Fall Family Activities in Baltimore

There are so many fall family activities in Baltimore! For many, fall is their favorite season. The morning crisp air, followed by a slow warm up throughout the day, ending with your favorite comfy sweatshirt, drinking a cup of tea while curled up on the couch….

Sounds amazing, right?

With a new baby entering the family, the curling up on the couch piece may be a long shot, but here are some suggestions to take advantage of the fall season. Wrap your baby up in your favorite baby carrier and head out to the farm.

Fall Family Activities in Baltimore

Rodgers Farm (formally North Run Farm)
1701 Greenspring Valley Road
Stevenson, MD 21153

Another advantage of fall is the fun outdoor activities. This is the perfect farm to bring the whole family focusing on an older sibling. Of course there is pumpkin picking, but a kids maze and animal petting zoo. To learn more, please visit http://www.northrunfarm.com

 

Weber’s Cider Mill Farm
2526 Proctor Lane
Baltimore, MD 21234

If Apple Cider is what you’re looking for, look no further. This is a specialty at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm. Take a look around the farm while sipping on the delicious cider. If you have small children with you, there is a petting zoo and apple picking available.

If you have Thanksgiving on your mind, Weber’s Cider Mill farm has fresh turkeys. Read more on their website: http://www.weberscidermillfarm.com/

 

Clark’s Elioak Farm
10500 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042

If you’ve been here before with small children, they may be familiar with some of the favorite farm animals; Captain Jack, Arlo, Moon Pie and Mu. There are also furry friends like Alpacas.

This is a perfect spot to bring a picnic and enjoy under an old tree. (Don’t forget your blanket). On your way out, grab a cone of hand made ice cream. You will be sure to take a pint home to enjoy later.

Along with hearing some nursery rhymes in the Enchanted Forest, there are hayrides, pony rides, and a cow train to make the day of a toddler.

Clark’s Elioak Farm is the perfect spot for fresh beef and eggs. Visit them online: http://www.clarklandfarm.com/

Creating family traditions can start with a simple visit to the farm in the fall. Taking a new baby might seem daunting but offering them the chance to create core memories of crisp fall leaves, the smell of apple cider, and the chill in the air is well worth the prep. Fall family activities in Baltimore are perfect for bringing along the whole crew!

 

 

 

Coffee Shops in Baltimore | 5 Baby Friendly Spots

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When the urge for a sweet treat hits you can always rely on Coffee Shops in Baltimore! We love supporting locally-owned and operated businesses so we rounded up a few non-corporate gems for you to try. We’ve collected a handful of our favorites from across the metro so hopefully one is right by you!

Of course, on the topic of coffee shops, we’re often asked, “Can I drink caffeine while I breastfeed?”

The answer is yes!

Studies have been done on the safety of coffee consumption during breastfeeding and overall the concensus is that generally anywhere from 200 to 300 mg of caffeine can be safely consumed by the nursing parent. If you find your baby reacts to it, of course, you can cut back or eliminate it. Talk with your baby’s pediatrician to make the call that is right for you.

Red Emma’s – Website

 

Neighborhood: Waverly
Address: 3128 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD

Established in 2004, Red Emma’s is a worker cooperative that combines a radical bookstore, café, and community events space. The café offers vegan meals and coffee sourced from locally-owned Thread Coffee Roasters. Regular events, including author readings and live music, foster community engagement. This multilevel space serves as a hub for social justice movements in Baltimore and is the perfect place to enjoy with your baby.

High Grounds Coffee Roasters – Website

 

Neighborhood: Highlandtown
Address: 3201 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD

High Grounds Coffee Roasters is a family-owned establishment known for their excellent coffee which is roasted in-house using fluid bed roasters (a very unique method!). They offer a variety of blends and single-origin coffees which are always fresh and flavorful. You can enjoy a cozy atmosphere with your baby with coffee-based drinks, a selection of teas, and locally sourced pastries.

Common Ground – Website

 

Neighborhood: Hampden
Address: 819 West 36th Street, Baltimore, MD

For nearly 25 years, Common Ground served as a beloved gathering spot in Hampden, offering high-quality coffee and a variety of in-house baked goods. Known for its smoothies, particularly the chai peanut butter-banana blend, and a range of vegan options, it was a community staple. In July 2023, the café unexpectedly closed but the employees worked together to bring it back as a worker-owned cooperative. This beautiful space is a beacon of hope and continues to provide an excellent spot for relaxing to this day.

Order & Chaos Coffee – Website

 

Neighborhood: Federal Hill
Address: 1410 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD

Opened in 2016, Order & Chaos Coffee offers a vibrant atmosphere with a modern design. This spot is known for its specialty drinks and unique “walking waffles,” making it a popular destination for both locals and visitors. A back study area houses communal tables and whiteboards which are great for those working from home or wanting to host meetups. The shop operates with convenient hours, focusing on early risers and weekend adventurers.

OneDo Coffee Roasters – Website

 

Neighborhood: Canton
Address: 913 South Lakewood Avenue, Baltimore, MD

OneDo Coffee Roasters is a family-owned coffee shop that roasts its beans in-house, ensuring a fresh and flavorful experience. We love that the café emphasizes sustainability by using recyclable paper bags for their coffee products. In addition to a variety of coffee beverages, OneDo offers teas, including black, oolong, green, white, and herbal options. The inviting space also offers baked goods and lunch options from local Baltimore businesses.

We love that the coffee scene here is vibrant and flourishing. Coffee shops in Baltimore aren’t hard to find! We love to support local as much as possible and these shops have our hearts. With the weather warming up, pop baby in a stroller and enjoy the springtime temps! Enjoy some movement, fresh air, and warming temperatures all with a delicious coffee in hand.

Our Favorite Freezer Meals (plus tips!)

How can a family manage to feed themselves quality foods while also resting and bonding with their baby? Freezer meals!

Meal prepping food for the freezer specifically is excellent for filling in the gaps. Maybe you have loved ones who want to feed you through the week but you find yourselves on your own on the weekends. Maybe you have a meal train lined up for two weeks but it tapers off after that.

A day of simple planning and prep can help answer the question, “What’s for dinner?!” quickly and easily.

We have a few tips to successfully fill your freezer and a roundup of some freezer faves!

Freezer Meal Prep Tips

Tip 1: Variety

Repetition can get boring and make ordering in a bit more tempting. To combat this, we recommend having a few different types of meals in the freezer. Having a mix of “dump and go” meals, ready-to-eat sides, and marinated main courses gives a variety of textures and flavors that keeps things interesting and easy.

Tip 2: Types

You won’t just be eating dinner! Having a few easy breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner options ensures that you are well prepared for the weeks ahead.

Tip 3: Batching Freezer Meals

While prepping food for hours may seem daunting, if you set aside a day to get everything done you will find your kitchen overall more clean and your meal planning way simpler. Make a mess once, eat for weeks!

Tip 4: Protein Variation

It might get exhausting to eat Italian marinated chicken four times in a row but marinades can often be added to different proteins to offer variation. Make a big batch of a vinegar-based marinade and add it to three different freezer bags filled with chicken, pork, and tofu for variety without much effort.

Tip 5: Mix n Match Freezer Meals

Grab a fresh salad kit at the grocery store and pair it with one of your favorite slow cooker meals from the freezer for a changeup in texture and flavor and added veggies!

Here are few ideas to get you started planning your freezer meal day:

Freezer Meal Ideas

Breakfasts

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Vegan Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast Sandwiches

Baked Oatmeal

Breakfast Bowls

Lunches

Frozen Sandwiches

Chicken Fajitas

Ham and Potato Soup

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Dinners

How to Freeze Rice

Freezer Shrimp Fried Rice

Freezer Lasagna Roll Ups

Stir Fry Freezer Pack

A Week of Easy Instant Pot Dinners

Vegan Mac n Cheese

Snacks

Green Smoothie Packs

No Bake Tahini Protein Balls

Freeze Cookie Dough

Bonus Tip: Have your Postpartum Doula help you prep things!

If baby has already arrived and your freezers are bare, place a grocery order and have your Postpartum Doula prep a few freezer meals while they’re helping you around the house! This is a great way to ensure you’re cared for even after your doula is done with their shift for the day.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide | What Moms Really Want

Mother’s Day is almost here and every year we get to decide what to get the mothers in our lives. Something that complicates the decision? New moms might not know what they need! Flowers, candy, and cards are all lovely but sometimes you want to be the rockstar gift giver. If you have an expectant mother you love, we’ve compiled a list of perfect gift ideas in this Mother’s Day Gift Guide that they really want.

First Time Moms want:

 

A baby in a Mockingbird Stroller with Bassinet sleeps next to a table holding two drinks and a laptop. Mother's Day Gift Guide

  1. Mockingbird stroller with bassinet – This ingenious combo is a stroller that doubles as a safe sleep surface on the main level. Perfect for smaller living spaces, using this as a bassinet while in your living room allows you to go from working from home to out the door without delay.

A baby lies on a Hatch changing pad and scale while a caregiver smiles down at them. Mother's Day Gift Guide

  1. Hatch Grow Smart changing pad and scale– Another brilliant two-in-one, this changing pad offers a safe, elevated space to change a baby’s diaper and a scale all in one. Offering new moms peace of mind, tracking baby’s weight can ensure that they’re getting enough to eat and growing right on schedule.

Overnight doula care for a newborn baby who smiles on a mat. Mother's Day Gift Guide

  1. Overnight newborn care – the Ideal gift for any new parent, help support them during this season of tired! Giving new moms the gift of sleep is invaluable for more than just making them comfortable. Quality sleep is linked to mental and physical health and the value of it cannot be overstated.

 

Experienced Moms want: 

 

Nanit pro camera multi-pack

  1. Nanit Pro multi pack– Keep eyes on ALL the babies with this beloved monitor in a multi-pack.  Connect it to your phone and watch your new baby and their new sibling as they sleep peacefully. Monitor temperature, humidity, receive cry alerts, and enjoy a bird’s eye view in crisp 1080p. Nanit is a wildly popular monitor for a reason!

Chicco Fit 360 revolving carseat in the back seat of a car, caregiver is helping strap baby in properly

  1. Chicco Fit 360 revolving car seat– Keep your little ones rear facing longer and cut down on the struggle of getting into the car with more than one! The innovative Chicco Fit 360 rotates to allow babies to be buckled into their seat. Simply rotate back and lock into place and you’re all ready to roll.

Happy family with baby smiles

  1. Daytime doula support– Gift an extra set of hands who knows exactly what needs to be done. When parents have daytime support, they can focus on resting, healing, and nourishing themselves while easing into their new normal. 

 

Loving the beautiful moms in our lives doesn’t have to be challenging! Getting gifts for new moms is a beautiful thing. You’re sure to “win” Mother’s Day with any of these ideas.

Doulas of Baltimore 2021 Year in Review

As we approach the end of 2021, we wanted to reflect back. This year was definitely different from 2020, and we feel like we are getting into a new normal.

We are truly grateful for all of you: our clients, Baltimore area care providers, birth worker colleagues and our friends. Although the pandemic continues to place challenges on all of us, we have been able to help 57 families welcome 57 babies, hold 42 classes and welcome 4 new doulas to the Doulas of Baltimore team.

In the spring, we made the transition from 15 months of nearly exclusively virtual support to supporting families masked face to masked face! Since May, we have seen clients in their homes and in hospitals across Baltimore–while still offering virtual support and virtual  Childbirth Education Classes. December marked the return to in-person, group workshops at our beautiful studio in The Cedarcroft Center. And this coming spring (after flu season), we will resume in person classes with Baby 101, Birth Basics, and Comfort Measures for Labor. We imagine that we’ll always offer virtual classes from now on (they’ve been so popular with busy parents-to-be).

While doula support and group classes may have filled for this year, we are honoring 2021 pricing for all  contracts signed by December 31 for doula support or registrations for CBE workshops in 2022! Our 2022 classes are filling up quickly, so reach out now if you are interested in more information.

We wish you a continued happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.

-Debbie & Emily