As of May 1st, I will be raising my doula rates! I will be charging $200 for a doula package that includes 24-hour on-call access from 38 weeks on, full labor support, one prenatal appointment, and one postpartum follow-up visit. It also includes access to my wonderful back-up doula should I be unavailable, and access to my library of birth and pregnancy-related materials.

My HypnoBirthing clients will still get a $50 discount on doula services! So, if you take my class and also hire me as your doula, you’ll get the HypnoBirthing class and a doula for only $335! That is a great deal!

If you book your doula package and pay in full before May 1st,  you will still get the lower rate of $150 (or $100 for HypnoBirthing clients) so book now! Availability is limited!

I am reaching the end of my doula training and rates will go up again when my certification is complete, so take advantage of these prices now while they are still available! Contact me at fiona@ihypnobirth.com for more information. I will be happy to provide references or testimonials from some of my previous clients as well.

Join the Mother’s Circle, a free support group for pregnant women and new mothers!

Next topic:

Movie Night: More Business of Being Born

After the movie, a short discussion will be led by Fiona Judd. Fiona is a childbirth educator and doula. She is passionate about helping women take a more natural approach to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. More Business of Being Born is the sequel to The Business of Being Born. “More Business of Being Born…offers a practical look at birthing options as well as poignant celebrity birth stories from stars including Alanis Morissette, Gisele Bundchen, Christy Turlington-Burns, Cindy Crawford, Molly Ringwald, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Melissa Joan Hart.” There is also a very great interview with Ina May Gaskin as well as a tour of “The Farm” in Tennessee! Visit the website to learn more:  http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/about/. Babies and children are welcome.

Date: Tuesday, April 9^th, 2012

Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Place: Fiona’s basement, 66 N 380 W, Orem

Hosted By: Fiona Judd, HBCE

Join the Mother’s Circle, a free support group for pregnant women and new mothers!

Next topic:

Healthy Habits for the New Year

Class and discussion will be led by Chelsea Hansen. Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and is a connoisseur of all things related to health and nutrition. She is passionate about exercise and real food. Chelsea is also a certified yoga instructor and received her certification through Yoga Alliance. To learn more about Chelsea, visit her blog at c-fit4life.blogspot.com.  Babes in arms welcome, no older children please.

Date: Tuesday, February 12th, 2012

Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Place: BetterBirth basement, 560 S. State Street, Orem

Hosted By: Fiona Judd, HBCE

My next class is starting one week from tonight, Feb. 4th, at BetterBirth in Orem. I currently do not have anyone signed up for this class! I need to get this class filled ASAP so I am offering a $20 gift card to anyone who refers a couple to sign up for this class. The gift card can be to any store/restaurant/website of your choosing. No limit to the number of gift cards you can earn!!!

I know that some of you have recently told friends about my class. Here’s a hint to help you get your gift card: give them my name, email address, and website and tell them that the class starts next Monday and that they need to sign up ASAP to reserve a spot. If you just give them my name or website, they’ll probably put it off until it is TOO LATE!

If your friend signs up, please tell them to put YOUR NAME in the sign up notes where it asks how they heard about me. Or just email me the name of the person you referred. Thanks! Hope to be buying lots of gift cards for people soon!

Here is another birth story from one of my couples! This mom had surges that were super strong and close together, so she opted for an epidural after working with her body for a while. She was ready to push 20 minutes later! I love how she voiced her desire to try squatting and her doctor allowed her to do that. She was able to use the squat bar even with an epidural, which is almost unheard of! This allowed her baby to be born very quickly since she was upright and not “purple pushing.” I also LOVE that this hospital supported delayed cord clamping, natural vernix absorption, and 3o minutes before separating mom and baby. Enjoy!

Hi Fiona!
Well I went into labor that night after class! We left for the hospital
at about 11:30 pm and arrived around 1 am. I had to wait in the OB services
until I was dialated 5 cm and I was only 4. After two hours of toilet sitting,
focused breathing and a monk like mantra that just came out naturally I was 
5 and was finally admitted. My surges were so strong, fast and intense that
even the nurses were confused by them. I ended up getting an epidural
because the pain was so intense. I would have three surges in a row without
relief and just instinctively knew that I wasn’t going to be able to go much 
longer without one. Even the anesthesiologist was amazed at the strength
and frequency of them while she was administering it.
After the epidural I went from a 5 to an 8.5 in about 10 minutes, and an
9.5 in another 10 minutes. All i felt was a pressure in my bum (thinking it was
bathroom related) but I had my dad ask the nurses anyway if it was normal. 
4 nurses and a doctor rushed in the room to check me and told me I was on
the way! They had to catheterize me, put a monitor on baby’s head and
give me an oxygen mask because baby’s heart rate dipped. After baby’s rate
came back to normal and everything had calmed down, my doctor arrived at the hospital.
 I told the doctor that I wanted to squat or kneel and she was very hesitant because of the epidural
and the fact that my legs were mostly numb. I told her I at least needed to try it
before I would consider anything else. They brought out the birthing bar and I lifted
my self up onto it to see if I could manage. It was amazing!! I felt so free and my
legs weren’t a problem at all. I got into a position I call my “froggy squat” where 
my arms were lined up against the bar for support, I squatted and had my knees up 
by my chest and my bum by my ankles. The doctor was surprised and said she
loved what the position was doing for baby’s movement. She left the room to finish
reading our birth preferences letter and in the 5 minutes she had stepped out, my surges
had come so strongly and long that baby crowned and her head was out. When she 
was finally back in the room she rushed over, turned the shoulders and baby was here!
They placed her on my chest immediately and I loved being able to look into her
big eyes! They delayed cord clamping until Kade felt it was done pulsing and when it 
had he cut the cord. They didn’t wipe her off and we just let the vernix absorb into
her skin naturally. She stayed on my chest for about 30 minutes talking away until
we let them take her to get her weighed and measured. 
Baby Kaleigh came into this world at 5 lbs 13 oz on November 2nd 2012 at 7:07 am!

Thanks so much for everything! We enjoyed the class so much! Unfortunately we didn’t
get to use as much hypnobirthing as we had intended but the breathing excercises helped
so much and all the information you shared with us about the cord delay, nursing, and skin to 
skin was wonderful! We also saved the placenta and are considering having the pills made!
We haven’t yet but if I can get over the idea of it, we plan to