Classes & Learning

Birthing From Within

Full childbirth education class

Here I stand at the threshold of labor. What will be asked of me? What will I have to give up? Am I willing to do it? Who will I become on the other side?

— Nikki Shaheed, Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal

  • Each class is tailored to the specific needs of those in attendance. Topics and skills learned may include:

    The Call

    Unconscious preparation | Beliefs about birth

    Mindfulness practices for pregnancy, labor, and birth

    Birth Art as a tool for self-discovery and reflection

    Role of fear in preparation, and how to work with it

    The Descent

    The Labyrinth of Birth | Accessing your inner wisdom

    Physiology of labor and birth | Hands-on, partner support

    Developing a pain-coping mindset | Pain-coping practices

    Informed decision-making | Facing unwished-for events

    The Return

    Setting postpartum expectations

    Postpartum transition mapping

    Tools for integration and whole-person healing

    Ritual and ceremony for the birth year

  • This is a 1-on-1 class and we get to pace it based on your schedule.

    Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal, by Nikki Shaheed

    Access to client-only online content, including: affirmation tracks, guided meditations, printable documents, etc.

    and more!

  • While I am working on completing my certification these sessions are SLIDING SCALE. Once I complete my certification they will be ~$500/ family. For these sessions you must be willing to be audio recorded so I can submit to my mentors for feedback and certification. Sliding scale is $100-500.

In-Person Classes

  • This is a 2 hour class for folks to come prep their relationship for what’s to come with welcoming a new member into the family. This class goes over the logistics of dynamic change, setting realistic expectations around sex, communication skills, intimacy reimagined, and more. This class is interactive, as you will be doing exercises with your partner(s) to connect and learn about each other in the class and you will be given homework to do before the class and after the class to continue the work.

    I also offer a prerecorded version of this class that you can complete on your own time with your partner for $70 here.

    Register for the class here.

  • More details above. These meetings are currently sliding scale through 2024.

Self-Paced Online Courses

  • $50

    This is a prerecorded course that talks about all things caring for a newborn. You will gain access to the slides to download and save as well.

    -This class goes over helpful items

    -First 24 hours

    -How to make decisions

    -Placenta & cord clamping

    -Medications/ Vaccines

    -Bathing

    -Basics around feeding/ hunger cues, burping

    -Possible reasons for crying & how to soothe

    -Diaper changing & poop colors

    -How to swaddle

    -Sleeping for parent(s) and baby

    -How to prepare for postpartum further

  • COMING MID 2023

    Sliding scale prices of $45, $65, or $85

    This class is for birthing people wanting to learn about their own placenta AND birthworkers wanting to add placenta work as an offering.

    This class discusses:

    -A tour of the placenta

    -How to create placenta pills

    -Various other ways to prepare placenta for consumption

    -How to create placenta prints

    -How to create placenta tinctures

    -How to create placenta broth

    -Different cultural practices with the placenta

    -Anecdotal evidence around placenta consumption

    -A resource page

    Get up close and personal to learn how I process a placenta in these various ways. Many people process placentas differently. The way I practice may not work for everybody, this is an intro to the offering, be sure to reflect and work with each placenta and birthing person individually to ensure best practices.

    I spent over $500 on a training to learn how to process a placenta and... I overpaid for a training that medicalized the process in a way that did not honor this organ. Babies spend 10 months growing and developing in the womb and SO many people trash the placenta or leave it with the hospital.

    As placenta consumption becomes more common and the practice of honoring this part of the body rings true for many, I want to help make this knowledge accessible and share the part of this process that was lost initially.

    You can register and pay for this class here. You will have access to this class immediately after registering.

E-Workbooks

  • Can be purchased here.

    This is an e-workbook you can download and complete in your own time. This is for families to prep their relationship (dynamics, roles, etc.) for what’s to come with welcoming a new member into the family. This workbook provides activities to do together, individual journaling exercises, and suggestions for practices to implement into your day to day lives to prepare. No matter at what point you begin this tool, work on what's meaningful for you.

    **Each person who signs up for my Connections Class (online or in-person) gets this for free.

  • Can be purchased here.

    I am a licensed Social Worker and somatic practitioner. This is a downloadable E book with somatic activities to practice mindfulness and embodiment work prenatally to better prepare for labor and birth.

Recommended Readings

    • Bodyfulness by Christine Caldwell

    • How to Be an Adult by David Richo

    • Owning Your Own Shadow by Robert Johnson

    • The Inner Lover by Valerie Harms

    • Transitions by Julia Cameron

    • Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

    • Nurture by Erica Chidi Cohen

    • Transformed by Birth by Britta Bushnell

    • Birthing from Within by Pam England

    • The Doula's Guide to Empowering Your Birth by Lindsey Bliss

    • Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

    • Birthing From Within by Pam England, Rob Horowitz

    • What About Us? by Karen Kleiman

    • Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel & Mary Hartzell

    • Trauma-Proofing Your Kids by Peter Levine & Maggie Kline

    • Real Boys by William Pollack

    • Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher

    • Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

    • Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes

    • Wired for Love by Stan Tatkin

    • How to Be an Adult in Relationships by David Richo

    • Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel

    • Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson

    • The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Know to Make Love Work by Terrence Real

    • The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman

    • The Two Step: The Dance Towards Intimacy by Eileen McCann

    • Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix

    • Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski

Resources & Referrals can be found here.

My information shares can be found here.

New Doula Support

$150 for 6 months of mentorship.

I’ve always loved mentoring. I trained many social workers throughout my years and have absolutely loved mentorship throughout birthwork. A typical doula certification is a great start but there is so much more to the work than some labor positions and feeding ice chips, not to mention the cost of it all. I don’t know where I would be today without the mentorship from the number of doulas I have learned from. It’s hard to know where to start when you are beginning. What books to read, what trainings to take, how to get clients, how to organize prenatal meetings, how to fight against injustice, how to make a website, how to create offerings based on skillset, what to expect from different hospitals… The list goes on.

What mentorship includes -

  • Access to my client library (has most books needed for certification)

  • Monthly 1 on 1 meetings (1 hour - in person or via zoom)

  • Email check-ins between meetings

  • Access to birth notes from my clients (identifying information changed)

  • 50% off classes I offer (some may count toward certification)

  • Guide to how to run prenatals