Healthy Start Brooklyn
Healthy Start Brooklyn provides a variety of support programs and classes for expectant and new parents who live in Brooklyn. You can get education and support about pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, breastfeeding, fatherhood and healthy living.
For information about upcoming virtual services and activities, see the event calendar:
If you are interested in joining any of the below programs, you can enroll online, call 844-919-1123 or email HealthyStartBrooklyn@health.nyc.gov.
Events
Infant Safety and CPR
Dates: Thursday, December 5, noon to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Location: Bedford Health Center, 485 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn
Join this non-certifying class to learn about infant CPR, infant breathing emergencies, safe sleep and home safety.
Register on Eventbrite or email healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov.
Newborn Care
Dates: Tuesday, December 10, and Thursday, December 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Bedford Health Center, 485 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn
Join us for a two-part class to learn about:
- Baby basics
- Bonding and attachment
- Adjusting to your newborn
- What to expect after the newborn period.
Register on Eventbrite or email healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov.
Pregnancy and Prenatal Support and Classes
Doula Services
Doulas are trained birth assistants who provide non-medical support to you and your partner before, during and after your child’s birth. The doula can answer your questions, support you emotionally and physically, and help you have a safe and satisfying experience.
Get a By My Side Doula
If you live in Central or Eastern Brooklyn (ZIP codes 11203,11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11213, 11221 or 11233), you may qualify for free doula services through Healthy Start Brooklyn's By My Side Birth Support Program. For more information about By My Side, call 718-637-5231 or email healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov.
If you do not live in those neighborhoods, you can still find out about free or low-cost doulas and other resources in your area.
Become a By My Side Doula
If you are a certified birth doula who would like to join the By My Side Birth Support Program, you must have attended at least 10 births to be considered.
The program also prefers doulas who live in Central or Eastern Brooklyn. There is a special need for doulas who are fluent in Spanish or Haitian Creole.
To apply, email healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov.
ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong: Essentials)
This program provides tips on how to take care of yourself while pregnant and feel your best after the baby is born. The four sessions help you learn to:
- Avoid postpartum depression and “the baby blues”
- Communicate what you need
- Manage stress
- Practice self-care
Enroll in ROSE – Reach Out, Stay Strong: Essentials for Mothers of Newborns
Childbirth Education (English and Spanish)
Available in English on Tuesdays and Thursdays and in Spanish on Mondays. This multi-session class series will teach you about:
- Signs and stages of labor
- Breathing and relaxation
- Breastfeeding your new baby
- How your partner can support you
To enroll, visit the Eventbrite page:
Family Foundations
Family Foundations is a free 9-week program for expectant and new parents in Brooklyn. The program supports parents as they:
- Build teamwork
- Reduce stress
- Strengthen relationships
Family Foundation is open to couples and to parents who are not in a relationship with each other.
Remembering You, Remembering Us
Remembering You, Remembering Us sessions are for any woman, man, family member or supporter who has experienced and/or been impacted by infertility, pregnancy, infant loss, birth related trauma and/or maternal mortality.
Cultivating Grace
This biweekly mental health support group is open to all parents from pregnancy through postpartum.
- Learn how to stay mentally healthy
- Explore wellness techniques
- Get peer support
New Parent Support and Classes
Fathers' Group
This program helps men maintain healthy relationships and improve their parenting skills. It also provides referrals to job training, education, financial literacy and other support services.
Parenting Skills Workshop
This interactive class teaches you the skills you need to understand your child and help with their development. It is open to all expectant parents, caregivers, grandparents or parents of a child up to three years old.
The Parenting Skills Workshop is offered through a partnership with the Caribbean Women's Health Association. To enroll, email YGordon@cwha.org or call 929-441-7125.
Before and After Birth: Protecting Your Emotional Health
Dates: Second Monday of each month, noon to 1 p.m.
This one-hour workshop will teach you to identify signs of postpartum anxiety and baby blues and get the support you may need to feel better.
- Learn stress and anxiety triggers
- Discuss protective tools
- Practice coping strategies with others
Enroll on the Eventbrite page or contact healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov
Community Action Network
The Community Action Network works to promote wellness and provide strategies for handling stress, which has been linked to maternal health and well-being. It brings together community residents, community-based organizations and City agencies that live or work in Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and the surrounding areas. If you would like to get involved, email healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov with “Community Action Network” in the subject line.
Bereavement Support
For those who have lost a pregnancy or a child, Healthy Start Brooklyn offers Remembering You, Remembering Us, a free virtual support group with occasional in-person gatherings.