Episode 53: Birthing From Within Childbirth Preparation: Interview with Nikki Shaheed

05/02/21 • 32 min

13 Listeners

In today’s episode I am kicking off the series about childbirth preparation classes. I am featuring a different type of birth education program each week in the month of May.

I had the privilege of interviewing Nikki Shaheed and she is a certified Trainer, Mentor, and Doula for Birthing from Within, as well as the author of Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal. Nikki is passionate about bringing balance and self-compassion to the childbearing year. She lives in San Antonio, TX with her husband and three amazing children.

In this episode we discuss:

Background of Birthing From Within

Created by Pam England, who is the author of Birthing From Within
Her birth experience led her to ask herself: what did I need to know as a mother that I didn’t know as a midwife?
That question inspired her quest to find self compassion and a way to help people to have more realistic and holistic expectations before they give birth

What is the BFW "unmethod"?

There is no way to get it wrong with Birthing From Within, it is not outcome based
It is all about developing self love, self acceptance and doing what the moment calls for without being held back by conditioning or judgment

Words we use in birth

The words we use are powerful and create imagery
The term “natural childbirth” makes Cesarean or medicated birth seem “unnatural”

You cannot plan out your birth

You can prepare for birth, but you cannot control birth outcomes
Center preparation around the foundational concept that you are stepping into the unknown
Nikki likes to call Birthing From Within the “self compassion buffet”
Self compassion is the most important thing to pack in your birth bag

What will parents learn about childbirth, as well as themselves?

Parents will learn the “nuts and bolts” of birth
Stages of labor
Common procedures that can occur during birth
How to prepare the for the unknown

Birth Art

Embodied experience that allows parents to practice figuring out what to do when they don’t know what to do
Wise and compassionate mentor is there to encourage them to keep going

Emphasis on the postpartum journey is a big differentiator between Birthing From Within and other birth preparation programs

Find a Birthing From Within Birth Education Mentor
How to get in touch with/follow Nikki

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

In today’s episode I am kicking off the series about childbirth preparation classes. I am featuring a different type of birth education program each week in the month of May.

In this episode we discuss:

Background of Birthing From Within

Created by Pam England, who is the author of Birthing From Within
Her birth experience led her to ask herself: what did I need to know as a mother that I didn’t know as a midwife?
That question inspired her quest to find self compassion and a way to help people to have more realistic and holistic expectations before they give birth

What is the BFW "unmethod"?

There is no way to get it wrong with Birthing From Within, it is not outcome based
It is all about developing self love, self acceptance and doing what the moment calls for without being held back by conditioning or judgment

Words we use in birth

The words we use are powerful and create imagery
The term “natural childbirth” makes Cesarean or medicated birth seem “unnatural”

You cannot plan out your birth

You can prepare for birth, but you cannot control birth outcomes
Center preparation around the foundational concept that you are stepping into the unknown
Nikki likes to call Birthing From Within the “self compassion buffet”
Self compassion is the most important thing to pack in your birth bag

What will parents learn about childbirth, as well as themselves?

Parents will learn the “nuts and bolts” of birth
Stages of labor
Common procedures that can occur during birth
How to prepare the for the unknown

Birth Art

Embodied experience that allows parents to practice figuring out what to do when they don’t know what to do
Wise and compassionate mentor is there to encourage them to keep going

Emphasis on the postpartum journey is a big differentiator between Birthing From Within and other birth preparation programs

Find a Birthing From Within Birth Education Mentor
How to get in touch with/follow Nikki

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

Previous Episode

Episode 52: Doulas are for Every Birthing Person: Interview with Kathryn Courtoy

Thank you so much for listening to the Finding Your Village podcast, before I get into the details about today’s episode. I wanted to let you all know that in the month of May, I will be publishing a series of podcast episodes all about childbirth preparation classes. As I finish the last steps of getting certified to become a childbirth educator myself, I wanted to feature different preparation philosophies and some popular classes.

My opinion about birth preparation is that it is important, but it is also not one size fits all. I compare it to exercise programs. Exercise is important for everyone, however, not everyone likes the same kind of exercise class. Some may prefer yoga, another person might like Crossfit and another may be a pilates gal. Similarly, I believe that birth preparation is important, no matter how you are giving birth and that some people may resonate with one philosophy over another. So I will be featuring an interview with a birth education from Birthing From Within, Evidence Based Birth, Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method and Hypnobabies. So tune in for that series in May!

In today’s episode, I speak with Kathryn Courtoy of 3 Hearts Doula. Kathryn has 3 children that she calls her 3 hearts and named her business after, a son, a daughter and an "angel daughter". She is a Cappa Certified Labor Doula offering Childbirth Support in the North Metro Atlanta area. Kathryn believes there is no great transformational time in a person's life than bringing another human in the world and that every birth has a story. Kathryn and I discuss what labor doulas do and how they support all birthing people.

In this episode we discuss:

Labor Doulas are for every birthing person who would like support
You do not have to be planning an unmedicated birth or a vaginal birth to have support from a Labor Doula
What a Labor Doula does before and during birth
“Doulas catch the mom and Midwives catch the baby”
I think of Labor Doulas as “birth consultants”
Doulas don’t just get paid for being present during labor, but for all the support and expertise that they provide before labor starts
The difference in roles between the support Partner and Labor Doula
What holding space means

How to get in touch with Kathryn:

Website: www.3heartsdoula.com
Follow her on Instagram

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

Next Episode

Episode 54: Hypnobirthing Childbirth Preparation: Interview with Sara Rossi

In today’s episode, I continue this month’s podcast series on childbirth preparation programs. I had the opportunity to interview Sara Rossi, who is a Hynobirthing Instructor. Sara started as a prenatal yoga instructor and In 2007 she got certified in Hypnobirthing, the Marie Mongan Method and as an Infant Massage Instructor by the International Association of Infant massage.

Drawing on her experience as a mother, a prenatal yoga teacher, childbirth and infant massage educator, Sara looks to establish a safe and effective journey for pregnancy and beyond.

In this episode we discuss:

Sara’s background as a prenatal yoga instructor and how that led her to become a Hypnobirthing educator after the birth of her daughter

What Hypnobirthing is

A philosophy and method created by Marie Mongan
Dedicated to providing birthing women and their partners a proven method of birth education that not only guides and prepares women for birth, but also is a program that considers the psychological, spiritual and physiological well being of mother, partner and baby
Built on a framework of breathing, relaxation, visualization, meditation techniques and positive body toning

Tools

Allow you to enter an altered state of consciousness
Enables you to access the beta, alpha, delta and theta waves that allows you be in a deep relaxation between surges

Class Structure: 5 units that are 2.5 hours each

Unit 1: history of birth, physiology, the language of birth and how to use breathing techniques, visualizations and affirmations
Unit 2: bonding with baby, hypnosis techniques, how to communicate with care providers, and how to harness the power of the mind to reframe fear in birth
Unit 3: Deepening visualization and hypnosis techniques, how to prevent inductions, birth preferences, how to prepare body for birth through nutrition and movement and emphasize your body’s design for birth
Unit 4: How birth companion can support the birthing person, and how they can assist and advocate for the birthing person
Unit 5: optimal positions for baby during labor and birthing positions, bonding after birth and they touch on breastfeeding and the 4th trimester

The difference between a birth plan and birth preferences

You cannot plan birth
You can learn what your options are, what procedures are and then you can decide what your priorities are and write them down for you, your partner and birth team to be able to read

Who would be a good fit for Hypnobirthing: