asking for help

Asking for Help: Five Tips to Make it Easier for Parents During Pregnancy and Postpartum

By Nikki Shaheed | Dec 1, 2020

Dear parents, Asking for help can be a big challenge for parents, even though pregnancy and birth are natural times to need some extra support. Let’s take a look at…

Guest Post: How Can a Doula Support You? | Amanda Reyna

By Nikki Shaheed | Aug 19, 2020

How can a doula can support you (and a partner)? As you prepare for birth, you’re likely reading a book or a few, attending provider appointments, washing some small sized…

Heart Centered Pregnancy Deck

10 Ways for Birth Professionals to Use Heart Centered Pregnancy Deck

By Nikki Shaheed | Aug 3, 2020

I’m so excited to share that the Heart Centered Pregnancy Deck is here! This interactive card deck offers 35 reflections related to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, including… Self-Acceptance Patience Exploring…

fear and birth

How to Interact with Fears in a Productive and Caring Way

By Nikki Shaheed | Mar 16, 2020

In a birth culture filled with messages that plant seeds of doubt about birth in expecting parents’ minds, it’s easy to understand how fear has come to have an unfavorable…

birth story

How to Listen to a Birth Story with Compassion

By Nikki Shaheed | Jun 29, 2019

Parents often share birth stories with one another in parenting groups, on playgrounds, or on coffee dates. Without guidance or modeling on how to deeply listen to another person’s story…

cesarean birth

Fostering Connection and Resilience in a Cesarean Birth

By Nikki Shaheed | Apr 13, 2019

While most people refer to this type of birth as a c-section, in Birthing from Within we prefer the term Cesarean Birth. By shifting our language, we acknowledge that no…

Creating a Village – The Challenge for Modern Parents

By Nikki Shaheed | Feb 26, 2019

In the colonial United States, women in a community would attend to a mother during birth, and take turns caring for and feeding her family during the first 40 days…

Four Signposts to Know When to Go to the Hospital or Birth Center

By Nikki Shaheed | Jan 26, 2019

Many expecting families wonder how they will know that it’s the right time to go to the hospital or birth center, or summon their midwife for a home birth. They’re…

Things Nobody Told Me About Postpartum

By Nikki Shaheed | Oct 16, 2018

Bringing a new baby into your family brings many big adjustments – your body, your finances, and your sleep schedule all have to bend and flex to make space for…

Judging People for Getting an Epidural

By Nikki Shaheed | Sep 8, 2018

While there are many strong opinions about using pain medication in labor, the conversation about epidurals and birth often lacks nuance and context. Many pregnant parents feel like they must…