DayOne

Convenient because it’s right where my son’s pediatrician’s office is located. Great place for baby classes, clothes, mommy needs, toys, strollers… Love the store but it is very expensive. I tend to window shop more than to actually purchase here. I find a lot of the same items can be purchased from Amazon or Target for much cheaper. I do like the idea that everything is «right there,» but can’t afford to do all my baby shopping there.

Fabulous resource for moms and dads to be. Moving from SF to a country where I am functionally illiterate, I was so relieved to be able to hit up DayOne (which I was familiar with via friends and family with little ones) and get information, advice, and support in English. Also scored some fabulous maternity bras (it’s true– the girls aren’t happy in your good old water bras and La Perla scraps of mesh once your womb has been taken over by an alien life form).
I can vouch for their infant music classes (hey — one of the guys from Rin Tin Tiger does or used to teach here… hello!!!) as being super fun for babies and their adults. The staff here all seem to have some child care, rearing, or medical background. Although I don’t believe in «lactation specialists» per se, the one at DayOne is incredible and had a lot of great advice on products for nursing and pumping and everything else you (and I) never wanted to know about what comes out of my boobs after baby arrives.
They are on the pricey side but that’s because they carry only top-​of-​the line products. Most of which I don’t think are necessary but then again I’m the utilitarian sort.
Major pros: Comfortable chairs for moms to nurse or feed in while waiting, shopping, or taking a «moo» break from one of their many classes. A great library of books that will come in handy if you are the sort of mom to be who wants to read books on child rearing (I’m not but I appreciate the variety and selection). Scales to weigh your new roommate on whenever you’d like, convenient and generous changing areas complete with wipes, diapers, etc.
5 stars really for the unique and warm service they offer new and expectant families. And 10 stars for the amazing array of classes. Golden Gate Moms Group members get a discount, too, I think. This review is coming from someone who does not think child bearing and rearing is a science or art form, so I truly mean it is a FIVE STAR establishment due to the care and thought that goes into their day to day operations and the wealth of practical knowledge the staff have (and the maternity/​nursing bras). It’s places like DayOne that make me almost wish we stayed in SF to have the little guy. Thank you, DayOne!

I was reticent to like this place, but I LOVE this place. I am a bit long in the tooth and even though I thought I knew everything, I didn’t realize how important and healthy it is to go to a place that is 100% in support of moms.
I love that they have lactation consultants. You can pay to speak to them, but if one is around, they will happily answer your questions. There are two areas for nursing with the latest and most comfortable types of gliders. There are at least 4 chairs in two sections. You can weigh your baby and change your baby and they provide all of the supplies.
I have taken classes here and simply stopped in to nurse and chill out. They sell a lot of cool stuff too. Most items are competitively priced. The clothing is a bit pricey, but super cute. I joined because I know that I will use many of the resources and attend classes as my girl grows up.
I thought that this place would be teaming with Stepford wives… another stupid assumption on my part. I haven’t met a mom I didn’t like or didn’t connect with, simply because we are all in the same boat.
I love checking out the sales at baby Gap across the street and stopping in to nurse and weigh my little chunker.
Be prepared to stay a while, but don’t get a ticket!

My family just LOVES DayOne! Friendly, PROFESSIONAL staff, awesome welcoming atmosphere! They have an awesome array of products, and we love their classes!
The only minus is that membership/​classes up until baby is 1 :(we will miss them dearly!!!

UPDATE: Day One is closed for Oct/​Nov 2013. If you need a lactation consultant, contact Caroline McGrillen — she’s amazing. You can find her at
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I am so glad this place exists. Whether you are pregnant or have a new baby, you should become a member and avail yourself of all the resources they offer. I took five classes here while pregnant and had a good experience with all 5. After I gave birth, I rented my pump from here, had multiple lactation consultation sessions here, bought my nursing bras here, and I now routinely go here to feed, diaper change and weigh my baby. As a new mom, it is a huge relief to know you can go somewhere that it’s safe and comfortable to feed away from home. Most of the staff is also friendly, informed and helpful.

Have only stopped in once, but had a really great experience. Got lots of information, classes seem helpful and interesting and great products. We even got $ 10 free offer from Unilocal for the check in and got some cute leg warmers for free! Yay!

Great resource for new moms or parents-​to-​be. Good classes, merchandise, tools for nursing moms and very friendly service. It’s like an oasis for new overwhelmed moms where they can go for support or just to browse, weigh baby, or breast feed. Very convenient location right by Laurel Heights shopping center. I guess I took away one star because merchandise is on the pricey side. Otherwise, great, great, great!

I don’t know how I could have survived the first few months of motherhood without DayOne. The center was recommended to me by friend who saw one of their lactation consultants. When my daughter was born and I found myself crying every time I nursed, I knew who to turn to!
After the initial appointment, I decided to become a member (they give you a coupon book good for vitamins, discounts and free new parent groups that more than pays for the membership fee.) I couldn’t be more happy that I did! With the vast majority of our family far away, the new parent groups were a lifesaver! I also joined GGMG and while I find their magazine, forums and classifieds helpful, I just found the group of women I met through DayOne to be more relatable. I feel so fortunate to have found such an amazing resource.
They also have a great store with surprisingly affordable prices (I would have thought a boutique store in the city would be totally marked-​up) and they have a loyalty card program so you can earn 10% back in store credit.
Last week stopped in to check out some winter hats for my daughter before a trip to Tahoe. I mentioned to one of the staff members, Ariel, that I had been sick and my milk supply had dropped as a result. She recommended some herbs/​vitamins I could try and also searched for a handout that listed some foods known to boost milk levels. After she was unable to find it, I said no worries and I’d look it up online. A few days later the handout arrived in the mail with a sweet note from Ariel. It doesn’t get any better than that!

convenient place and resource to get must-​buy-​now items such as tanks, flanges. They also rent pediatrician scales (if your infant is underweight or lost more than 10%, in which case you really need to track it in order to get back on the charts) as well as hospital-​grade pumps. I wish I had rented the pump upfront rather than buying the noisy slower Medela Pump In Style. Friendly customer service for the busy new mom.

The only reason to take one star off — is that this place is a bit pricey, but I am mostly there not to shop but for classes.
Classes are totally 5 stars! We took 4 classes so far and all were super helpful and great. I am looking forward to using their lactation specialists.

Some reviewers take issue with the price and selection of baby gear. I don’t have an opinion one way or the other, except to say that in a pinch they are for sure a great emergency source of baby stuff. The kind of things you need immediately a day or two out of the hospital that you’d otherwise order online.
Where Day One shines is lactation consulting and classes. I can’t speak highly enough about the care and help their consultants provided us. Early newborn care is a minefield of conflicting and charged issues and opinions. The staff we talked to never pushed us in a direction we didn’t want to go and were both tremendously helpful and patient with the help they offered us. Five stars. No question.

The staff here were really nice to me, but I did walk in knowing I was going to make a large purchase. If anything, they were a little too perky. The shop does seem to carry a lot of over-​priced gear, but the lending library and lactation stuff seems really helpful and the classes look like a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a membership because I don’t have a car and this neighborhood is too inconvenient when it comes to public transportation.
What I do know is that my new glider is awesome and arrived in half the estimated time. Not only that, but the staff helped us take it downstairs, out of the box and helped load it into the car for us. Thanks guys!

This is a weird review to write because I see Day One as having two sides: one is the five star lactation service; the other is a ludicrously over-​priced shop full of nonsense. Caroline is top-​notch. She is supportive and helpful but tells you actual things (the UCSF LC’s were not so helpful for me). She really helped me move through a tough issue and was even supportive when I finally gave up on the whole thing.
The shop? So silly. And the shop clerks? I went to return a pump on a Saturday. You have to call from outside ince the doors are locked. I called three times and the girl kept hanging up on me. It was so strange, when I finally got in (someone leaving let me in) my experience was completely different than it is when Caroline is present. M-​F the shop clerks are lovely and sweet. Saturdays they turn into regular old DMV workers.
So — skip the silly overpriced baby stuff and make an appointment with Caroline. Get in, get out. Or take a class, just don’t plan on buying anything. And never show up on a Saturday!

This is a great place for expecting couples. We signed up as members and took 5 classes (gearing up for baby, breastfeeding, childbirth, caring for your newborn and infant and child cpr). All were well taught, informal and the instructors were knowledgeable and friendly. I like how DayOne is located near the hospital and laurel village (good to grab snacks). They also have a lot of baby items (strollers, cribs, bottles, nursing bras, toys, books and clothes) that you can peruse through and figure out what you need. I think it’ll be a great resource in the future for the groups and classes after your baby is born.

Day one is fantastic! Im a new parent and it was really great to find a place where all your questions can be answered! Their classes are great and we took every class offered for prenatal. Now i have a 1 month old and I am excited to see what the new parent group offers. it would be nice to chat with parents that are gong through the same things as me and my baby!
The only reason that this review is a 4 star than a 5 star is because a little glitch in the customer service. Dont get me wrong, their staff is awesome but usually when they have the members appreciation day, products fly off the shelves so when iwas looking for a few things that they ran out of they told me that they wil put my name on the list and when they get the product they would give me a call and still honor the discount for members. this worked probably 5 out of 10 times… im pretty sure they forgot because when i went in there again i saw the product i was waiting for and no one called me. I still love this place and next time they have a members appreciation day, i’ll just make sure i get there asap so they they wont ran out of stuff again!

The place itself is nice, modern. I like that you can weigh and change your baby. I also found the reception staff very friendly. The moms were cool too. But I have to give the place one star however because I had a terrible experience with one of the moderators for the Newborn-​3 months New Parents class, Caroline. She was so off-​putting in a number of ways, but the worst part is that she’s judgmental. How can you possibly be judgmental in a parents class is beyond me.
I told Caroline and the new moms about how sleep deprived I was and how I was thinking of starting sleep-​training a few months down the line. She looked at me and said, «You’re going to let your baby cry for 45 minutes!?» and just stared at me. Then she said, «Why don’t you read one of our books here, The No-​Cry Sleep Solution?» She also asked me, «Would you cry for 45 minutes?» I told her that I was intending on starting the SleepEasy solution, which includes check-​ins and had already tried everything including the book she suggested, which did not work. I left not saying anything, but I should have.
As a new parent who used to get an average of two hours of continuous sleep for five months and unable to play with my baby during the day, I don’t think Caroline understood to put judgment aside and try and be supportive instead. My baby now sleeps through the night, is happy and I play with him during the day. Thank you for the support at Parents Place and the SleepEasy solution book.
I know where to go for a similar class, and it’s not Day One.

Took the Newborn Care class at Day One. It was good, but a little long and not as good as it could have been. The birthing class at CPMC Newborn Connections I felt had a better flow to it.
That being said, I love the concept of this place and will be updating as soon as the baby is born and I’ve used all their cool services like the scale, lactation consultants, the library of parenting books and discounts on products. Am most excited to see that they actually sell somewhat attractive nursing bras, not the hideous kind that make you want you to hide from your husband! There’s no reason those things should be intentionally ugly, right? As if a new mom doesn’t feel gross enough, help a girl out and give her some cute lingerie! So, that’s a relief and I’ll be heading there in just a few short weeks for a purchase.

Until today DayOne has been a great place to go and ask questions, change the baby, and breastfeed peacefully. They are a bit pricey but I never minded.
I came in today looking for a specific stroller. They do not sell that brand. No big deal. The manager, Charlotte, was even kind enough to direct me to a store that she thought might sell this stroller. Given that my baby is teething, I was determined to find him a toy that he could munch on before leaving. But then, Charlotte insulted me.
I mentioned that I would absolutely check out the other baby store to look at the stroller. I casually told her that I DID NOT want to just buy the item on amazon. Especially without testing it. Charlotte asked me if the item was cheaper on amazon. I told her that I have no clue. (Given that I have no idea where to even buy the stroller, how would I know what it cost in retail stores in order to compare the price to amazon?) Her response shocked me.
Charlotte said, «you know, the extra cost pays for electricity and the employees that demo the products for you.»
First, I am at YOUR retail store trying to buy this product, that it why I came. Second, if I choose to buy something on amazon, that it my choice. Your store does not carry the brand so what’s it matter to you anyway? Third, I thanked her for giving me another option and told her that I would go to the other baby store. Fourth, I stated that I have no idea if the stroller is even cheaper on amazon. Fifth, I specifically and clearly stated that I DID NOT want to just go buy the stroller on amazon but I can not find it anywhere in the city. Finally, before her snarky comment, I asked if they any other strollers with similar features that I could look at. My plan was to buy a stroller.
To insinuate that I am a bad person because I buy from amazon is just bad customer service. The service is much better at Carmel Blue and Natural Resources. DayOne has lost my business. The saddest part is that they don’t care, not even a little.

I can’t say enough great things about Day One. As a first time mom, I found their classes, library and staff to be just what I needed to help navigate through the learning curve of pregnancy and birth. The thing that stands out the most about Day One is their exceptional customer service. Day One is a place where the staff are knowledgable, very friendly, and very kind. They always put customers first.
The only thing that I think Day One can do to improve would be to get their online registry going and to have a more consistent stock of supplies; I really wanted to get medela parts, bras, etc here and they didn’t always have the assortment on hand. Other than that, they are a fantastic resource.

Day One is great for first time moms and dads. When I needed a lactation consultant, I called them VERY last minute and they were able to squeeze me in right away. Awesome place and I love all of the stuff they sell. I will also sign up for some of their new parent classes/​baby play groups.

After patronizing Day One for a year, it is still an amazing place. We no longer attend the classes as we have pretty much moved beyond the WTF phase, but it is still such a reliable source of information and of course great products. I rely on Day One to keep up my supply of a lot of basics. And today, I had an extraordinary experience worth writing about.
I purchased an Orbit stroller system and got my toddler stroller seat from Day One a few months ago. This is an expensive stroller, and I love it — so you can imagine my dismay when I discovered the seat was broken this afternoon when I put my baby in it. Long story short, it wouldn’t lock into place the way it safely should.
Okay, change of plans, we’re not walking up to the grocery store, we’re walking up to Day One. I let Josephine know what was going on with the seat. The place was busy, the cash register wasn’t working, but she kept her cool and got Orbit on the phone. She handed it over to me and I explained my problem to them. Kudos to their customer service team as well, btw, but this isn’t about them :) After less than 5 minutes, a new seat was being shipped out to me to arrive next day. Josephine then offered to swap out my broken seat (which they will deal with returning) for the display seat to use until the new one arrives. Seriously. She did not want me to use the stroller for one more minute with the broken seat. Even though I am leaving town and may not be able to return it to them for several days, she insisted. Wow.
This is service. I am so glad I am a Day One member. They make me feel at home every time I am there, they care about their customers, and I recommend this facility to every new and expectant parent, period.