The Guiding Star Project | Cedar Valley

Pelvic Floor Health
2026-08-18 18:00 - 19:30 UTC
We are excited for you to join us for Bryndee’s Pelvic Floor Class! Bryndee Nichols, DPT with MercyOne will be showing exercises, sharing how to tailor exercise throughout your cycle, presenting research regarding exercise and fertility, and allowing you to become more in tune with your body.
**This class will be hosted at MercyOne Rehabilitation and Wellness Center,
2204 Kimball Ave. Waterloo, IA 50702

SIGN UP HERE– LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE

Birth Your Way
2026-08-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
Have you thought about what you want your birth story to be? Our partner, Zenith Birth Services, will be educating you on what to expect during labor, comfort measures, and, most importantly, how to have an informed birth experience. Sarah Oldre is a certified Birth Doula and has been serving women in the Cedar Valley since 2013. Bring your labor questions, and we know you will leave feeling one step closer to being prepared for your birth story!
REGISTER HERE: Birth Your Way

Breastfeeding Moms Community
2026-08-28 09:30 - 11:00, 2026-09-11 09:30 - 11:00, 2026-09-25 09:30 - 11:00 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
Our Breastfeeding Moms Community will meet at Guiding Star Cedar Valley on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month from 9:30am-11am. Childwatch is available and you can register here. Each meeting will be led by Susan Wirtjes who has been assisting women on their breastfeeding journeys for more than 50 years! Our vision for this group is that it will be a place where women will meet other like-minded mothers and support professionals. We will encourage sharing of experiences in a non-judgmental setting. Moms will be offered options and alternatives to help them make choices that fit well with their parenting style. We want to help women feel supported, empowered and affirmed in their motherhood journey. Pregnant women welcome!

Creighton Model Introductory Session
2026-09-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
At Guiding Star Cedar Valley, we believe real healthcare empowers women with the knowledge of their fertility. Fertility should be respected and understood, not treated as an illness. But too often, women are simply given contraception with no invitation to learn about the way their bodies function and no opportunity to even begin to learn about charting their menstrual cycle.
Our mission is to change that! We want to equip women with the understanding that they deserve to understand how their bodies work and have the root causes of reproductive issues treated, not simply covered with a band-aid approach.
The Creighton Model FertilityCare System offers an alternative to hormonal contraception while working cooperatively with the female reproductive cycle. Come and learn more about the Creighton Method (spouses/partners are encouraged to join!) in this introductory course! Cost of the session is $60 per couple. FREE Childwatch is also available when requested on registration form! Please call us with any questions: 319-232-2695.
REGISTER HERE: Creighton Intro Session

Miscarriage & Infant Loss Support Community - Fall Session
2026-09-01 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-10-06 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-11-03 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-12-01 18:00 - 19:30, 2027-01-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
Guiding Star’s partner, Katie Schmitz LISW, will be offering a miscarriage & infant loss support community beginning in September. We will meet in the downstairs community class space here at Guiding Star Cedar Valley.
The group will meet monthly, for one hour, for five consecutive months. Any individual, at any level or grieving, is welcome to attend. Topics will be mostly group-led, but will range from “What is ‘Normal’ in the Grieving Process” to “The Importance of Rituals” to “How to Communicate Needs to Others Outside of your Grief” and “How to Support other Children in Your Grief”. While there is no set cost for joining the group–free will donations will be accepted at each session, with a suggested cost of $10 per session.
Because of the nature of this group, you must attend the very first meeting in order to continue with the sessions. Fill out this form if you would like to attend the group, beginning in September, or other possible sessions.

This fall session will meet on the first Tuesday of each month from 6:00 – 7:30 PM.

1st Session: September 1st, 2026
2nd Session: October 6th, 2026
3rd Session: November 3rd, 2026
4th Session: December 1st, 2026
5th Session: January 5th, 2027

If you have any questions, call Guiding Star at (319) 232-2695 or email danielle@guidingstarcedarvalley.org
Guiding Star Cedar Valley is located at 220 Southbrooke Drive, Waterloo, IA 50702.
REGISTER HERE : Miscarriage & Infant Loss Support Community – Fall Session

Baby's Here. Now What?
2026-09-08 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
Join us for this three-part, in person class for expecting parents. You’ll get practical guidance and support in three key areas: physical recovery and emotional support following birth, evidence-based newborn care, and how to begin breastfeeding with confidence. The class will utilize a mix of instruction, hands-on activities, and real conversation about expectations and realities. By the end of the series, both mom and dad will leave feeling informed, empowered, and ready to take on the first few weeks of parenthood! Take this class for FREE this September, a $75 value!

This class will take place Tuesday, September 8th, 22nd, and 29th from 6:00 – 7:30 PM.

REGISTER HERE: Baby’s Here. Now What?

Mother Daughter: Intro to Womanhood Class
2026-09-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
We are so excited to share this evening with you and your daughter! We focus on helping girls understand their 4 main superpowers and how puberty relates to each of them. Those “super powers” are Ovulation, Menstruation, Gestation, and Lactation. We spend most of our time in the Ovulation and Menstruation categories – explaining signs they are approaching, the way they might feel during those phases of their cycles, how to prepare for their first period, exploring ways to contain the flow, what’s normal, what’s not, etc.
We also want to help them connect this season of puberty and all that comes with it to the future beauty of their design should they want to become mothers someday. Our hope is that in exploring the topics of pregnancy and breastfeeding, it helps them develop a healthy respect of the functionality of their bodies so they can walk through their development more confidently. The Lactation piece mostly explores breast development and how a developed breast works in the lactation process on a very basic level. At the end, we also start to explore the concept of SPICE in a way that helps them understand their changing feelings and how they are spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional beings and can connect with those around them in these different categories.
The cost of this Mother-Daughter class is $25 and an additional $10 will be added per daughter (1 daughter = $25, 2 daughters = $35, etc.). Each daughter will receive a gift and folder of resources that will further the discussion and relationship you have with your daughter around this transition into womanhood. We hope this class serves both of you in fostering healthy conversations about the female body and its superpowers!
REGISTER HERE: IntroToWomanhood

Father Son: Intro to Manhood
2026-09-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Guiding Star Cedar Valley, 220 Southbrooke Dr., Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
In Intro to Manhood, we will cover the objectives every boy undergoes in the process of becoming a man. These objectives include the development of the body, anatomy, physiology and character traits of an upstanding man. The material is designed to give boys a concise, yet digestible, knowledge of the changes their bodies will go through during puberty and the process of how a new life is created. The boys will also gain insight on what it means to be a man as far as leadership and building meaningful relationships with family and friends.
The cost of this Father Son Class is $25. Each son will receive a gift and folder of resources that will further the discussion and relationship you have with your son around this transition into manhood. We hope this class serves both of you in fostering healthy conversations about manhood and the transition into it!
REGISTER HERE: Intro to Manhood

No Matter How Small: Miscarriage & Infant Loss Memorial Service
2026-10-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Mount Olivet Cemetery, 3912 W 4th St, Waterloo, IA 50701, Mount Olive Cemetery, 3912 W 4th St, Waterloo, Iowa, 50701
Join us on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM to remember and celebrate the precious lives of those we’ve lost too soon. This special gathering provides a space for healing and reflection, where we come together as a supportive community to honor the memories of our little ones. We invite families and friends to join us as we share stories and offer comfort to one another.
Whether you are remembering a past or a recent loss, all are welcome.
For more information, please reach out at (319) 232-2695.
Let us come together to find solace and strength in shared memories and collective support. We look forward to welcoming you to this space of healing and remembrance.

Guiding Star Cedar Valley 2026 Annual Charity Gala
2026-11-05 17:30 - 20:30 | Diamond Event Center, 5307 Caraway Lane, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613, United States
Save the date for this year’s 2026 Annual Charity Gala!!
Thursday, November 5th, 2026

More information to come!
