Nikki Shaheed is a Birthing from Within mentor, DONA-trained doula, and ICAN leader. She is passionate about preventing birth trauma through realistic birth preparation, as well as helping parents heal from birth trauma postpartum. Nikki believes in providing parents a complete perspective of birth, as well as helping them plan a strategy to cope with every situation. She also works to normalize the emotions parents experience during birth - from anxiety to excitement to 'get me out of here!' She helps parents see their emotions as signs of progressing labor instead of a failure to cope with the intensity. Her amazing training through Birthing from Within helps her navigate birth work free of the the pressure of the what if’s or possibilities down the line, focusing on one moment at a time.

Nikki is very excited to bring you a class to help doulas prevent birth trauma, in themselves and their clients. She invites doulas to come into each birth with a fresh heart and mind. Nikki will help you learn to lead a prenatal visit based on what parents want for their birth, not what they hope to avoid. By helping parents actively seek a goal and instilling confidence in their abilities, we put them in a position of power. Learn about exploring what’s behind parents’ statements about birth and how to help them prepare for everything birth has to offer. Nikki will give you skills to help parents through unexpected outcomes, and inspire doulas to approach their work one contraction at a time. $35 per person, $25 if your client enrolls in the weekend Birthing from Within workshop.

With a Cesarean Section rate at 30% plus in the US right now, and as high as 50% in certain areas of South Texas, many women find themselves wondering about their options for future pregnancies and births after a cesarean and how to avoid the first cesarean. At this meeting we will have information provided by midwife Liz Derry, local birth doulas, and also will have moms who have had a VBAC share their experience. It is free and open to anyone seeking more information.

Come find out about the safety of VBAC, what your options are as far as birth locations and care providers, how to increase your likelihood of success, and if you are pregnant with your first child, how to avoid that first cesarean section.