Birth Preparation Classes

Birthing from Within^® childbirth preparation classes assists in recognizing many ways in which we gather information and understanding not just in our head but also intuitively. We work with birth from the mother, partner, baby, and cultural perspective exploring tools that parents already have but may not have recognized. This 6-week series delves into labor support, working through unexpected circumstances, bodywork and nutrition in pregnancy, decision making when you don’t know what to do, pain coping, storytelling, and much more. Classes are held at Wild Harmony Wellness in the Mission Valley area of San Diego on Sundays. It is an awesome class. Want to know more about Certified Birthing from Within Mentor’s training? Watch this and listen to this!

All Families Welcome! 

Birth Story Medicine™ / Birth Story Midwifery

Did you experience or witness a birth with unexpected, difficult or traumatic circumstances? Are there moments that you replay in your head that linger?  After the birth were you left with feelings of confusion or powerlessness? A Birthing from Within mentor describes Birth Story Medicine here. This one-hour, private workshop reflects on your birth story and initiates steps towards reframing such unwished for or surprising moments that may have negatively affected you or your relationships with others. Email to set up your individual session.  Cost is $75. 

Storytelling and the Birth Worker’s Journey

This 5 week workshop focuses on story and its role in the birth worker’s journey. We explore personal birth story that makes up our belief systems, ways of listening, and telling story that highlight introspection and intuition for role modeling in the birth space. We also explore traditional stories and how they can be templates for working with grief, trauma, and somatic experiences.  Three nights will be held in a classroom space and 2 nights will be held by the fireside. Class locations vary and space is limited for quality sharing. Please visit http://birthworkersjourney.com for more information. Dates coming soon!

Shoulder Dystocia or Breech Birth Debrief for Birth Workers

Have you experienced a shoulder dystocia or a surprise breech that has left you with questions about what happened?  Whether the circumstances were straight forward or not, reviewing a shoulder dystocia or breech with a peer helps us process the birth, understand more about what might have happened, and be more aware of what we want to do next time.  In a debrief, we will set aside purposeful space to review circumstances leading up to that moment, timing, as well as maneuvers that were used and possibilities that may have been untried. 
There is also an emotional component to difficult births even if the outcome is good.  Unexpected or unwished-for circumstances for any situation can stay in the body and even affect one’s ability to return to practice and attend births in the future.  Having been trained in Birth Story Listening and practicing it for over 15 years, Nicole brings aspects of understanding of the nervous system, trauma, and somatic release for reframing of such events if needed.  This debrief is good for anyone who was part of the birth team.
Nicole also teaches Resolving Shoulder Dystocia and Breech Basics through Spinning Babies® and has experienced and taught both as a midwife which helps in guiding others. She recognizes that it is sometimes beneficial to contact someone outside of one’s community to hold this space emotionally and yet have respect for the technical aspects of this work. 

Read more about shoulder dystocia debriefs on the Blog: https://artofopening.com/2021/11/30/shoulder-dystocia-debrief/.