As your due date nears, the reality of impending parenthood can be both exciting and overwhelming. You may be getting nervous or have anxiety around when you’ll go into labor. You may be stressing about getting the nursery ready or finalizing details for your maternity leave. That’s why planning and enjoying a big night out can provide a special opportunity to unwind, connect, and relish your partner’s company before your baby’s arrival takes center stage. I always encourage clients to schedule a “no holds barred” date night around 37 or 38 weeks - it’s a chance to take a deep breath, enjoy some quality time together, and remind yourselves why you’re a great team. Orange County offers an array of high-end, memorable spots to make this final pre-baby date night one for the books.
In the quiet hush of the labor & delivery room, where the air is charged with anticipation and the scent of earthiness and birthyness, a new chapter in your life unfolds. The rhythmic cadence of your breath is mirrored by the gentle whispers of your doula, a reassuring presence in this oh so sacred moment. The culmination of nine months… maybe more, leads to this: the first hour with your newborn.
When I was selecting items for my baby registry, it was really important to me to not go overboard. As a doula of 14 years, I’ve seen families get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff in their homes and nurseries and I knew I wanted to keep things on the simpler side. I also wanted to be mindful of the impact on not only the environment, but also my baby’s microbiome - which meant finding a lot of eco-friendly products to keep waste down and keep our home as “low tox” as possible. Here you’ll find some of my favorite sustainable and most useful items that I registered for.
Today concludes Doulas of OC's First Annual Diaper Drive to benefit OC Rescue Mission in Tustin, CA. We are happy to report that we had a huge response from the community and were able to hand-deliver your contributions to the donation center earlier this afternoon.
In September of 2016 KTLA, OC Register and other news outlets put out the word about a dire need for diapers & wipes at OC Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope; a transitional community for the homeless in Orange County. Being that we are in the business of birth and babies, we quickly decided that this would be a wonderful cause to get behind and looked to enlist our community to help.
Our First Annual Diaper Drive launched in November. We partnered with Laguna Beach OBGYN and The Yoga Mat in Orange where we set up collection boxes for patients and patrons to drop-off diapers during business hours. Our own office in Costa Mesa served as a drop-off hub as well.
Weeks went by and the empty boxes at each drop-off location began to fill up with diapers & wipes. The holiday spirit of giving was in the air and people generously donated to this worthy cause. Soon our entryway was overflowing with diapers just waiting to cover those cute little baby bums.
Our collection efforts officially ended last week and today we commenced tallying the final numbers prior to dropping off the diapers. We are excited to report that we collected 2,281 diapers and 2,760 wipes. Experts say that with this amount you could diaper 1 child up to a year! Yay for clean and happy babies!
The highlight of our experience was meeting "Guitar Kenny", one of the Warehouse Managers. He shared his personal story of how the OC Rescue Mission helped get him off the streets and recover from addiction. It was encouraging to hear about all of the great work OCRM is doing in the community, not only for babies, but for women, children, and men of all walks of life.
It goes without saying (but we want to say it, so we will) that we could not have done this without you! Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your generosity and enthusiasm in getting behind this cause. Thank you to Dr. Kenneth James & Allison Molinski at Laguna Beach OBGYN and Courtney Short & Natalie Ostad at The Yoga Mat! Your partnership in this endeavor is extremely appreciated.
The success of this community-centered donation drive has inspired us and given us many new ideas to consider in regards to philanthropic involvement. We truly want our community to thrive and are eager to continue providing assistance and support wherever we can. Stay tuned for another community drive in April - this time focusing on the importance of well-woman care. And again in late-2017 for our 2nd Annual Diaper Drive!
As the nights get cooler, I’m finding myself craving more comfort food and longing for the delicious aroma of Autumn foods permeating my home. With juggling full-time Birth & Postpartum work, Administrative Director duties, and having a personal life, I’m struggling with making the time to cook healthy, hearty meals. This is when my crockpot is crucial
I utilize crockpots a lot in my work as a Postpartum Doula. It’s an easy way to make large meals while still giving my clients the hands-on assistance they need. Just throw everything in and 4-6 hours later you have a delicious and nutritious meal! You’d be surprised at just how many things you can cook in a crockpot!
One of my favorite Fall crockpot meals is Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup. It’s inexpensive, freezes well, and is packed full of nutrients, not to mention it’s naturally gluten free and can be easily made with vegan ingredients.
My favorite recipe comes from Adventures in Wunderland mainly because in addition to being delicious, it’s also simple. There are a lot of good butternut squash soup recipes out there, but most of them require a ton of peeling, chopping, baking and the like before actually making the soup itself. Spending that amount of time on meal prep is not entirely realistic for new parents or busy professionals. If you have the time to prep it from scratch, I say go for it, but for those looking for an easier way to go about this meal, turn to your local Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. They typically have pre-peeled and pre-cut veggies to make your life easier!
The recipe is listed in the link above, however, I typically tweak it just a bit for my tastes. I add a ¼ of a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, ground ginger and curry powder for extra flavor. I also use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender.
Once prepared, I like to top it with a dollop of greek yogurt or pair it with a slice of sourdough bread topped with goat cheese. A simple side-salad works too!
We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe and that the Fall flavors and warmth help inspire you to experience the fullness of this beautiful season.
We’d love to hear about your favorite recipes you rely on when you’re busy or wanting to avoid spending hours in the kitchen! Email us at admin@ocdoulacollective.com to have your recipe or meal prep tips featured on our blog!
(photo courtesy of Adventures in Wunderland blog)
