Top Ten Baby Tips
Ask any parent -- being a parent is a learning process. Fortunately, you're in a great place to pursue an education. Here's a handy cheat sheet to help you ace having a baby at Cornell!
Start preparing for the arrival of your new addition!
- Preparing for Baby Workshop Series is free to those in the Cornell Community and covers topics like healthy pregnancy, considerations for labor and delivery, perinatal mental health and breast/chest feeding. Great place to begin to grow your parent network!
- Contact worklife@cornell.edu for prenatal/perinatal resources.
- Understand NYS Paid Prenatal Leave.
- Contact civilrights@cornell.edu for information about perinatal workplace accommodation needs.
It's never too soon to start making a plan for child care!
- Cornell's Work/Life Team is available to discuss your child care options - contact worklife@cornell.edu.
- Connect with a local child care resource and referral agency such as The Child Development Council that serves Tompkins and Cortland counties.
- Use Care.com to locate occasional or more regular child care providers.
Create your parental leave/accommodation plan.
Reach out to Cornell Medical Leaves Administration Services to learn about your parental leave/accommodation options.
Financial assistance for child care is available.
- The application period for the Cornell Child Care Grant Program is during the month of September each year. Contact the HR Services & Transitions Center through the Benefit Services Help System.
- Sign up for a Dependent Care Account to set aside pre-tax money to assist with childcare costs. Contact Benefits for enrollment deadlines.
Remember to review your benefits.
- Here's how to update your benefits to add a child.
- Contact the HR Services and Transition Center through the Benefit Services Help System or via phone at (607) 255-3936.
Connect with other Cornell parents.
Consider joining these Cornell e-lists, Facebook pages and a workforce affinity group to connect with other parents:
- parents-k12-L – information related to parenting school-aged children (no classifieds permitted).
- parents-undersix-L – information related to parenting children under the age of six.
- parents-classifieds-L – buy, sell, or exchange child-related items (restrictions apply, see guidelines). *To join e-lists, email the address “Join” in the subject.
- Cornellians Parenting Facebook page – Family support & networking
- New Parents at Cornell Workforce Affinity Group (WAG) – support for new parents where questions can be asked and resources shared.
Stay on track!
Tenure-track faculty are given an automatic pause to the tenure clock process. Faculty may also apply to the Faculty Dependent Care Travel Fund to assist with eligible caregiving expenses during career-related travel.
Cornell supports breast/chest feeding employees.
- The Cornell Plan for Healthy Living and the Contract College Empire Health Insurance plans both cover the cost of select breast pumps.
- There are over 40 designated spaces to pump across campus and many additional temporary locations available.
- Consultations are available for work schedule adjustments to accommodate pumping: contact worklife@cornell.edu.
Don't forget to take care of your body.
- Contact Cornell Wellness to request a fitness consultation to meet your needs.
- If needed, contact Cornell Transportation for parking options while you’re pregnant and/or nursing.
Be generous with your mental health while pregnant or any time after your little one arrives!
The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is available to support new parents in the perinatal experience. Call 607-255-2637 or visit fsap.cornell.edu.