH ST., DOWNTOWN, (513) 721-2422, CHCA-OH.ORG CHCA is
a vibrant, caring, and informed community dedicated to each child’s academic, social, and spiritual development, building an unshakeable foundation for lifelong learning and faith. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 26, waiting list Hours: 8 am–2:45 pm Extended care: 3–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Christian; Thematic Units with Responsive Classroom Approach, an approach inspired by the Reggio-Emilia philosophy Meals: Hot lunches available Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 ages 3–4, 7:1 ages 4–5 Awards or designations: ISACS accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $11,800
PEASLEE EARLY LEARNING CENTER/ CHILDREN, INC. 215 E. 14TH ST., OVER-THERHINE, (513) 381-2378, CHILDRENINC.ORG Serving
young families and children in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine and surrounding areas, Peaslee is dedicated to helping families who work or attend school achieve success through innovative educational excellence as their children move toward kindergarten readiness. Various enrichment activities are available to the
children and their families through partnership with the Peaslee Neighborhood Center. Peaslee offers compassionate family support and utilizes collective community leadership to bring cutting-edge best practices to the community. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 42, waiting list Hours: Mon–Fri, 7 am–5 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Constructivist, Creative Curriculum, alignment with OELDS Meals: USDA-approved, nutritionally balanced
breakfast, lunch, and snack Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants and toddlers, 10:1 preschool Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: Contract with Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services for subsidized childcare and parents pay assigned co-pay; $250/ week for infants, $210/ week for toddlers, $170/ week for preschool without tuition assistance
UPTOWN/ CENTRAL ARLITT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER 47 CORRY BLVD., CLIFTON, (513) 556-3802, ARLITT CHILDDEVELOPMENTCEN TER.COM In thoughtfully
designed classrooms with various learning centers, Arlitt offers several opportunities for children to explore materials to construct and extend their knowledge. Arlitt is one of the most culturally diverse and inclusive preschools in the country, and is
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childcare & education one of two preschools in the area with a nature playscape. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 119, call for information Hours: Mon–Thurs, 8:15–11:45 am or 12:45–4:15 pm; or full day Mon–Fri, 7:45 am–5:15 pm Style of teaching: Constructivist Meals: Nutritionally balanced snacks and lunch, breakfast available Child/teacher ratio: 10:1 Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited; 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $4,737–$10,488 THE CHILDREN’S HOME 5014 MADISON RD., MADISONVILLE, (513) 272-2800, THECHILDRENSHOMECINTI. ORG/PAGE/PRESCHOOL
With a 40-acre campus featuring walking trails and a water play area, The Children’s Home maintains family-orient-
ed spaces to provide a nurturing environment, ensuring comfort and a foundation for success. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 40, spots available Hours: 7 am–6 pm Extended care: No Style of teaching: Teaching Family model Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack provided Child/ teacher ratio: 10:1 Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Accepts childcare vouchers through Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services, Preschool Promise CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER (CELC): FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER/EPA
nationally accredited United Way agency managing seven childcare centers in the Greater Cincinnati region. By partnering with the family and providing low child-to-staff ratios, CELC offers a high-quality early learning experience. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 42; waiting list for infants and toddlers is 6–12 months, preschool classes 3 months Hours: 6:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Developmental and constructivist approach Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks Child/teacher ratio: 3:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 10:1 preschool Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $200–$285/week
123 W. NIXON ST., CLIFTON, (513) 487-2730, CELCINC. ORG CELC is a nonprofit,
EDUCATION FA ITH COMMUNITY
Learn more about the Villa! • Toddler through Junior High • Unique 22-acre Mt. Lookout campus • Co-ed Independent Catholic
More info at stursulavilla.org 64 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
COUNTRY HILLS MONTESSORI
HYDE PARK PLAY SCHOOL
4900 BABSON PLACE, OAKLEY, (513) 271-2808, CHMSCHOOLS.COM/OAKLEY
3846 DRAKE AVE., HYDE PARK, (513) 631-2095, THEHYDEPARKPLAYSCHOOL. COM Degreed staff in a se-
Country Hills Montessori has seven locations in the Greater Cincinnati area, each within healthcare centers to facilitate intergenerational learning, promoting inclusiveness and collaboration across generations. Other locations: West Chester, Eastgate, Montgomery, Harrison, Springboro, and Ft. Thomas. Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 15, spots available Hours: Half-day and full-day options available Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Snacks provided, parents pack lunch for extended program Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 or lower Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $5,860–$6,890
cure residential area foster creative and educational experiences, including introductions to Spanish, signing, yoga, computers, and on-site field trips. Ages: Infant, toddler, preschool Capacity: 163, waiting list Hours: Mon– Fri, 6:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Traditional Meals: Morning and afternoon snacks, hot lunch Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 5:1 toddlers, 10:1 preschool Awards or designations: Member of NAEYC and SWOAEYC Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $270/week preschool, $219/week toddlers, $329/week infants
KENNEDY HEIGHTS MONTESSORI CENTER (KHMC) 6620 MONTGOMERY RD., KENNEDY HEIGHTS, (513) 631-8135, KENNEDY HEIGHTSMONTESSORI.ORG
KHMC is a not-for-profit parent cooperative school teaching respect, peace, relationships, honesty, and compassion to an economically and racially diverse student body. Ages: 2–6 Capacity: 92 Hours: Morning and afternoon classes Mon–Fri, 3 hours Extended care: 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Morning and afternoon snacks, hot lunch Child/teacher ratio: 10:1 Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality; United Way agency partner Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Tiered income scale, half-day program $514–$647/month, full-
childcare & education day program $1,085– $1,441/month; accepts daycare vouchers, United Way scholarships, and Preschool Promise
Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $175–$300/week
LEARNING GROVE, EAST WALNUT HILLS
MERCY MONTESSORI
1301 E. MCMILLAN ST., EAST WALNUT HILLS, (513) 961-2696, LEARNING-GROVE. ORG CELC is a nonprofit
United Way agency managing seven Learning Grove childcare centers in the Greater Cincinnati region. By partnering with the family and providing low child-to-staff ratios, CELC offers a high-quality early learning experience. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 88, waiting list Hours: Mon–Fri, 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Developmental and constructivist approach Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks Child/teacher ratio: 3:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 10:1 preschool
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2335 GRANDVIEW AVE., EAST WALNUT HILLS, (513) 4756700, MERCYMONTESSORI. ORG Mercy Montessori is
a private, independent, Catholic Montessori school that builds on a child’s innate instinct to learn through one’s senses, to help each child fall in love with learning at the child’s own pace. Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 96, waiting list for some classes Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30–3:15 Extended care: 7:50 am–5:45 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Morning and afternoon snacks provided by families, hot lunch available Child/ teacher ratio: 15:1 Awards or designations:
Accredited by OCSAA and ODE, AMS full member, Top Workplace three years in a row, Sisters of Mercy MESA affiliated Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: Sliding scale, $2,915–$14,411, financial aid available THE NEW SCHOOL MONTESSORI 3 BURTON WOODS LANE, NORTH AVONDALE, (513) 281-7999, NEWSCHOOLMON TESSORI.COM Centrally
located, the historic Mitchell Mansion provides the backdrop for a holistic education. Surrounded by wooded play yards and gardens, students benefit from a nurturing environment where Montessori-credentialed staff support high academic and personal achievement. Ages: 3–12 Capacity: 56 Hours: Part-time, 7:30 am–1 pm;
full-time, 7:30 am–3 pm Extended care: Until 6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Healthy chef-prepared lunch with vegetarian options, extended-day snack, included in tuition cost Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 ages 3–6, 10:1 ages 6–12 Awards or designations: AMS and ISACS accreditation Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $6,250– $13,000 yearly PLEASANT RIDGE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL 5950 MONTGOMERY RD., PLEASANT RIDGE, (513) 631-0170, PRPC.ORG/PRE SCHOOL.PHP PRPPS is an
early childhood education program designed to enhance each child’s growth in developmentally appropriate ways. Teachers respect each child’s
different gifts and learning styles and emphasize active learning experiences. Ages: 2½–5 Capacity: 60 (50 this year due to COVID-19) Hours: 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-day programs, 9 am–12 pm or 12:30–3:30 pm Extended care: Early drop off 8:30 am, offers lunch and learn program 12–1:30 pm Tues–Fri Style of teaching: Constructivist and Christian Meals: Snack Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 toddlers, 8:1 preschool, 10:1 pre-K Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $1,710– $2,610 with Preschool Promise, Early Childhood Education grants THE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL HILLSDALE CAMPUS: 5400 RED BANK RD., MADISON-
VILLE; DOHERTY CAMPUS: 2726 JOHNSTONE PLACE, EAST WALNUT HILLS, (513) 728-2400, 7HILLS.ORG
Through a combination of research-based planning, close observation of each child’s needs, and years of experience at the Early Childhood level, Seven Hills’ expert teachers have established an early learning program that guides curious children through new experiences—forming foundations for lifelong learning. In addition to this child-centered orientation to teaching, Seven Hills Early Childhood students take regular classes in Spanish, drama, library, physical education, and music. Ages: 2–6 Capacity: 180 (both campuses) Hours: Halfday and full-day options, 3-day and 5-day options; 8:30–11:30 am, 8:30 am–1 pm, 8:30 am–3:15 pm Extended care:
Voted Best Private School 2020 by City Beat Magazine Readers
Discover NatureTots
A joyful and gentle bridge-to-preschool class for children 16 months to 3 years and their parent/caregiver.
6743 Chestnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45227
Parent & Child | Preschool Grade School | High School cincinnatiwaldorfschool.org • 513.541.0220 cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 65
childcare & education ALL ABOUT KIDS MASON 6060 RADIO WAY, MASON, (513) 486-1870, ALLABOUTKIDSLCMASON. COM All About Kids aims
7:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Experiential, child-centered Meals: Lunch and snack includes healthy, age-appropriate options such as whole grains, organic milk, fresh whole fruits Child/ teacher ratio: 10:1 Awards or designations: NAIS, ISACS, OAIS, State of Ohio Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $7,200–$18,420 THE SUMMIT COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 2161 GRANDIN RD., HYDE PARK, (513) 871-4700, SUMMITCDS.ORG A private,
Catholic, and independent school, The Summit’s Montessori program fosters a child’s independence, understanding, and academic achievement through observation, preparation, and support of individual liberty. Ages: 18 months–6 years Capacity: More than 250 children in Montessori program, including kindergarten; rolling admission based on availability Hours: Half-day and fullday options, 3-day and 5-day options; 8:15–11:05 am, 12:15–3:05 pm, 8:15 am–3:05 pm Extended care: 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Lunch available for students ages 3–6
Child/teacher ratio: For 2020–2021 only due to COVID-19: 6:1 ages 18 months–3 years, 9:1 ages 3–6; for 2021 onwards: 5:1 ages 18 months–3 years, 12:1 ages 3–6 Awards or designations: Celebrating over 55 years of Montessori education; AMS-certified teachers; Montessori toddler program includes Spanish, Orff Music, large muscle rooms, and outdoor-dedicated playground and learning areas. Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $4,780–$17,265 depending on program
menu that varies quarterly, including fruits and vegetables; also offers breakfast and snacks Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 5:1 toddlers, 10:1 preschool, 15:1 schoolaged children Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited since 1993; 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $210 (preschooler)–$296 (infant)/ week; discounted rates for UC students and employees
UC EARLY LEARNING CENTER (ELC)
2651 HIGHLAND AVE., CLIFTON, (513) 281-8733, THEWILLOWTREEHOUSE. COM An independent-
3310 RUTHER AVE., CLIFTON, (513) 961-2825, UC.EDU/ELC
Serving UC and the community, ELC focuses on the physical and cognitive development of children through self-directed play. Planned environments expose children to math, literacy, art, music, and science. Ages: 3 months–5 years (and ages 5–8 summertime) Capacity: 149; waiting list, typically 1 year for children under 3 Hours: Mon–Fri, 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Constructivist Meals: Catered lunch with full
66 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
THE WILLOW TREE HOUSE DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL
ly-owned-and-operated daycare and preschool, Willow Tree House offers an academic all-day preschool setting utilizing creativism curriculum and low child/teacher ratios. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years; up to age 12 for after-school program Capacity: 68, spots available Hours: 6:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Creativism curriculum Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided Child/teacher ratio: 7:1 toddlers, 8:1 preschool Enrolls students with
disabilities: Case by case Cost: $168–$240/ week XAVIER UNIVERSITY MONTESSORI LAB SCHOOL 3800 VICTORY PKWY., EVANSTON, (513) 745-3402, XAVIER.EDU/MONTESSORI
Established in 1966, the Lab School educates children from many cultures and diverse communities, using a rich curriculum based on methods and philosophy of the Montessori Teacher Education Program. Ages: 3–12 Capacity: 56, waiting list Hours: Mon–Fri, 9 am–12 pm, multiage groupings; all-day kindergarten 9 am–3 pm except Friday afternoons Extended care: 12–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Both school and parents provide healthy, nutritious snacks; nut-free environment Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 Awards or designations: AMS elementary certification, fully affiliated member of AMS since 1968, early childhood classrooms led by two certified Montessori teachers with master’s degrees Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $5,400–$7,756
to provide the safest environment possible with a loving and caring approach to teaching. Their goal is to provide the child with the highest level of education possible to prepare them for school. Ages: 6 weeks–12 years Capacity: 190 Hours: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Creative curriculum Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snack Child/teacher ratio: 5:1 infants, 7:1 18 months–2 years, 8:1 2–3 year olds, 12:1 3–4 year olds, 14:1 preschool Awards or designations: State-certified Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $200–$300/week BLUE ASH EDUCATIONAL BUILDING 10149 KENWOOD RD., BLUE ASH, (513) 891-1723, BLUEASHCHILDCARE. COM Children of all ages
enjoy 11,000 square feet of indoor space and seven acres of outdoor play areas, including a Discovery Forest and Children’s Garden. Staff has combined 377 years of experience at this location. Ages: 6 weeks–K, up to age 10 for before- and after-school care Capacity: 334; waiting list for ages 6 months–2 years, spots available for others Hours: 6 am–6:45 pm Extended care: Beforeand after-school care available for school-aged kids Style of teaching: NAEYC-aligned, follows Erik Erikson’s theories of psychosocial development Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks include fresh fruit and vegetables, whole wheat or whole grain pastas and breads Child/teacher ratio: Follows state ratios Awards or designations:
Hamilton County Public Health Department Clean Kitchen Award since 2011, fully compliant with ODE, advanced level in Ohio’s Drug Free Safety Program Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Up to $294/ week THE CAMPUS AT KIDS FIRST 7900 E. KEMPER RD., SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, (513) 629-5437, THECAMPUSKF. COM Along with indoor
and outdoor discovery and fun, children of all ages participate in physical education classes every day to help instill a healthy fitness habit and mindbody connections. Ages: 6 weeks–K Capacity: 85, waiting list Hours: 6:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Emergent curriculum with themed study units Meals: All meals included Child/ teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 7:1 toddlers, 8:1 early pre-school, 12:1 pre-school, 14:1 pre-K, 18:1 kindergarten Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $141–$394/week CENTRAL MONTESSORI ACADEMY 1904 SPRINGDALE RD., SPRINGFIELD TWP., (513) 742-5800, CENTRALMONT ESSORIACADEMY.COM
CMA offers an integrated curriculum plus an education of the heart, nurturing each child’s self-confidence, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. This authentic Montessori experience includes self-correcting materials and a natural playground. Ages: 18 months–grade 6 Capacity: 115, spots available Hours: Mixedage classes 3, 4, or 5 days a week; half-day mornings 8:30 am–1 pm, full day 8:30 am–4 pm Extended care: 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Nutritious snacks, parents provide lunch Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 toddlers, 12:1 ages 3–6, 15:1 ages 6–12 Awards or
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NORTH
childcare & educatio designations: Member of OAIS, AMS, and CMS Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $5,190–$10,700 CHAI TOTS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 7587 CENTRAL PARKE BLVD., MASON, (513) 234-0600, CHAITOTS.COM The first
Jewish Montessori program in Ohio, Chai Tots provides small, family-like classes that encourage inquisitiveness and self-expression so children can feel comfortable exploring and learning. Ages: 6 weeks–6 years Capacity: 50; waiting list for all ages available in January Hours: 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-day programs, partial day 9–noon, 1–3:30 pm, 9 am –12:15 pm, 12:15–5:30 pm; and full day 8 am–5:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Parents provide lunch, Chai Tots provides snack in the morning Child/teacher ratio: 3:1 infants, 5:1 toddlers and preschool Awards or designations: Member of IMC Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Varies CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN COUGAR CUBS PRESCHOOL 7350 DIXIE HWY., FAIRFIELD, (513) 874-8500, CINCINN ATICHRISTIAN.ORG CCS
is a nondenominational, independent Christian school with flexible class options. Teachers follow a Houghton-Mifflin curriculum with thematic units, plus include weekly Bible lessons. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 24 preschool and Transitional Kindergarten; no spots available Hours: Preschool Tues and Thurs, 8:15–11:45 am (optional full-day program with enrichment until 3:15 p.m.); Transitional Kindergarten Mon, Wed, and Fri or Mon–Fri, 8:15–11:45 am or 11:45 am–3:15 pm Extended care: 3:15–6 pm Style of teaching: Christian-based with traditional approach
utilizing some Montessori elements Meals: Hot lunch and nutritious snacks available for full-time students Child/ teacher ratio: 12:1 Tues and Thurs, 14:1 or less Mon, Wed, and Fri Awards or designations: Cognia accredited, ACSI, licensed by ODE Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Preschool: $1,956–$4,668, Transitional Kindergarten: $2,280–$8,796 CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (CHCA) SYMMES TOWNSHIP CAMPUS BLAKE LINDNER THOMPSON EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER, 11312 SNIDER RD., SYMMES TWP., (513) 247-0900, CHCA-OH. ORG For our youngest
learners, CHCA is a vibrant and caring learning family where your child will be celebrated as a unique gift from God. Combining the best practices in early childhood education with the latest research on brain development and an approach inspired by the Reggio-Emilia philosophy, children explore, discover, question, observe, and construct meaning through a hands-on, project-based curriculum. Ages: 2–4 Capacity: 114 Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 am–11:45 am, 8:30 am–3 pm, or 8:30 am–6 pm; early arrival available Extended care: 7–8:30 am Style of teaching: Christian; Thematic Units with Responsive Classroom Approach, an approach inspired by the Reggio-Emilia philosophy Meals: Hot lunches available Child/ teacher ratio: PK2 7:1; PK3 12:1; PK4 14:1 Awards or designations: ISACS accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $3,450–$15,475 THE COMPASS SCHOOL 9370 WATERSTONE BLVD., DEERFIELD TWP., (513) 6838833, THECOMPASS SCHOOL.COM As partners
in learning, teachers follow
an emergent curriculum based on the children’s interests, allowing them to experience a particular interest in great detail and thus build an enthusiasm for knowledge. Ages: 6 weeks–6 years Capacity: 221; waiting list Hours: 2-, 3-, or 5-day programs, full or half days, infants full day only Extended care: Up to age 12, 6:30 am–6:30 pm Style of teaching: Reggio Emilia– inspired, project-based approach Meals: Morning and afternoon snacks, catered lunches Child/ teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 7:1 toddlers, 12:1 preschool Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $560–$1,495/month CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL 7600 PRINCETON-GLENDALE RD., LIBERTY TWP., (513) 874-7870, CORNER STONECHURCH.ORG/ PRESCHOOL CCP’s com-
mitted and experienced staff provide Christian education for children through a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Ages: 2½–5 Capacity: 240 Hours: 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-day classes, 9:30 am–12 pm or 12:45–3:15 pm Style of teaching: Child- and teacher-directed Meals: Snacks Child/ teacher ratio: 10:2 age 2½, 12:2 age 3, 14:2 age 4, 14:2 age 5 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $1,305–$2,025 CREATIVE TOTS 6408 THORNBERRY CT., MASON, (513) 770-6776, CREATIVETOTSMASON.COM; 7803 LAUREL AVE., MADEIRA, (513) 272-2223, CREATIVE TOTS.COM Balancing the
traditional and innovative, Creative Tots is a private, nine-month preschool program embracing the fine arts, following a child’s natural interests to inspire success and increased self-confidence. Ages: 18 months–5 years
Capacity: 66–120; in Mason, spots available; in Madeira, spots available in preschool prep afternoon classes (turns 3 by Dec. 31), waiting list for all other programs Hours: Madeira: toddler and preschool classes Mon–Fri 9–11:30 am, K-Prep Mon–Fri 12–2:30 pm; Mason: toddler, preschool, K-Prep, and Pre-K classes Mon–Fri, 9–11:30 am and 12–2:30 pm, or full day 9 am–2:30 pm Extended care: Madeira: No, Mason: Yes, enrichment programs including music, art, science lab, soccer, Spanish, dance, and yoga until 1 pm Style of teaching: Constructivist approach with Montessori activities, aligned with Howard Gardner’s approach to multiple intelligences; incorporates STEM education Meals: Parents provide lunch and snacks; allergy-safe facility Child/teacher ratio: Madeira: 6:1 toddlers, 6:1 preschool prep, 7:1 preschool, 6:1 K-Prep; Mason: 6:1 toddler, 8:1 preschool, 10:1 pre-K and K-Prep Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Madeira: $2,100–$11,000; Mason: $2,160–$11,000 CRÈME DE LA CRÈME PRESCHOOL 5324 NATORP BLVD., MASON, (513) 459-4300, CREMEDELACREME.COM With 10
centers throughout the nation, Crème offers a spacious learning center with separate novel enrichment rooms featuring unique programs such as music, theater, library, TV studio, and gym. Your child rotates activities throughout the day, balancing learning with movement. Ages: 6 weeks–6 years, up to 12 for after-care Capacity: 312, limited availability Hours: Half-day program 8:30 am–12:30 pm or full day Extended care: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Style of teaching: Team teaching, primary and enrichment teachers Meals: Well-balanced breakfast
and lunch prepared fresh daily; two snacks offered throughout the day, including a Travel Treat for the road Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, up to 15:1 kindergarten, always exceeds state guidelines Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $518–$1,597/ month THE GARDNER SCHOOL OF BLUE ASH 9920 CARVER RD., BLUE ASH, (513) 985-9444, THEGARDNERSCHOOL. COM This private school
offers a safe academic preschool experience where students focus, develop, practice, and reflect on developmentally appropriate activities, including infant sign language and computers for ages 3 and older. Ages: 6 weeks–6 years Capacity: 210, waiting list Hours: 7 am–6 pm Extended care: No Style of teaching: Traditional and Montessori blend Meals: Well-balanced lunch and two nutritious snacks daily Child/teacher ratio: 5:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 7:1 age 2, 12:1 age 3, 14:1 age 4 and up Awards or designations: Cincinnati Family Best of Parenting 2010–2011 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $285–$370/week GINGERBREAD ACADEMY 4215 MALSBARY RD., BLUE ASH, (513) 793-4122, GINGERBREADACADEMY. NET Through hands-on
learning experiences in a nurturing and enriching environment, children’s growth is fostered with benefiting the whole child in mind, especially promoting a positive self-concept. Ages: 6 weeks–K Capacity: 120; waiting list depending on age group Hours: Mon– Fri, 6:30 am–6 pm with open-door policy for drop off and pick up Style of teaching: Constructivist curriculum, aligned with OELC standards Meals: Tuition includes
lunch plus morning and afternoon snacks Child/teacher ratio: Follows state standards; additional staff includes full-time floaters to classrooms; 4:1 infants Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Approximately $250–$350/week THE GODDARD SCHOOL 754 READING RD., MASON, (513) 398-2777, GODDARD SCHOOL.COM/MASON-IOH
The Goddard School uses the most current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children have fun while learning the skills they need for longterm success in school and in life. The talented teachers also collaborate with parents to nurture children into respectful, confident, and joyful learners. Ages: 6 weeks–12 years Capacity: 180; preschool spots available, waiting list for toddlers Hours: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Piaget, playbased learning Meals: Morning and afternoon snack provided, catered lunch available for additional cost Child/ teacher ratio: Varies Awards or designations: Cognia accredited; 4 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes, as long as needs can be met Cost: Varies GOOD SHEPHERD NURSERY SCHOOL 7701 KENWOOD RD., KENWOOD, (513) 891-1733, GSNS. INFO Acting as a bridge
between home and school, GSNS offers concerned and experienced teachers who help encourage your child’s strengths and guide their overall development. Ages: 2½–5 Capacity: 180, contact for availability Hours: 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-day classes, 9–11:30 am or 12:30–3 pm Extended care: No Style of teaching: Christian-based Meals: Nutritious snack served
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childcare & education daily Child/teacher ratio: 12:1–18:1 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $140–$215/month JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL 8485 RIDGE RD., AMBERLEY VILLAGE, (513) 793-2122, MAYERSONJCC.ORG/CHILD CARE/JCC-EARLY-CHILD HOOD-SCHOOL The JCC
Early Childhood School provides a high-quality, age-appropriate Jewish and secular curriculum that encourages development, curiosity, imagination, and self-esteem. Childcare program is open to everyone regardless of race, religion, or ability and features a low child-teacher ratio. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 120 Hours: 5:30 am–7 pm Extended care: After-school program ages 5–12 Style of teaching: Creative
curriculum Meals: All meals and snacks served to students are kosher Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 10:1 young preschool, 12:1 older preschool Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $1,203–$1,495/month KIDDIE ACADEMY OF MASON 6202 SNIDER RD., MASON, (513) 234-0699, KIDDIEACADEMY.COM/ ACADEMIES/MASON
A national franchise, Kiddie Academy combines character education and standards-based learning curriculum, enabling children the opportunity to make decisions and explore at their own pace, empowering them to learn and grow. Kiddie Academy delivers STEM (Science, Technology,
68 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
Engineering, and Math) education throughout its Life Essentials, to nurture what’s naturally amazing in every child. Ages: 6 weeks–12 years Capacity: 186, spots available Hours: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Trademark Life Essentials program Meals: Family-style dining; food made on location Child/teacher ratio: 5:1 infants, 7:1 toddlers, 12:1 preschool, 18:1 school-age Awards or designations: 4 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $240–$307/week KIDDIE ACADEMY OF WEST CHESTER 8178 HIGHLAND POINTE DR., WEST CHESTER, (513) 8471145, KIDDIEACADEMY.COM/ ACADEMIES/WEST-CHESTER
A national franchise, Kiddie Academy combines
character education and standards-based learning curriculum, enabling children the opportunity to make decisions and explore at their own pace, empowering them to learn and grow. Kiddie Academy delivers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education throughout its Life Essentials, to nurture what’s naturally amazing in every child. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years (up to age 12 during summer and before and after school) Capacity: 183, spots available Hours: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Trademark Life Essentials program Meals: Family-style dining; food made on location Child/teacher ratio: 5:1 infants, 7:1 toddlers, 12:1 preschool, 18:1 school-age Awards or designations: 4 stars,
Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $247–$300/week KINDER GARDEN SCHOOL 10969 REED HARTMAN HWY., BLUE ASH, (513) 791-4300; 8374 PRINCETON-GLENDALE RD., WEST CHESTER, (513) 874-3100, KINDERGARDEN SCHOOL.COM With a focus
on holistic education involving the child, staff, and family, local and family-owned Kinder Garden Schools offer a fully supportive, fertile, and fun setting to cultivate curiosity and grow the complete child. Ages: 6 weeks– school age (including private grades 1, 2, and 3 at West Chester location) Capacity: Blue Ash: 130, waiting list; West Chester: 190, spots available Hours: Blue Ash: 7 am–6 pm; West Chester: 6:30 am–6 pm Extended
care: Yes Style of teaching: Montessori and traditional Meals: Morning and afternoon snacks provided; parents provide lunch, option for catered lunch at West Chester Child/teacher ratio: 3:1 infants, 5:1 toddlers, 8:1 preschool, 12:1 school age Awards or designations: Best of Parenting Preschool five years in a row; 1 star, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: Blue Ash: $235–$325/ week; West Chester: $205–$295/week KING OF KINGS PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN 3621 SOCIALVILLE-FOSTER RD., MASON, (513) 398-6089, KOKLCMS.ORG/ OURSCHOOL/WELCOME
This Christian preschool program is designed to provide a secure
childcare & education environment fostering responsible, caring, creative, spontaneous, happy, and independent children in a developmentally appropriate way. Ages: 2–5 Capacity: 120, spots available Hours: Morning, afternoon, or full-day options, 1 to 5 days per week Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: Christian-based traditional school Meals: Snacks provided, parents provide balanced lunch Child/teacher ratio: 5:1 age 2, 6:1 age 3, 7:1 age 4, 8:1 age 5 Awards or designations: NLSA Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $1,530–$7,029 LADS AND LASSIES COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL 225 WYOMING AVE., WYOMING, (513) 761-5211, LADS ANDLASSIESPRESCHOOL. ORG The project-based
curriculum at Lads and Lassies creates authentic learning through student-led, in-depth investigations incorporating life skills, combined with daily writer’s and reader’s workshop and art studio time. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 70, waiting list Hours: Classes 9–11:30 am or 12:30–3 pm, 3 or 4 days/week Extended care: No Style of teaching: Project approach and Reggio Emilia Meals: Pre-K children pack lunch once a week, children bring snacks Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $1,935–$2,250 LIBERTY BIBLE ACADEMY PRESCHOOL 4900 OLD IRWIN SIMPSON RD., MASON, (513) 754-1234, LIBERTYBIBLEACADEMY. ORG LBAP provides a
Christ-centered environment which is socially and
emotionally nurturing and intellectually engaging, giving children the opportunity to love God, love others, and love learning. Ages: 3–4 Capacity: 60, spots available, open enrollment Hours: 2-, 3-, or 5-day classes, 8:30–11:30 am; full-day program 8:30 am–3:30 pm Extended care: 7:30 am—5:30 pm Style of teaching: Traditional, teacher-created, based on OELDS Meals: Hot lunch provided for additional cost Child/teacher ratio: 7:1 preschool Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $340–$860/ month LIBERTY HEIGHTS PRESCHOOL 7904 PRINCETON RD., LIBERTY TWP., (513) 759-8430, LHPRESCHOOL.ORG At
LHP, children experience a theme-based curriculum
each month in a print-rich environment to facilitate reading readiness. Learning includes dramatic play, science and nature, and culture. Ages: 12 weeks–5 years Capacity: 209 Hours: Mon–Thurs, 9:30 am–12 pm or 1–3 pm Style of teaching: Christian-based kindergarten prep Meals: Parents provide snacks Child/ teacher ratio: 5:1 babies, 6:1 toddlers, 9:1 ages 3–5 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $100–$200/month LITTLE SPROUTS LEARNING CENTER 11177 SPRINGFIELD PIKE, SPRINGDALE, (513) 7714444, LITTLESPROUTS. INFO A ministry of the
Springdale Church of the Nazarene, Little Sprouts is a nine-month preschool offering learning opportunities through active play and discovery, including
reading, art, science, and health and safety. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 60, spots available Hours: 2- or 3-day programs, 9:30– 11:45 am or 12:15–2:30 pm Style of teaching: Developmental and hands-on Meals: Families provide class snacks on a six-week rotation Child/ teacher ratio: 15:2 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $100–$110/ month any program MAPLE KNOLL MONTESSORI CHILD CENTER 11100 SPRINGFIELD PIKE, SPRINGDALE, (513) 782-2498, MAPLEKNOLL. ORG/CHILD-CENTER
A private Montessori preschool, Maple Knoll has helped children since 1977 learn through their senses while engendering respect, independence, self-motivation, and inner
discipline. The intergenerational program provides beneficial interactions between the children and Maple Knoll nursing care facility residents. Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 36, spots available Hours: Multiage group classes Mon–Fri, 8:45–11:45 am, 12:45–3:45 pm, or full day, 8:45 am–5:45 pm Extended care: 3:45 pm–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Snacks provided, parents provide lunch Child/teacher ratio: 9:1 Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $4,560– $8,650 THE POTTER’S HOUSE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER 6101 PRINCETON-GLENDALE RD., HAMILTON, (513) 7852855, POTTERSHOUSECDC. COM For 26 years, Potter’s
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childcare & education tivating atmosphere and nurturing Christian environment to strengthen each child’s innate talents. Using a developmentally appropriate, comprehensive, research-based curriculum encourages maturity and growth for the whole child. Ages: 6 weeks–8 years Capacity: 175 per regular licensing rules; 100 per COVID-19 rules Hours: Full-day childcare, Mon–Fri, 7 am–5:30 pm (pandemic hours) Extended care: Before and after school care for Heritage Early Childhood School in Lakota District Style of teaching: Christian environment, hands-on learning, problem solving, school preparation, social emotional development Meals: Morning and afternoon snack, milk, and formula for infants are provided Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 6:1
toddlers, 9:1 preschoolers and school age Awards or designations: 1 star, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $225/week preschool and school age (full-time), $270/week for children under 3 PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF SYMMES 9175 GOVERNORS WAY, SYMMES TWP., (513) 697-6970, PRIMROSESYMMES.COM
Primrose is an accredited private preschool which provides an educational, healthy, and happy early learning experience with enthusiastic teachers who promote integrity, fairness, and social responsibility. Ages: Infant–K Capacity: 165 Hours: 6:30 am–6:30 pm Extended care: After-school Explorers Club for ages 5–12 Style of teaching: Balanced
Learning is an exclusive, time-tested approach. Created from the best early education wisdom, it balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from teachers to encourage curiosity, creativity, confidence, and compassion. Meals: Degreed culinary chef prepares nutritious meals and snacks featuring fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains prepared onsite from scratch. Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 7:1 early preschool, 8:1 preschool pathways, 11:1 preschool, 12:1 pre-K, 18:1 kindergarten Awards or designations: Cognia accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Varies by program ROCKWERN ACADEMY’S EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION CENTER (ECEC) 8401 MONTGOMERY RD., KENWOOD, (513) 984-3770, ROCKWERNACADEMY.ORG
Rockwern Academy’s ECEC follows general developmental and Jewish curriculum to keep the youngest children wideeyed with wonder and smiling, simultaneously building emergent literacy, experiential learning, physical development, and social skills. Ages: 18 months–4 years Capacity: 150 Hours: 3- and 5-day options, half-day and full-day Extended care: 7 am–6 pm (Fri until 5 pm during daylight savings) Style of teaching: Child-centered Jewish education including Hebrew Meals: Hot lunch available, kosher Child/teacher ratio: 12:3 age 18 months, 10:2 age 2, 12:2 age 3, 14:2 ages 4 and up Awards or
designations: RAVSAK and PEJE affiliated, ISACS accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $6,450–$14,500 SHARONVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL 3751 CREEK RD., SHARONVILLE, (513) 563-8278, SHARONVILLEPRESCHOOL.ORG
By providing a positive, developmentally appropriate nine-month curriculum including hands-on enrichment activities, the program helps children to become confident and successful learners and decision makers. Ages: 2–5 Capacity: 220, waiting list for some classes Hours: 2-, 3-, or 4-day programs depending on child’s age, half-day programs 9 am–12 pm or 12:45–3:45 pm Style of teaching: Christian/ play-based learning
Meals: Snacks available Child/teacher ratio: 12:1 (for all ages) (9:1 this year due to COVID-19) Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $178–$272/month SYCAMORE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS: MAPLE DALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 6100 HAGEWA DR., BLUE ASH/MONTGOMERY, (513) 686- 1720, SYCAMORE SCHOOLS.ORG/MAPLEDALE
Children in multiaged groupings are fostered within safe, challenging, and joyful environments to facilitate growth in pre-academic and social skills. The integrated preschool program serves children with special needs through the Sycamore School District. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 100 Hours: Mon–Thurs, 9:15–11:45 am or 1:15–3:45 pm Style of teaching: Follows OELDS guidelines
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childcare & education Meals: Snacks provided Child/teacher ratio: 7:1 Awards or designations: Finalist for Best Preschool, Best of the North by Cincy Magazine (September 2013); 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $2,900 TERRY’S MONTESSORI SCHOOL 425 AND 435 CRESCENT AVE., 209 WYOMING AVE., 419 POPLAR AVE., WYOMING, (513) 761-3836, TERRYSMONTESSORI. COM Family-owned and
-operated, Terry’s offers a unique, homelike setting in four different houses where children can oat freely from room to room following their interests, cultivating a healthy self-image for each child. Ages: 6 weeks–6 years Capacity: 14 infants, 26 18 months–2½-year-olds,
35 2½–4 year olds, 47 3½–6 year olds; open enrollment, waiting list when necessary Hours: Half day or full day (4 or 5 days a week) Extended care: 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks Child/teacher ratio: 3:1 infants and toddlers, 4:1 ages 2½–4, 7:1 ages 3½–6 Awards or designations: Member of AMS and CMS Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: Half day $1,165/month, full day $1,570/month
EAST CHILDREN’S MEETING HOUSE MONTESSORI SCHOOL 927 O’BANNONVILLE RD., LOVELAND, (513) 683-4757, CMHSCHOOL.COM CMH’s
mission is to foster the development of the whole child by implementing the philosophy, practices,
and curriculum of Dr. Maria Montessori. CMH strives to nurture a child’s life-long love of learning, honor the diversity of each individual, and instill self-conďŹ dence, independence, self-discipline, respect, and personal and social responsibility. We create partnerships with families for the beneďŹ t of each child and work to cultivate a genuine sense of community. Ages: Three age groups: 3–6, 6–9, and 9–12 Capacity: 30 half-day preschool, 14 all-day preschool; spots available Hours: Mon–Fri, half-day 8:30–11:30 am or full-day 8:30 am–3 pm Extended care: 7 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Students may bring lunch and/or take advantage of catered lunch options Child/teacher ratio: 10:1 preschool Enrolls students with
disabilities: Yes Cost: $4,300–$10,500 CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 6905 GIVEN RD., INDIAN HILL, (513) 979-0220, COUNTRYDAY.NET CCDS’s
Pre-Primary program focuses on child-centered activities allowing for exploration, investigation, communication, and problem-solving. Parents can opt for an experiential environment with mixed ages or a structured environment with sameaged children. Specials are provided and include music, movement, swimming, and outdoor education. Ages: 18 months–5 years Capacity: 150, possible spots available Hours: Early Childhood Program 3–5 days, 8:30 am–12:45 pm; pre-K (Montessori or traditional) 5 days, 8:30 am–12:45 pm Extended care: Flexible options,
7:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Montessori or traditional pre-K available, specials include music, art, physical education (including swimming) Meals: Yes Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 younger children, 10:1 older children Awards or designations: New Early Childhood Center and playscape now open, new pre-K athletic and swimming space; approved by AMS, ISACS, and ODE Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $7,570–$20,990 CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER PRESCHOOL 4949 TEALTOWN RD., MILFORD, (513) 831-1711, CINCYNATURE.ORG/EDUCA TION/NATURE-SCHOOLS-1/ NATURE-PRESCHOOL-1
Children explore diverse habitats outdoors during all seasons: making discoveries, practicing
stewardship, and building self-conďŹ dence. Observant teachers facilitate children in both collaborative learning opportunities and autonomous responsibility and decision-making. One of two preschools in the area with access to a nature playscape. Ages: 3–5, mixed-age groups Capacity: 60, waiting list Hours: Nine-month preschool: Mon, Wed, Fri, 8:30–11:30 am; Tues, Thurs, 8:30–11:30 am; Tues, Thurs, 12:30–3:30 pm; or Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30–3:30 pm Style of teaching: Nature-driven, inquiry-based Meals: Healthy snacks provided Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $2,904–$4,334
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childcare & education CINCINNATI WALDORF SCHOOL 6743 CHESTNUT ST., MARIEMONT, (513) 541-0220, CINCINNATI WALDORF SCHOOL.ORG The CWS
preschool program provides a warm, nurturing environment to ensure that a child’s early school experience is joyful and engaging—a foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Daily outdoor play, art, music, and storytelling lay the foundation of social, physical, and intellectual development. Ages: 3–4 Capacity: 40 spots for preschool, 36 spots for kindergarten, 25 spots each for grades 1–8 Hours: 2, 3, or 5 consecutive morning classes, 8:15 am–12 pm Extended care: Available until 6 pm Style of teaching: Waldorf Meals: Wholesome, organic snacks provided, parents provide or pur-
care: Mon–Fri 1–2:45 pm; after school care: 2:45–6 pm Style of teaching: Faith-based traditional Meals: Snacks provided Child/teacher ratio: 11:1 Awards or designations: Licensed by ODE, ACSI member Enrolls students with disabilities: No answer Cost: $1,420–$3,035 (tuition only)
chase lunch for children who stay for extended care Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 Awards or designations: Member of AWSNA and WECAN, voted Best Private School in Cincinnati by CityBeat readers Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes, as long as CWS can meet the child’s needs Cost: $4,560–$8,340
MONTESSORI CENTER ROOM
LITTLE LIONS PRESCHOOL 6830 SCHOOL ST., NEWTOWN, (513) 272-6822, LITTLELIONS-OH.COM The
philosophy of Little Lions Preschool is based upon scripture that tells us “Children are a gift from the Lord. They are a true blessing” (Psalm 127:3). Ages: 2–5 Capacity: 130, spots available Hours: Mon–Fri 8–11 am; Enrichment: Mon–Fri 11 am–1 pm Extended
Mon–Fri, 8:30–11:30 am; all-day kindergarten Extended care: 7:30 am–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Snacks provided, children pack lunches Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 Awards or designations: AMS affiliated Enrolls students with disabilities: No Cost: $5,400 ST. URSULA VILLA SCHOOL
2505 RIVERSIDE DR., EAST END, (513) 321-3282, MONT ESSORICENTERROOM.COM
3660 VINEYARD PLACE, COLUMBIA-TUSCULUM, (513) 871-7218, STURSULAVILLA. ORG St. Ursula Villa offers
MCR is a parent-owned nonprofit organization that has been offering preschool education for 50 years. The child-centered environment promotes independence and responsibility for self while building confidence and self-esteem. Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 48, waiting list Hours: Half-day classes
an outstanding education for toddler through junior high students with a robust curriculum, small classes, and dynamic, experienced teachers. Villa students benefit from numerous diverse enrichment programs which encourage discovery and augment classroom learning. Ages: 2–5 Capacity:
Varies by program Hours: Toddler/2-year-old class 2 mornings a week, 8–10:45 am; 3- and 4-year-olds 3 or 5 days a week with half-day (8–11 am or 8 am–12 pm) or full-day (8 am–3 pm) options; kindergarten 5 days, full day (8 am–3 pm) Extended care: 7:30 am–6 pm, preschool–grade 8 Style of teaching: Montessori or traditional Meals: Students pack nut-free lunches Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 toddlers, 9:1 average for Early Childhood program Awards or designations: Recognized as a School of Contribution by Children, Inc. Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $3,294–$12,820 THE VILLAGE PRESCHOOL 6137 SALEM RD., ANDERSON TWP., (513) 232-9966,
THEVILLAGEPRESCHOOL. NET Classes combine
teacher-directed learning with independent child-led activities to promote a child’s most important learning asset—curiosity. Ages: 2½–5 Capacity: 110, spots available Hours: Classes 2–3 days a week, 9–11:30 am or 12:30–3 pm, plus enrichment classes on Thurs and Fri Extended care: Summer and enrichment programs Style of teaching: Traditional play-based Meals: Children may pack lunch for Lunch Bunch twice a week Child/teacher ratio: 10:2 age 3, 16:2 ages 4–5 Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $1,100–$2,200
WEST A CHILD’S GARDEN 5427 JULMAR DR., COVEDALE, (513) 451-0330, ACHILDSGARDEN.US
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childcare & education Located on the campus of St. Antoninus Church and School, A Child’s Garden is a nine-month preschool program offering an integrated and interactive approach to learning, promoting self-discovery through touching, experimenting, and exploring. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 200, call for information Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri or Tues, Thurs options, 9 am–12:30 pm Extended care: Yes Style of teaching: DAP (developmentally appropriate practices) with Creative Curriculum, aligned with OELDS Meals: Nutritious snacks provided Child/ teacher ratio: 10:1 age 3, 12:1 ages 4–5 Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $230–$275/ month
DATER MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2840 BOUDINOT AVE., WESTWOOD, (513) 3630900, DATERMONTESSORI. CPS-K12.ORG A magnet
program within CPS, Dater Montessori is an inclusive, diverse, and supportive community where children learn to become independent thinkers and considerate citizens equipped to surpass academic expectations. Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 63 preschool, 105 kindergarten, waiting list Hours: Half-day program, 9:15–11:50 am, or full-day program 9:15 am–3:45 pm Extended care: Limited spots for after-school care 12–3:45 pm, early drop off 7–8:45 am for small fee Style of teaching: Mixed-age Montessori Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and snack Child/teacher ratio: 12:1 Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to
Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes, two classes through early childhood Cost: approximately $3,800–$7,000/ year, paid monthly; sliding scale grants available
snacks Child/teacher ratio: 6:1 toddlers, 10:1 preschool, 12:1 school age Awards or designations: 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $67–$202/week
LEARNING GROVE, HARRISON
PRIMROSE SCHOOL AT P&G WINTON HILL
498 S. STATE ST., HARRISON, (513) 367-2129, LEARN INGGROVE.ORG CELC is a non-
6331 CENTER HILL AVE., FINNEYTOWN, (513) 242-8888, PRIMROSEPGWH.COM Open
profit United Way agency managing seven Learning Grove childcare centers in the Greater Cincinnati region. By partnering with the family and providing low child-to-staff ratios, CELC offers a high-quality early learning experience. Ages: 18 months–11 years Capacity: 111, waiting list Hours: Mon–Fri, 6 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Developmental and constructivist approach Meals: Morning snack, lunch, and afternoon
to all Procter & Gamble employees who are parents of young children, Primrose School offers an exclusive curriculum that embraces a child’s development at each stage of growth. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 122, spots available Hours: Mon–Fri, 6:30 am–6 pm, 2 to 5 days a week Style of teaching: Developmentally appropriate practices Meals: Full-time cook provides breakfast, lunch, and
snacks Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 5:1 toddlers, 12:1 preschool and kindergarten prep Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: Call for information
NORTHERN KENTUCKY COUNTRY HILLS MONTESSORI
5-day programs; morning 9–11:30 am, afternoon 12:30–3 pm, full-day 9 am–3 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Snacks provided, parents pack lunch for full-day program Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 or lower Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $5,860–$6,890
960 HIGHLAND AVE., FT. THOMAS, (859) 442-0500, CHMSCHOOLS.COM/ FT-THOMAS Country Hills
LEARNING GROVE
Montessori has seven locations in the Greater Cincinnati area, each within healthcare centers to facilitate intergenerational learning, promoting inclusiveness and collaboration across generations. Other locations: West Chester, Eastgate, Montgomery, Oakley, Springboro, Harrison Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 30, spots available Hours: 3- or
Grove is dedicated to helping working families achieve success through innovative educational excellence as their children move toward kindergarten readiness. It offers compassionate family support and utilizes collective community leadership to bring cutting-edge best practices to the community. Ages: Infants–K Capacity: 70,
419 ALTAMONT RD., COVINGTON, (859) 491-1455, CHILDRENINC.ORG Learning
We’re in the business of Enriching Young Lives!
EVERY LIFE NEEDS MUSIC • Specially designed music classes for children ages 6 months-old through High School • Unique curriculum • Preschool Music Program offers group music classes for ages 6 months - 4 years • More than 50 years of experience • Trained group music teachers • Convenient New Location in Pleasant Ridge! BaldwinMusicEduCenter.com (513) 351.1109 Please call or visit our website often for an updated schedule and information. cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 73
childcare & education spots available Hours: 7 am–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Montessori and traditional Meals: USDA-approved, nutritionally balanced breakfast, lunch, and snack Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants and toddlers, 10:1 ages 3–K Awards or designations: NAC accredited; 4 stars, Kentucky All STARS Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: State funding, parents who qualify pay co-pays $175/week, $200/week without assistance LEARNING GROVE AT RIVER CENTER 203 W. RIVERCENTER BLVD., COVINGTON, (859) 261-1507, LEARNING-GROVE. ORG Learning Grove is
dedicated to helping children achieve success through innovative educational excellence, compassionate family
support, and collective community leadership. Ages: Infant–K Capacity: 115; waiting list, some preschool spots available Hours: Mon–Fri, 6:15 am–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Implements 8 quality curriculum components, traditional using High Scope curriculum, or Montessori early education including kindergarten Meals: Nutritionally balanced meals and snacks Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 10:1 2-year-olds, 12:1 3- to 6-year-olds Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited; 5 stars, Kentucky All STARS Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $190–$211/week, state funding available
NEWPORT PRESCHOOL CENTER/CHILDREN, INC. 30 W. EIGHTH ST., NEWPORT, (859) 292-3084, CHILDREN INC.ORG Newport
Preschool Center is a collaborative effort with Newport Independent School District to provide full-day preschool, endorsed by STRIVE. The Center is dedicated to helping working families achieve success through innovative educational excellence as their children move toward kindergarten readiness. Newport Preschool Center offers compassionate family support and utilizes collective community leadership to bring cutting-edge best practices to the community. Ages: 3–5, living in Newport or district staff Capacity: 40, spots available Hours: Mon–Fri, 7 am–5 pm, year round with a full- or
half-day option Style of teaching: Traditional early education using High Scope curriculum Meals: USDA-approved, nutritionally balanced breakfast, lunch, and snack Child/teacher ratio: 10:1 Awards or designations: NAC accredited Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: Sliding-scale fees with United Way or state funding available and parents pay assigned co-pay; $140/week full days/full-time, $100/ week half days without tuition assistance
by providing a Montessori education of unparalleled quality. Ages: 2–6 Capacity: 76 Hours: 8:15 am–3:15 pm Extended care: 7:45 am–5:45 pm Style of teaching: Authentic Montessori Meals: Lunch options for a fee, snack provided Child/teacher ratio: 8:1 toddler, 12:1 preschool, 20:1 elementary Awards or designations: Fully AMS accredited, CMS member, Level 5 Kentucky All STARS Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $7,105–$12,100
NORTHERN KENTUCKY MONTESSORI ACADEMY
NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
2625 ANDERSON RD., CRESCENT SPRINGS, (859) 331-3725, NKMACADEMY. ORG The mission is to
MEP 147 NUNN DR., HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, (859) 572-6338, EARLYCHILDHOOD CENTER.NKU.EDU Serving
educate children to become respected citizens of the global community
children of students and faculty at NKU and the community, the ECC
works collaboratively with parents and university departments to benefit children as they experience the joys of childhood. Ages: 12 months–5 years Capacity: 10, ages 12–30 months; 30, ages 30 months–5 years; waiting list with priority given to NKU students Hours: 7 am–6 pm for 2, 3, or 5 days a week Style of teaching: Play-based, Reggio Emilia Meals: Breakfast and afternoon snack provided, parents provide lunches Child/ teacher ratio: 5:1 age 1, 8:1 toddlers, 12:1 preschool Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $50–$250/week PRINCE OF PEACE SCHOOL 625 PIKE ST., COVINGTON, (859) 431-5153, POPCOV. COM Featuring small
classes, a diverse urban
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74 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
childcare & education population, and an active parent association, POPS offers a nurturing atmosphere promoting self-respect and respect of others and the environment. Ages: 3–5 Capacity: 38, spots available for 3- and 4-year-olds Hours: Half-day, 7:50–11 am with after-care until dismissal; full-day, 7:50 am–2:45 pm Extended care: Morning 7:15–7:50 am, afternoon 2:45–6 pm Style of teaching: Catholic, Montessori Meals: Breakfast and hot lunch available daily; students can also pack lunch Child/teacher ratio: 9:1 Awards or designations: Diocese of Covington, Montessori teachers are AMS certiďŹ ed Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: In-parish, $3,775; out-ofparish, $6,180
TRENT MONTESSORI 305 PARK AVE., NEWPORT, (859) 491-3223, TRENT MONTESSORI.COM Trent
provides an authentic nine-month toddler and primary Montessori experience to help children meet their developmental and social needs so they may reach their greatest potential and become successful members of the community. Ages: 18 months–6 years Capacity: 78; ongoing waiting list, parents can place child on waiting list when gender is known Hours: Mon–Fri, 9–11:45 am or 12:45–3:30 pm Extended care: 7:30 am–5:30 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Parents pack nutritious lunch and provide one week of nutritious, pre-packaged snacks Child/teacher ratio: 6:1–10:1 Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited
Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $4,850–$6,000
DAYTON BOMBECK FAMILY LEARNING CENTER 941 ALBERTA ST., DAYTON, (937) 229-2158, GO.UDAY TON.EDU/BOMBECKCENTER
Providing care and education for children through mutual respect, reective practice, and research, the Bombeck Center is a unique learning environment and demonstration school for UD’s School of Education and Allied Professions. Space available for nursing mothers when visiting. Ages: 6 weeks–5 years Capacity: 84, waiting list with priority given to UD family, students, and alumni Hours: Mon–Fri, 7:30 am–6 pm Style of teaching: Child-directed Access curriculum developed at UD, based on Montessori,
No matter what stage of your breastfeeding journey you are in, The Nustle by Mama’s Milk Wrap is designed to offer both heating and cooling therapies.
Reggio, other childhood theorists, and Catholic Marianist teachings Meals: Morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack Child/teacher ratio: 4:1 infants, 6:1 toddlers, 9:1 preschool Awards or designations: NAEYC accredited; 5 stars, Ohio Step Up to Quality; Top Child Care Center, Dayton Business Journal Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $234–$285/week COUNTRY HILLS MONTESSORI SPRINGBORO 325 E. CENTRAL AVE., SPRINGBORO, (937) 7480868, CHMSCHOOLS.COM/ SPRINGBORO Country Hills
Montessori has seven locations in the Greater Cincinnati area, each within healthcare centers to facilitate intergenerational learning, promoting inclusiveness and
collaboration across generations. Other locations: West Chester, Eastgate, Montgomery, Oakley, Harrison, and Ft. Thomas Ages: 3–6 Capacity: 50, waiting list Hours: 3- or 5-day programs; morning 9:15–11:45 am, afternoon 12:45–3:15 pm; full-day 9:15 am–3:15 pm Style of teaching: Montessori Meals: Snacks provided, parents pack lunch for full-day program Child/ teacher ratio: 8:1 or lower Enrolls students with disabilities: Case by case Cost: $5,860–$6,890
byterian offers a Christian atmosphere to provide enrichment and support as your child grows and gains independence. Ages: 3–4 Capacity: 46, spots available Hours: 3- or 4-day classes for 4-year-olds 8:30–11:30 am; 3-day classes for 3-year-olds 8:30–11:30 am. Style of teaching: Christian-based Meals: Snacks offered Child/ teacher ratio: 9:1 (can be up to 12:1) Enrolls students with disabilities: Yes Cost: $150–$198 per month
FAIRMONT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PRESCHOOL 3705 FAR HILLS AVE., KETTERING, (937) 299-3539, FAIRMONTCHURCH.ORG/ PRESCHOOL.HTML A
self-supporting nonproďŹ t preschool for more than 50 years, Fairmont Pres-
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medical care OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
MEDICAL CARE Obstetrician and pediatrician groups take care of you and your little one’s medical needs. Every effort has been made to verify the information listed here, however, due to the changing nature of the response to COVID-19, we encourage you to call or e-mail these providers for more information.
CINCINNATI/ NORTHERN KENTUCKY
These providers are listed on Cincinnati Magazine’s 2020 Top Doctors list. For the complete list, go to cincinnatimagazine. com/topdoctors
CAROL M. CHOI TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI, OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
JOHN A. DARPEL SEVEN HILLS WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTERS, 20 MEDICAL VILLAGE DR., SUITE 302, EDGEWOOD, KY, 41017, (859) 341-2510
SANDY LYNN GARDNER
OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI, OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
MICHAEL KARRAM
MARIA GERBER UC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, 7675 WELLNESS WAY, FLOOR 4, WEST CHESTER, OH, 45069, (513) 475-8248
PREETI S. GHATORA
BETH L. DEKTAS TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI, OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
SCOTT L. FIRESTEIN TRIHEALTH - GROUP HEALTH - ANDERSON, 7810 FIVE MILE RD., CINCINNATI, OH, 45230, (513) 246-7000
MERCY HEALTH - MASON GYNECOLOGY, 9313 MASON MONTGOMERY ROAD, SUITE 250, MASON, OH, 45040, (513) 924-8536
LILY HAHN ST. ELIZABETH PHYSICIANS WOMEN’S HEALTH BURLINGTON, 6105 FIRST FINANCIAL DR., BURLINGTON, KY, 41005, (859) 525-1846
TERRI L. HOOPES TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI,
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76 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
THE CHRIST HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS - UROGYNECOLOGY, 7335 YANKEE RD., SUITE 201, LIBERTY TWP., OH, 45044, (513) 463-2500
MEGAN KESSLER FOR WOMEN, INC., 10475 READING RD., SUITE 307, CINCINNATI, OH, 45241, (513) 563-2202
ELIZABETH LEROY TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI, OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
ABBY LOFTUS-SMITH ST. ELIZABETH PHYSICIANS - WOMEN’S HEALTH NEWPORT/FT. THOMAS, 1400 N. GRAND AVE., NEWPORT, KY, 41071, (859) 781-6222
SARA W. LYONS TRIHEALTH WOMEN’S SERVICES COMPREHENSIVE OB-GYN - UNIVERSITY STA-
TION, 3715 MONTGOMERY RD., CINCINNATI, OH, 45207, (513) 793-2229
KRISTIN MAGNER THE CHRIST HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS - OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY, 7545 BEECHMONT AVE., SUITE B, CINCINNATI, OH, 45255, (513) 564-1600
BRIAN MILLER UC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, 68 CAVALIER RD., SUITE 2700, FLORENCE, KY, 41042, (513) 475-8588
MAMATA V. NARENDRAN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY ASSOCIATES, INC., 3050 MACK RD., SUITE 375, FAIRFIELD, OH, 45014, (513) 221-3800
GERARD P. REILLY SEVEN HILLS WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTERS , 10506 MONTGOMERY RD., SUITE 504 , MONTGOMERY, OH, 45242, (513) 922-0009
SARA G. RINALA FOR WOMEN, INC., 10475 READING RD. , SUITE 307, CINCINNATI, OH, 45241, (513) 563-2202
ROCCO A. ROSSI UC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, 1525 ELM ST., CINCINNATI, OH, 45202, (513) 352-1467
STEPHEN J. SCHUERMANN TRIHEALTH - SAMARITAN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY - CLIFTON, 3219 CLIFTON AVE., SUITE 230, CINCINNATI, OH, 45220, (513) 559-9411
AMY M. THOMPSON UC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, 234 GOODMAN ST., CINCINNATI, OH, 45219, (513) 584-1000
MARIANNA C. VARDAKA TRIHEALTH WOMEN’S SERVICES - MARIANNA VARDAKA, M.D., 10495 MONTGOMERY RD., SUITE 16, CINCINNATI, OH, 45242, (513) 985-9017
MAKE SURE THEY’RE IN THE RIGHT CAR SEAT
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party places EMILY WOESTE SEVEN HILLS WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTERS, 6901 BURLINGTON PIKE, FLORENCE, KY, 41042, (859) 282-6700
CONSTANCE A. WURZBACHER FOR WOMEN, INC., 10475 READING RD. , SUITE 307 , CINCINNATI, OH, 45241, (513) 563-2202
SAMANTHA K. YOUNG THE CHRIST HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS - OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY, 11140 MONTGOMERY RD., SUITE 2400, CINCINNATI, OH, 45249, (513) 985-9966
PEDIATRICS (GENERAL) J. DAVID BAILEY IV ST. ELIZABETH PHYSICIANS CRESTVIEW HILLS INTERNAL MEDICINE AND PEDIATRICS, 334 THOMAS MORE PKWY., SUITE 200, CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY, 41017, (859) 578-3400
NICOLE R. BALDWIN NORTHEAST CINCINNATI PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES, INC., 11238 CORNELL PARK DR., CINCINNATI, OH, 45242, (513) 530-0200
CHRISTOPHER BOLLING PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY, 2865 CHANCELLOR DR., CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY, 41017, (859) 341-5400
MARY DUCK ROBERTSHAW UC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, 3590 LUCILLE DR., SUITE 1400, CINCINNATI, OH, 45213, (513) 475-7370
DAWN KOTOWSKI MANFROY TRIHEALTH - GROUP HEALTH - ANDERSON, 7810 FIVE MILE ROAD, CINCINNATI, OH, 45230, (513) 246-7000
PIERRE P. MANFROY NORTHEAST CINCINNATI PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES, INC., 11238 CORNELL PARK DR., CINCINNATI, OH, 45242, (513) 530-0200
LIBBEY M. SPIESS TRIHEALTH - QUEEN CITY PHYSICIANS - GLENWAY
PEDIATRICS, 6350 GLENWAY AVE., SUITE 300, CINCINNATI, OH, 45211, (513) 246-8900
DENISE M. WARRICK TRIHEALTH - GROUP HEALTH - ANDERSON, 7810 FIVE MILE RD., CINCINNATI, OH, 45230, (513) 246-7000
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF FAIRFIELD 5841 SNIDER RD., MASON, OH 45040, (513) 874-9460
PEDIATRIC CARE, INC. 8752 UNION CENTRE BLVD., WEST CHESTER, OH 45069, (513) 682-5400
45459, (937) 277-8988
PEDIATRICS
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN
CHILDREN’S HEALTH CLINIC AT DAYTON CHILDREN’S
9000 N. MAIN ST., SUITE 232, ENGLEWOOD, OH 45415, (937) 277-8988
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN
730-C VALLEY ST., DAYTON, OH 45404, (937) 641-3500
INTERNAL MEDICINE AND PEDIATRICS OF CENTERVILLE
KIRA A. ZIMMERLY
PEDIATRIC CARE, INC.
TRIHEALTH - GROUP HEALTH - FINNEYTOWN, 9070 WINTON RD., CINCINNATI, OH, 45231, (513) 246-7000
800 COMPTON RD., SUITE 25, CINCINNATI, OH 45231, (513) 931-6357
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN
MORE OPTIONS
SUBURBAN PEDIATRICS 9600 CHILDREN’S DR., BUILDING D, MASON, OH 45040, (513) 336-6700
200 MEDICAL CENTER DR., SUITE 160, MIDDLETOWN, OH 45005, (937) 277-8988
7200 POE AVE., SUITE 201, DAYTON, OH 45414, (937) 236-5396
SUBURBAN PEDIATRICS
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN
OHIO PEDIATRICS
Also consider these medical practices located in Cincinnati. Every effort has been made to verify the information listed here, however, due to the changing nature of the response to COVID-19, we encourage you to call or e-mail these providers for more information.
PEDIATRICS MUDDY CREEK PEDIATRICS 6400 THORNBERRY CT., SUITE 610, MASON, OH 45040, (513) 398-3900
NORTHEAST CINCINNATI PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES 8185 CORPORATE WAY, MASON, OH 45040, (513) 398-7171
NORTHEAST CINCINNATI PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES 11238 CORNELL PARK DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45242, (513) 530-0200
NORTHEAST CINCINNATI PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES
7335 YANKEE RD., SUITE 100, LIBERTY TWP., OH 45044, (513) 336-6700
SUBURBAN PEDIATRICS 12061 SHERATON LANE, CINCINNATI, OH 45246, (513) 336-6700
DAYTON
Cincinnati Magazine’s Top Doctors list does not include Dayton, Ohio, physicians, but these groups serve that area and are worth a look. Every effort has been made to verify the information listed here, however, due to the changing nature of the response to COVID-19, we encourage you to call or e-mail these providers for more information.
OBSTETRICS DAYTON OB/GYN 330 N. MAIN ST., CENTERVILLE, OH 45459, (937) 435-1445
DAYTON OB/GYN
986 BELVEDERE DR., LEBANON, OH 45036, (513) 934-1200
2180 GATEWAY DR., FAIRBORN, OH 45324, (937) 435-1445
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF FAIRFIELD
DAYTON OB/GYN
5502 DIXIE HWY., FAIRFIELD, OH 45014, (513) 874-9460
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF FAIRFIELD 188 N. BROOKWOOD AVE., SUITE B, HAMILTON, OH 45013, (513) 874-9460
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF FAIRFIELD 1100 HARRISON AVE., HARRISON, OH 45030, (513) 874-9460
2400 MIAMI VALLEY DR., SUITE 410, CENTERVILLE, OH 45459, (937) 424-9800
KETTERING REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE 3533 SOUTHERN BLVD., SUITE 4100, KETTERING, OH 45429, (937) 395-8444
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN 2350 MIAMI VALLEY DR., SUITE 320, CENTERVILLE, OH
6251 MIAMI VALLEY WAY, SUITE 130, HUBER HEIGHTS, OH 45424, (937) 277-8988
630 N. MAIN ST., SUITE 200, SPRINGBORO, OH 45066, (937) 277-8988
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN 1323 W. THIRD ST., DAYTON, OH 45402, (937) 277-8988
LIFESTAGES CENTERS FOR WOMEN 2400 LAKEVIEW DR., SUITE 270, BEAVERCREEK, OH 45431, (937) 277-8988
OAK CREEK OB/GYN 2510 COMMONS BLVD., SUITE 270, BEAVERCREEK, OH 45431, (937) 431-0200
OAK CREEK OB/GYN 6438 WILMINGTON PIKE, SUITE 300, CENTERVILLE, OH 45459, (937) 848-4850
OAK CREEK OB/GYN 825 N. MAIN ST., SPRINGBORO, OH 45066, (937) 762-5000
WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS & MIDWIVES OF DAYTON 1 WYOMING ST., SUITE 3100A, DAYTON, OH 45409, (937) 890-6644
WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS & MIDWIVES OF DAYTON 680 AVIATOR CT, VANDALIA, OH 45377, (937) 890-6644
WRIGHT STATE PHYSICIANS 400 SUGAR CAMP CIRCLE, SUITE 101, DAYTON, OH 45409, (937) 245-7777
WRIGHT STATE PHYSICIANS 725 UNIVERSITY BLVD., 2ND FLOOR, FAIRBORN, OH 45324, (937) 245-7777
6611 CLYO RD., SUITE A, DAYTON, OH 45459, (937) 208-7300
OHIO PEDIATRICS
1775 DELCO PARK DR., KETTERING, OH 45420, (937) 299-2339
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF DAYTON 5450 FAR HILLS AVE., SUITE 110, KETTERING, OH 45429, (937) 436-2866
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF DAYTON 9000 N. MAIN ST., SUITE 332, DAYTON, OH 45415, (937) 832-7337
PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF DAYTON 3140 DAYTON XENIA RD., BEAVERCREEK, OH 45432, (937) 320-1950
PRIMED PEDIATRICS 5250 FAR HILLS AVE., KETTERING, OH 45429, (937) 433-7991
PRIMED PEDIATRICS 6520 ACRO CT., CENTERVILLE, OH 45459, (937) 291-6850; OTHER AREA LOCATIONS
SOUTH DAYTON PEDIATRICS, INC. 617 SHROYER RD., DAYTON, OH 45419, (937) 296-1126
COVID-19, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL OR E-MAIL THESE PROVIDERS FOR MORE INFORMATION.
3 SWEET GIRLS CAKERY 7458 MONTGOMERY RD., SUITE B, KENWOOD, (513) 984-1100, 3SWEETGIRLS CAKERY.COM Kids get to
decorate cupcakes and enjoy other activities. Capacity: Maximum 16 guests Cost: $300/12 guests, $25 each additional guest ABRAKADOODLE (513) 297-5655, ABRAKADOODLE.COM/OH-GREAT ER-CINCINNATI Abraka-
doodle birthday parties are easy because the party comes to you. They include an edu-taining, ARTrageous art teacher and a fun, creative, age-appropriate art lesson to match any theme. Each party guest leaves with their own framed art project.Capacity: Please call Cost: $229 up to 10 guests, $15 each additional guest B ADVENTUROUS 1050 CINCINNATI MILLS DR., FOREST PARK, (513) 671-3100, BADVENTUROUS. ORG Bounce and play on
seven–nine giant inflatables and a dance floor. Capacity: 25–30 Cost: $150–$350 THE BONBONERIE 2030 MADISON RD., O’BRYONVILLE, (513) 3213399 EXT. 3, BONBONERIE. COM Have a tea party
with pinkies out, sip tea, and have a girly-fun time. Capacity: Maximum 40 guests Cost: $25/adult, $18/child BOONSHOFT MUSEUM
Party Places WANT TO PLAN THE PERFECT BIRTHDAY PARTY? HERE’S A HANDFUL OF SPOTS AROUND THE REGION THAT CAN MAKE YOUR KID’S BIRTHDAY DREAMS COME TRUE. EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION LISTED HERE, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE CHANGING NATURE OF THE RESPONSE TO
2600 DEWEESE PKWY., DAYTON, OHIO, (937) 2757431, BOONSHOFTMUSEUM. ORG Boonshoft allows
you to enter the world of discovery and release your inner scientist. Capacity: Maximum 35 guests Cost: $225 members, $250 nonmembers BRAZEE STREET STUDIOS 4426 BRAZEE ST., OAKLEY, (513) 321-0206,
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 77
additional resources BRAZEESTREETSTUDIOS. COM Calling all artsy and
creative kids: You can enjoy a birthday filled with glass-fusing and art projects. Capacity: 10–20 children, special accommodations for larger groups Cost: $100 rental fee, $300 minimum project fee THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CINCINNATI 4015 RED BANK RD., FAIRFAX, (513) 569-8080, EXT. 14, THECHILDRENSTHEATRE. COM In partnership with
Petite Princess Parties, TCT offers princess, superhero, pop star and toddler jam parties. Capacity: Up to 20 Cost: starting at $300 CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER 1301 WESTERN AVE., QUEENSGATE, (513) 2877000, CINCYMUSEUM.ORG
It’s one of the top ranked children’s museums in the United States. Climb, crawl, and interact within the museum’s grocery store, post office, and veterinary clinic. Capacity: Maximum 25 guests; not currently accepting parties due to COVID-19 Cost: $175 members, $200 nonmembers CINCINNATI PARKS (513) 321-6070, CINCINNATI PARKS.COM A naturalist
provides 90 minutes of activities and games to explore nature at one of the five nature centers of your choice. Capacity: 25 children, special accommodations for larger groups Cost: $150/10 children, $15/ each additional child CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN 3400 VINE ST., AVONDALE, (513) 281-4700, CINCINNATI ZOO.ORG Our beloved zoo
has more than 500 animal species; party guests enjoy animal encounters. Capacity: Package includes 15 tickets. Additional tickets $10 each Cost: Starting at $150
DRAKE PLANETARIUM 2020 SHERMAN AVE., NORWOOD, (513) 396-5578, DRAKEPLANETARIUM.ORG
Get creative by connecting and building in Drake’s Lego lab. Capacity: Maximum 25 guests Cost: $275/12 children, $14/ each additional child ENTERTRAINMENT JUNCTION 7379 SQUIRE CT., WEST CHESTER, (513) 898-8000, ENTERTRAINMENTJUNCT ION.COM Trek through the
world’s largest indoor model train display, ooh and ahh at the model trains, and run through the A-MAZ-N Funhouse. Capacity: Maximum 60 guests Cost: $199–$699 FIRE MUSEUM OF GREATER CINCINNATI 315 W. COURT ST., DOWNTOWN, (513) 621-5553, CINCYFIREMUSEUM.COM
Create an adventure through the museum’s exhibits and safe house, learn fire safety tips, and explore firefighting history. Capacity: Maximum 30 guests Cost: $200–$500 GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL 7058 RIDGETOP DR., WEST CHESTER, (513) 449-2751; 8253 BEECHMONT AVE., ANDERSON TWP., (513) 813-5534, GOLDFISHSWIM SCHOOL.COM Party pack-
ages include two hours of private access to the pool, invitations, decorations, cupcakes, and beverages for guests. Capacity: 46; not currently accepting parties due to COVID-19 Cost: $450–$650 GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY (513) 521-7275, GREATPARKS. ORG Hamilton County
has various parks, among them Parky’s Farm and Sharon Woods, that can play host to a party. Enjoy the activities each park has to offer. Capacity: 10–24 Cost: $120–$135 LASER WEB DAYTON 533 MIAMISBURG-CENTER VILLE RD., DAYTON, OHIO, (937) 435-2737, LASER WEBDAYTON.COM Rack
up points in the arcade
78 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
or play laser tag. Capacity: 30 guests Cost: $179.99–$239.99/10 guests, $16.99–$22.99/ each additional child MAD POTTER 7754 CAMARGO RD., MADEIRA, 513) 561-1888, MADPOTTERCINCINNATI. COM Kiddos paint a new
creation and the folks at Mad Potter will take care of the firing. Capacity: 20 normally; 10–13 due to COVID-19 restrictions Cost: $12–$18 per child NEWPORT AQUARIUM ONE AQUARIUM WAY, NEWPORT, 859) 815-1453, NEWPORTAQUARIUM.COM
The adventures at the aquarium are endless. Guests enjoy the numerous aquatic exhibits and special access to The Reef Room. Capacity: Maximum 32 guests Cost: $499/20 guests, $25/ each additional guest PUMP IT UP 7724 SERVICE CENTER DR., WEST CHESTER, (513) 829-7867, PUMPITUPPARTY/ WEST-CHESTER-OH Jump
around in the indoor playground filled with massive inflatables, climb a rock wall, and play ball. Capacity: Maximum 25 children Cost: $240–$465 PUZZLE PIECES 11912 MONTGOMERY RD., SYMMES TWP., (513) 5831874, PUZZLEPIECESOHIO. COM Birthday parties in a
calming, relaxing atmosphere, including full use of a sensory room, for kids with or without special needs. Capacity: Up to 20 Cost: $99–$350 RECREATIONS OUTLET 885 ST. RT. 28, MILFORD, (513) 831-7383, RECRE ATIONS OUTLET.COM
Dozens of play sets, trampolines, basketball hoops, and scooters for kids. Capacity: Up to 16 Cost: Starting at $199 SKY ZONE 11745 COMMONS DR., SPRINGDALE, (513) 447-5638, SKYZONE. COM Bounce off the
walls—literally!—in Sky Zone's endless trampoline
arena. Capacity: 35 Cost: $180–$330/10 children, $21–$33/each additional child SUNROCK FARMS 103 GIBSON LN., WILDER, (859) 781-5502, SUNROCK FARM.ORG Milk goats,
gather eggs, and visit with Sunrock Farms’ many animals. Capacity: 20 persons or less Cost: $260/20 guests, $13/ each additional guest TOTTER’S OTTERVILLE 4314 BORON DR., COVINGTON, (859) 491-1441, TOTTERSOTTERVILLE. COM At Totter’s, kids can
pretend grocery shop, dig in a construction zone, and put on a puppet show. Capacity: Maximum 30 guests Cost: $14.99/child WEST CHESTER ACADEMY OF MUSIC 8107 MARKET PLACE DR., WEST CHESTER, (513) 829-2345, WESTCHES TERACADEMY.COM Your
group can do gymnastics, dance, or play music at West Chester Academy’s musical birthday parties. Capacity: Maximum 15 guests Cost: $179
Additional Resources ABC PEDIATRIC THERAPY 7591 TYLERS PLACE BLVD., WEST CHESTER, (513) 755-6600; 4325 RED BANK RD., COLUMBIA TWP., (513) 271-2419; 2039 ANDERSON FERRY RD., WESTERN HILLS, (513) 92-5437; 3449 NEWMARK DR., MIAMISBURG, (937) 281-1286; 3817 COLONEL GLENN HWY., BEAVERCREEK, (937) 4279200, ABCPEDIATRICTHER APY.COM Provides speech,
physical, and occupational therapy in a child friendly environment. BALDWIN MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER, HYDE PARK BETHLEHEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3799 HYDE PARK AVE., HYDE PARK, (513) 351-1109, BALDWINMUSIC EDUCENTER.COM Has
served more than 20,000 children over 60 years with specially designed music classes for children 6 months to high school. BUTLER COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENER 400 N. ERIE AVE. BLVD., SUITE A, HAMILTON, (513) 887-3710, BCESC.ORG
Educational and service resource for schools, government agencies, families, children, and the community of Butler County.
FLORENCE, (859) 594-2292, NOTHINGBUNDTCAKES.COM
Beautiful hand-decorated bundt cakes with the finest ingredients for any occasion. ONCE UPON A CHILD ONCEUPONACHILDCINCY DAYTON.COM Sell your
gently used clothing or supplies or shop for your little ones. Multiple locations. P&G DISCOVERY CENTER
DISCOVERY TOYS
6280 CENTER HILL AVE., FINNEYTOWN, (513) 9450002, VIPPANELIST.COM
(740) 926-9197, DISCOVERY TOYS.COM/PWS/PATRICIA 304/TABS/PW-HOME.ASPX
Register your little one to participate in paid diaper studies with Pampers.
Specializes in premium quality, kid-powered learning products for children ranging from newborns to school-aged children.
PARENTAL HOPE
ESSENTIAL BODYWEAR (513) 592-0220, MYESSEN TIALBODYWEAR.COM/ CINCINNATIBRALADY
Size-inclusive bras, underwear, and loungewear. HAPPINESS HOMEMADE HAPPINESSHOMEMADE.COM
Handcrafted bibs, carseat blankets, mitten clips, and more. MAMA’S MILK WRAP MAMASMILKWRAP.COM
Creators of the Nustle, a non-ingestible breastfeeding aid that uses heating and cooling therapies. MOBILITY FIT PHYSICAL THERAPY 7782 SERVICE CENTER DR., WEST CHESTER, (513) 8021929, EXT. 1; 715 CONGRESS PARK DR., DAYTON, OHIO, (937) 660-7638, ETC. 2; 11125 KENWOOD RD., BLUE ASH, (513) 802-1929, ECT. 4, MOBILITYFIT.COM Mobility
Fit offers a cutting-edge approach to physical therapy. Our team will develop a rehab plan that will smoothly integrate with your performance goals. NOTHING BUNDT CAKES 9540 MASON MONTGOMERY RD., SUITE D, MASON, (513) 492-8115; 2733 MADISON RD., OAKLEY, (513) 321-7400; 4960 HOUSTON RD., SUITE C,
P.O. BOX 42570, CINCINNATI, PARENTALHOPE.ORG Raises
infertility awareness and provides emotional and financial support to hopeful couples battling infertility. REAL CLOTH DIAPER COMPANY (513) 223-3579, REALCLOTH DIAPER.COM Offering
the essentials for cloth diapering, plus a diaper service for residents Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky (Covington and Ft. Thomas). YMCA OF GREATER CINCINNATI 1105 ELM ST., OVER-THERHINE, (513) 651-2100, MYY. ORG With 14 locations
throughout Greater Cincinnati, the YMCA gives children and families the support and resources needed to be healthier, more confident, connected, and secure. YOUNG LIVING - NANCY LAVERGNE (513) 260-1273, ESSENTY. COM/OILYHTLADY Healing
Touch and essential oils.
NewArrivals
VU P G O G E P W Q k $
Ava G.
MARCH 28 Edgewood
Tucker & Braden W. JUNE 28 Cincinnati
Oliver B.
SEPTEMBER 5 Cincinnati
Gelina G.
Adley A.
AU G U ST 1 0 Cincinnati
O CTO B E R 1 5 Mason
Reagan H.
Evelyn R.
Aviva G.
Marissa Lucy R.
AU G U ST 1 6 Cincinnati
F E B R UA RY 8 Cincinnati
M AY 14 Cincinnati
J U LY 2 4 Cincinnati
cincinnatimagazine.com/babyandbeyond 79
Last Laugh
The
What’s in Mommy’s Belly? A new sibling? Toddlers share what they really think they’re expecting.
“No brother.”
“A duck.”
“A firetruck.”
— Alex, 2, Littleton, Colorado
— Thomas, 2, Richardson, Texas
— Brooks, 2, Cincinnati
“Baby Jesus.”
“Bread.”
“Well, it’s not a pizza.”
— Maxwell, 2, Cincinnati
— Donovan, 3, Livonia, Michigan
— Teddy, 2, Saginaw, Michigan
ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH MCMENEMY
80 baby and beyond 2020 –2021
Your baby has 282 new followers. They’re all doctors.
Our doctors stay connected to your child seamlessly from delivery to pediatric care. With all your little one’s records kept within the TriHealth health care system, any doctor you may need will have full access to this information—making your child’s care more convenient for you. Find a doctor near you at TriHealth.com/Pediatrics or call 513 853 2100