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6/21/2018 0 Comments

Practical Pregnancy & Postpartum Recipes: a simple, summery chef salad

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One of my favorite things about summertime in the corridor is all of the colorful, delicious goodness I get to enjoy from our farm share with Local Harvest CSA out of Solon. CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a way to buy local, seasonal, high quality food while supporting sustainability in our community. At the beginning of the season we invest in our share and then once a week, we pick up a generous haul of farm fresh produce and eggs at the North Liberty food pantry. We get a weekly email with updates from the farm and details and recipes to go with the share. After a fun conversation with the farmers each week at pickup, we normally come home with at least a dozen different types of produce. This week we are enjoying Napa cabbage, kohlrabi, zucchini and summer squash, green onions, and all sorts of delicious leafy greens. I love community supported agriculture and we are so lucky to have so many different farms that offer shares throughout the year!


We all know nutrition is so important in all seasons of life and especially during pregnancy and postpartum. During pregnancy, I loved learning to prepare nourishing, satisfying, delicious meals. I loved sitting down to eat and thinking that my baby was enjoying my meal with me. During my pregnancy, I learned to truly love and respect my body and have never turned back. Body love and respect can be so simple- this week I practiced body respect by fixing up this delicious Chef Salad with a lot of the goodies from this week’s share. This salad is perfect during pregnancy- jam packed with veggies, proteins, and dressed with healthy fats. Also perfect for postpartum because, of course, those nutrients remain so important, but it is also such a breeze to throw together! And the balance of macronutrients provides good, sustainable energy.


I pulled out all of the lettuce from one of four bags of leafy greens and washed and chopped it up. We have been enjoying our CSA for three years now and I am still astounded by the amounts of produce we get each week!
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Lettuce straight out of the bag, before washing and cutting. So pretty!
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A big bowl of green leafy goodness.
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Then I chopped up some cucumber and cherry tomatoes (didn’t get these from our farm share but once we start getting them, we will get them by the hundreds it seems), shredded some carrots, and added chopped up some peas we got from our farm share-I left them in their pods for some extra crunch. This recipe would work with whatever vegetables you have on hand, the flexibility is another reason I like it so much!
I hardboiled four eggs that also came from our farm share. Local Harvest CSA has several partners so you can add to your share- eggs, coffee, bread, fruits and jams, and local pastured pork, beef, and turkey. We love our farm share eggs! (Fried egg sandwich with a slice of fresh tomato was a constant pregnancy craving!) I boiled these eggs a little longer than normal but 8-minute farm share eggs are always so beautifully yellow.
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Bag of peas straight from the farm.
​For some more protein, I added some turkey and ham and chopped up some bacon. We like our animal proteins in our house but chickpeas or avocado would be delicious alternatives. I also added some Monterey jack and cheddar cheese and some seasoned croutons. (I wanted to make some homemade croutons but I was just loving the quickness and easiness of this recipe too much!)


When I make salads I love to line up all the toppings before mixing just to appreciate the colorful beauty. I made up a quick dressing too using ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and generous shakes of paprika and black pepper. Perfectly creamy and zesty.
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So summery and satisfying.
I cannot recommend Local Harvest CSA enough. It is a simple way to fuel your body with fresh foods without wondering where they came from. A weekly farm share made feeding my body and growing baby during pregnancy easy knowing I would always have an abundance of safe, fresh produce accessible. And now in this season of life, I get to share the goodness with my baby earthside! For more information on Local Harvest CSA, visit their website here.
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Emma lives in North Liberty, Iowa with her seven month old daughter, husband, and two pups. She is a Montessori program coordinator at La Montessori Nurtury and a birth and postpartum doula with (Em)powered by Birth Doula Services. 
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6/16/2018 0 Comments

Upcoming Events and Classes: summer/fall 2018

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Check out all these awesome upcoming classes for expectant parents as well as free events where you can meet and chat with Doulas of Iowa City member businesses. We hope to see you soon!
July 14
Iowa City Birth Services
Birth: The Process, the Pain, and the Plan
A one-day comprehensive childbirth education class - evidence-based and judgement free.
Taught by Hannah Sandler, CLD (CBI)  and Emily Piette, CLD (CBI)
**Save a combined $20 when you register for this and Nested Mama’s August 21 postpartum planning course.**

August 21
Nested Mama Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Support
Planning for Postpartum Workshop
A prenatal workshop designed to strengthen your partnership and prepare for a better postpartum.
Taught by Johanna Tomlinson, PhD, MCPCD, MBE, MCE
**Save a combined $20 when you register for this and ICBS's July 14 childbirth education class**

August 25
Doulas of Iowa City
Meet the Doulas
A free, open-house style event where you can chat with the member business of Doulas of Iowa City.

August TBD
Beloved Bonds Birth & Bodywork
Breastfeeding from the Beginning
Breastfeeding your newborn from birth through the early months.
Taught by Kimberly Hendricks, LMT, CLC, CD

Fall TBD
Conscious Caring: Labor Massage for Couples
A massage course designed for the birthing couple.
Taught by Kristin Bergman, LPN, LMT, and Doula

Fall TBD
Nested Mama
Dream on: the Art and Science of Infant Sleep
A prenatal course designed to set up healthy expectations and habits surrounding infant sleep.
Taught by Johanna Tomlinson, PhD, MCPCD, MBE, MCE
As always, don't hesitate to reach out to our member businesses directly with any questions. Private classes and consultations available. You'll find a full listing of our members and services here.
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Johanna Tomlinson is a mother to three little ones and a doula and childbirth educator with Nested Mama Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Support. Connect with Nested Mama on Facebook. Read more of Johanna’s writing on pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting here.
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6/6/2018 1 Comment

Why Prenatal Chiropractic: A visit to Robinson Family Wellness

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Have you heard your pregnant friends or acquaintances mention visiting the chiropractor during pregnancy? Are you curious about what prenatal chiropractic looks like and why you may want to do it?  Read on, my friends, because I’ve got the answers!

A few weeks ago we held our quarterly Meet the Doulas event in the beautiful studio space at Robinson Family Wellness in Coralville.  Before the event, Dr. Jordan Long graciously gave a presentation on prenatal chiropractic care and answered all our questions.

Here are the highlights of that talk, just for you.

Why consider prenatal chiropractic care?

The pregnant body shifts in order to accommodate growth and hormones make muscles relax. All of that can make for significant discomfort for the birthing parent. And, if there is constraint in the pelvis, that can lead to less than optimal fetal positioning.
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In other words, if you are feeling uncomfortable or baby isn’t in a ideal position, chiropractic can be a great, gentle option to consider. As we learned from Dr. Jordan, receiving early and consistent chiropractic care can promote optimal fetal position from the start as well as help curb sciatica and round ligament pain. 
What does a prenatal chiropractic adjustment look like?
At your first visit, Dr. Jordan will use gentle tools to assess your body. After sharing the results of the assessment with you, she will offer gentle chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment begins with the patient lying face down on special pillows designed to accommodate a pregnant belly and then continues with the patient on their back.  

With pregnant patients, Dr. Jordan pays careful attention to the pelvis. Her low-force, gentle adjustments aim to help the pelvis stay balanced.
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How often do you need an adjustment?
The number of adjustments you receive throughout your pregnancy will vary based on your goals (reducing discomfort, optimal fetal position, etc.) and your needs. Because pregnancy hormones relax muscles, frequent adjustments may be needed if your goal is to reduce discomfort as much as possible.
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Why Robinson Family Wellness?
We are so lucky to live in an area with lots of options for chiropractic care. When you walk in Robinson family wellness, you immediately get a sense of a calm, peaceful vibe where children are most welcome. Dr. Jordan even has a room set up with a baby scale, changing table, and lots of toys for little ones. This makes for a low stress visit, even if you have little kiddos in tow!

Have more questions? Check out the Robinson Family Wellness website to learn more!
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Johanna Tomlinson is a mother to three little ones and a doula and childbirth educator with Nested Mama Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Support. Connect with Nested Mama on Facebook. Read more of Johanna’s writing on pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting here.
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    The Doulas of Iowa City blog contains guest posts by Doulas of Iowa City member businesses. We are excited to share with you about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and surrounding communities and to help you connect to fabulous local resources.

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