Pregnant holidays can present some joys and some challenges. Allison of Divine Doula Services, Emma of (Em)powered by Birth Doula Services, and Johanna of Nested Mama Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Support collaborated to share their best tips and suggestions for making your way through a holiday season full of expectations!
Many families also spend their first trimester keeping their pregnancies on the DL. A few things with this - there is absolutely no rule or proper etiquette when it comes to announcing a pregnancy besides announcing at the time that is best for you and your partner! You can't announce too early or too late. If you want to announce in the early weeks of pregnancy because it is the holiday season and you have family around to celebrate with you and also support you during this time - then announce and celebrate! (As I am writing this, I just looked up holiday pregnancy announcements and they are just the cutest.) If you and your partner choose to keep your news to yourselves, set up a plan prior to going to any sorts of gatherings to be sure you will be able to get the space and time you need to keep yourself healthy and happy. This holiday will be unlike any other! Enjoy the beauty of the season, the company of so many loved ones, and the excitement that your little "poppyseed" will be a sweet baby to snuggle by the tree at this time next year!
Eat as much as you would like:
Hold off (until next year):
As your pregnancy becomes increasingly visible, you may find friends, family, or random people while you are out running errands making comments about your size. First of all, anyone who says anything to you other than that you are beautiful and glowing needs etiquette lessons. Secondly, know that your body is doing exactly what it needs to grow that sweet little babe, and anyone who assumes that you are "having twins" or "ready to pop" or declares with astonishment that "you should have had that baby already" has no obstetric knowledge and no conversational skill, either. If you find that people are reaching out to touch your growing belly without your consent, feel empowered to say no - this is your body and no one should touch you without your permission. The work of establishing your little family will certainly come with moments where you have to emphasize boundaries and advocate for yourself. This is the perfect, if totally annoying, chance to practice. Know that you are strong, and you've got this. And, baby will be here soon! Feeling all ready for baby? Check out all the services offered by Doulas of Iowa City and see how we can support you before, during, and after birth.
0 Comments
10/1/2018 0 Comments Massage Before, During, and After Birth - learning from Kristin Bergman, LPN, LMT, DoulaOne of the best parts of bringing our member businesses together in Doulas of Iowa City is the chance to gather for continuing education from experts in our community as well as experienced member doulas. This month we had the opportunity to learn about massage before, during, and after birth from Kristin Bergman of Conscious Caring.
Here are just a few takeaways that illustrate what makes Kristin's "conscious caring" significant:
When we moved to her massage space, Kristin graciously allowed us the opportunity to hop on her table so we could feel her information as well as watch and learn. Here are a few specific suggestions she shared for massage before, during, and after birth:
Some key details to note about the fabulous services Kristin offers:
Want to learn more about Kristin and the fabulous services she offers? Head on over to Conscious Birth Iowa! Thanks so much to Kristin from all of us at Doulas of Iowa City for this continuing education presentation and letting us share a bit on the blog, too!
When we think of mothers and mental health, we most often think of Postpartum Depression. But, PPD is just one among many diagnoses that fall under the category of PMADs - Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. This is significant because many women may be struggling but assume that since their experiences don't match up with what they typically think of as depression that there isn't support or understanding for what they may be experiencing.
We no longer live in tribes, extended families, or tight-knit communities, meaning that the challenges parents face as they negotiate childbirth, sleepless nights, and changing identities occur behind closed doors without the vital support networks they need. According to Shannon, doulas can provide a critical level of support and intervention for moms and families during this pivotal time of transition.
Many thanks to Shannon for sharing offering Doulas of Iowa City members continuing education on this important subject! If you are looking a mental health professional to support you in pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond, you can find information about Shannon and Murray, Wilson, and Rose Counseling here. Looking for doula support? Join the Doulas of Iowa City for our next Meet the Doulas event.
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!
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. So summery and satisfying.
|
AuthorThe 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. Archives
May 2021
CategoriesAll Babywearing Birth Doula Books Classes Doula Spotlight Fall Fitness Food Holiday Local Meet The Doulas Postpartum Postpartum Doula Pregnancy Prenatal Self Care Self-care Winter Yoga |