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So much of new-parenting angst is pure self-consciousness. You want—nay, need—to get out of the house. But the idea of sitting in a coffee shop in your exhausted, unshowered, mildly panicked state, with a squalling newborn attracting irritated glares, is unthinkable.
Related: The Big People's Guide to Hanging Out With the Little People
Enter Swapnplay, a co-op space with locations in both Dekum and St. Johns where new parents can freak out all they want in the safety and comfort of a nonjudgmental, soft, padded environment—available for a low monthly subscription fee. It's like a home with the unique benefit of not being your home. Bring your toddler to shriek on the slide or read in one of the playrooms, while you fix snacks in the kitchen to eat in the dining area, or collapse on a couch and page through a magazine.
Related: Portland Bars Where You Can Bring Your Kids
Sure, you can bring your old toys, books, cloth diapers and rapidly outgrown jammies and trade them in for bigger, well-loved ones, all for free. But the best part about Swap is the chance to make precious eye contact with other adult humans who will totally understand why your shirt is inside out right now.
Willamette Week