prenatal education

Our Favorite Spots For a Pre-Baby Date Night in Orange County

Our Favorite Spots For a Pre-Baby Date Night in Orange County

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.

Working Mom-to-Be: 6 Tips for Working Full-Time During Pregnancy

With so many changes happening in your body, pregnancy can feel like a full-time job in itself. But what about your other job? You want to continue working full-time until maternity leave while feeling your best. We’re here to tell you that it’s possible! You can do this!

We talked to clients and doulas on the Doulas of Orange County team about how they’ve managed to continue working during their pregnancies and are sharing their top tips with you!

A Mother's Day Treat from the authors of Eating for Pregnancy!

Mother’s Day is coming up and what better way to celebrate than with a special breakfast or brunch. Today we are sharing a recipe from Eating for Pregnancy.

Supergreen Drink

Vitamins A, C, and K, and folate enhance your baby’s cell, brain, nervous system, and bone development, plus vitamin C boosts your immunity.

Bursting with vitamins and antioxidants, this green drink is an ideal way to start the day. Use any combination of fruits and/or vegetables. Some popular vegetables and greens include cucumbers, celery, avocado, baby spinach, and kale. Protein powders and powdered milk will give you extra nutrition. Don’t worry about making too much green drink. It’s delish the next day. Give it a stir and you’re good to go.

Virtual Doula Support - essential now more than ever!

WE ARE SORRY. We are sorry you are having to navigate this troubled time while pregnant. We know it’s very overwhelming and that pregnant people around the globe are feeling incredibly uncertain and unsure how the Coronavirus will impact their health, their baby’s health and their birth and postpartum plans.

The news is shifting each hour and we are all being asked to shift with it. For some the shifts may be small, but for most (probably you!) this means drastic lifestyle changes, cancelled childbirth classes, and kiddos schooling at home. As the landscape changes daily and uncertainties grow, we want you to know that we are here for you and are continuing to show up for our clients and community.

We fully respect the work the hospitals are doing to try to mitigate further spread of the Coronavirus, but that doesn’t mean the support you need disappears!

Despite the evolving hospital policies, it is still possible to have incredible support through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. At Doulas of OC we have a couple of options for you to get the care and support that you need either privately, in your home or virtually.

The Pantry: Postpartum Pasta Salad

I really love cooking for postpartum clients - generally I make light and meals. This way I’m not spending the entire postpartum visit in the kitchen and can still help with breastfeeding, newborn care, and anything else the new parents need. Postpartum nutrition is incredibly important, especially for the first several months. Your body goes through a huge transition after giving birth and nourishing it with healthy, nutritious, and soul-filling foods goes a long way in supporting your postpartum recovery.

Talk to your postpartum doula about your nutritional needs, any allergies/sensitivities and cravings. Ask for her favorite crockpot recipes or snack ideas, I guarantee she’ll have tons to share!

Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite postpartum meals: Postpartum Pasta Salad.