“I would highly recommend Kelly Downum as doula. Her calming presence was apparent and made me comfortable from the first time we met. I appreciated her thoroughness and organization in our meetings prior to my son’s birth. She was informative, gentle and confident about the birth process. Her assurance about choosing whatever may be best for myself and my son was helpful – she helped me to be informed while reminding me that I knew what was best for my son. This assurance and gentle guidance did not end when my son was born; she continued to be there after his birth.

Kelly was open to various plans that I had along the way, even when I was indecisive about certain things. She got to the hospital before
we did and was a welcoming, calming presence. Though my father’s son and I are not together, he chose to be there for his birth. I think that she was a huge help to him, and he commented a lot after the birth about how great she was – stating that everyone should have a doula. If he needed to leave for a minute or go do something we both felt it was ok because Kelly was there. I can’t recall exactly, but I don’t think she ever left! If anything seemed unusual or caught him off guard he could look at her, and she just reassured him with a look and he knew not to worry. I remember them conversing about various things that the nurses or doctors may have said. She was there for him as much as she was for me, and that was so helpful during an atypical birth situation.

After Zayden was born, Kelly didn’t run out the door. Even though she arrived at 7:45 pm and Zayden was born at 3:52 am, Kelly didn’t
leave until 6:00 am. She stayed and made sure we were all settled in and doing well. Despite the long night for her, she came to visit and check in before we left the hospital. She came by the house for a visit as well, which was priceless. I was able to ask any questions I had. It was very nice to see her again, especially from the comfort of my own home.

I must say that the birth notes and photos that Kelly gave us are invaluable. It’s un believable that anyone would have been able to provide such great documentation during such an event. To provide all of that while being a presence of calm and encouragement for me, Zayden’s dad and probably the nurses too, was nothing short of amazing.

I encourage every mom to be that I see to look into getting a doula – they are worth their weight in gold. If you are in the Gunnison Valley I cannot recommend Kelly highly enough - take the time to meet with her and see if she is a match for you and your family.” – Holly H., first-time mother and doula client

A great big welcome to our newest Hypno-baby in our Western Slope Hypnobabies family!

Baby Jude made his appearance in the world this morning (about 9:00am), after only a two-hour birthing time. He was born unexpectedly AT HOME after momma’s pressure waves went from 6-7 minutes apart and 30 seconds long to *BABY* instantly! Once it was decided that it was time to head to the hospital, our Hypno-momma went to the bathroom as her sister finished up packing the car for their hour-long drive. As momma was using the bathroom, she looked down and said, “Uh… baby’s coming.”

And that did he.

He was born peacefully at home, welcomed by a loving group of friends and family. The EMTs were called and arrived 5 minutes after he was born. The EMTs were held-off from any invasive examinations until the placenta was born, and after being checked out, the Hypno-family decided that they were just going to stay home… there was no reason to go to the hospital!

What an encouraging, amazing and touching story.

KKCO, Channel 11 in Grand Junction, came to do a news story on them and it will air tonight at 5:30pm. The family was beyond excited to share how fantastic Hypnobabies hypnosis worked for them and are glad they were able to share their positive experience with the community. I will post the link, clip or story once it airs.

This afternoon, the Hypno-daddy posted on our Facebook page, “I’m still amazed at how well the hypnosis worked it was awesome!”

Congratulations again, proud family! I was honored to be a small part of helping you achieve your calm, comfortable and easy birth!

I am happy to share with you a small, simple article that I was recently interviewed for. It is from an online magazine publication based out of Montrose, and talks about my Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis classes that I am offering in Grand Junction through Two Rivers Birth Services. Be sure to watch the video clip of the article!

Although there was much more information that I wish was included, I am happy to see that the word it getting out to media around this area!

Click HERE to read and listen to the article.

Our March class series is NOW FULL! Please register for our next session, beginning in April.

Mention this post and receive $30.00 of your registration costs.

I am honored to be a part of a very special givaway, sponsored by PrintRunner. PrintRunner.com was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later their company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California. PrintRunner’s commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at affordable price made their company grow.  PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.

PrintRunner is your convenient online printing resource. Check out their postcard printing services online.

Now YOU have a chance to win a set of 100 Postcards! Postcards are great for business or personal needs. I use them for advertising for BirthRoots, as well as party invitations and Thank You cards for my kiddos.

PrintRunner.com is providing the winner of this giveaway with 100 5×7 postcards. Please note the following for additional details:

Colors – 4/0 Front Only Printing

Paper – 14 PT. UV Coating on Front

Rounded Corners – Yes

Proof – None

Ready to Ship In – 4 Business Days

For a mandatory entry into this giveaway, please comment below and tell me what you would do with your 100 free postcards!

For each additional entry, please complete any or all of the following and leave a separate comment for each, telling me what you did. Don’t forget to include an email address to I can contact you when you win!

Contest ends Monday, March 12!

* Thank you to PrintRunner for providing me with this giveaway.

* I will receive a set of postcards for hosting.

* This giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

Lindsay McCoy, Hypnobabies instructor in Minneapolis, MN, and owner of Ellos Birth and Doula Services, graciously sent Hypnobabies this fantastic photo/video montage of a recent Hypnobabies birth.

In her words…

“This mama is an RN and this is her first birth. She was so calm that I just had to break out my little flip video camera and film. She’s seriously probably about 7-8cm in the video portion since when we got to the hospital shortly after I filmed it she was 9cm and the emergency room staff told her to take a seat (calmly in center switch with headphones in) until someone realized she was in her birthing time and brought her up!”

Photo Credit Source

I love posts about how utterly awesome doulas are. I love knowing that there are people out there educated enough to know what an amazing, invaluable service one provides, not only the birthing mother, but the birth partner and baby as well.

I learned the hard way about not being educated as to the benefits of a doula with my first birth. Never again. My two subsequent births were attended by my wonderful doula, as well as my husband, and I would never birth again without one.

I loved stumbling upon this post by Daddy Confidential as to the benefits of having doula support during your birthing time. The guy knows how it important it is! So many male birth partners get placed into a position where they are expected to perform in the same manner as a TRAINED birth professional, it is almost unfair to ask so much of them. Having a doula present allows the birth partner to do what he does best; love and support in the ways that he knows how and that best fits him.

by Lauren Letterman

A little background for those who don’t know my story.  My 4 yr old son Calvin was born vaginally in the hospital after a few doses of stadol that neither of us did well with.  I kept thinking there must be a better way to birth! I found Hypnobabies while pregnant with my now 2.5 yr old daughter Nora.  Her birth blew my mind…it was 98% pain free and wonderful, despite some severe abuse we endured from the hospital staff. My positive experience with her birth was what led me to become a doula and a Hypnobabies
instructor.

This time, we knew we wouldn’t be headed back to the hospital.  We hired a fantastic midwife, Rachel, and a doula, Teresa, to attend my homebirth. I did the Hypnobabies Home Study to prepare for this baby’s birthing. Some of the words I use are hypnobabies terms, like waves instead of contractions and birthing time for labor.

On Monday August 22nd I was 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant and fed up. I was done! Done done done. I’d been fighting high blood pressure and on light bedrest with a 2 yr old and 4 yr old for almost month. It was hot (HOT!) outside and I was fat (FAT!).

I’d figured new baby would arrive on the 22nd but the only thing happening that morning was the Dinosaur Train movie on pbs. I had a great breakfast with my kids and a slow start to the day. We headed off to the chiro for a quick 1130am appt and went from there to my mw’s office at 12. On the way I was chugging ginger tea to keep my bp low and eating banana bread to get new baby moving… he/she was NOT a big mover during the day and I was scheduled for an NST.

I always loved my prenatals at the birth center. My kids would play nicely and my mw Rachel and her assistant Sheena and I would just chat. That’s pretty much how things went on Monday, they hooked me up to the nst and just talked while we tried to prod baby into moving. After we called it quits on the nst, I asked if my mw would strip my membranes for me. I hated to ask…it felt like cheating! But I knew I was at my max point. It was time to do something.

Rachel was really understanding when I asked to be stripped. When she checked me, I was 3-4cm and 70%. Very ready! She realized she could easily stretch me to a 7. Wow! Maybe I wouldn’t have to wait much longer to meet new baby. Rachel said, are you sure you aren’t in labor? I said yep, pretty sure! I hadn’t had anything going on so far that morning but by the time I left her office I was feeling lots of pressure and lots of waves and having quite a bit a bloody show.

It was lunch time and the weather had really cooled off so I took my kids to the park for a picnic. It was nice to be outside and let them burn off some steam but I was REALLY uncomfortable! I texted my doula to let her know how I was feeling and got ahold of my husband to let him know something was up. He was out of town for work and it would take 3-5 hrs for him to get home if I needed him. I didn’t think I needed him quite yet but I told him I’d keep him posted. By the time we left the park at 3:30 I was feeling less waves and pressure but still not quite right.

The kids and I napped from 4 until 5. I listened to my special place cd thinking it might calm things down. No such luck. Through dinner and a trip to the grocery store the pressure and waves continued, as did the bloody show. Since I was on my own with the kids, I was very ready for them to go to bed that night! It was tough being a patient mama when I felt so uncomfortable and out of sorts. I’m proud of myself though, I did bedtime yoga with them before they got tucked in!

The kids were in bed by 830 and I settled in to have some icecream and watch tv. By 9 my waves had really picked up in intensity. I used my lightswitch through a couple and changed positions but they were stronger and longer than what I’d had earlier. They were about 5 min apart and 45 sec long. At 930, I called Loran and I said I hate to do this…but I need you to come home. I think this is it but if it isn’t I need you home to have sex with me anyway, lol. I called my doula just after that and asked her to head my way. I didn’t feel so much as I needed her support just yet…more like I needed to not be alone!

When I got off the phone with Teresa I went to lay down in my room and listen to my early first stage cd. I figured things would go like Nora’s birthing time. I would listen to that cd and bam! Things would really start moving. Then we’d a have a baby a couple hours later.

But. ‘This is a new birth and a new baby…’ And that’s not how things went. When Teresa arrived just before 11 we chatted and she helped me with some back pressure I’d been having during the waves. Loran texted to say he’d be home around 2am. I called Rachel at 1130 to let her know what was going on but that I didn’t need her just yet. The waves were 5 min apart and 45 sec long about then. I was getting frustrated. About 12 I told Teresa I was sorry she had driven all the way out when it was looking like a false alarm. She said she thought things were slow bc I was waiting for loran to get home. She asked if it was ok if she hung out til he got back. I said of course! And she went to nap on the couch while I went to bed.

Loran got home just after 1am and I was so relieved. My waves were strong enough I couldn’t sleep through them but still about the same. They started lasting a bit longer when he laid down with me. He played sodoku and talked to me while I rested in between waves.  It was really nice having him there. At one point I said this is really hard (as in long and frustrating) and he said it isn’t always easy, it just seems that way when you get done.

Rachel texted at 230 to check in and I let her know the waves were not getting closer but were a bit longer. I told her she was welcome to come over. She arrived at 3ish and just watched me for a bit, checked on baby and gave me a few suggestions for getting things moving. I did some nice deep squats and we did several belly lifts that seem to make the waves more intense but no closer together.

When Sheena arrived, I asked rachel, so what’s the plan? It wasn’t very encouraging having everyone around when things were so slow going. Rachel gave me a few homeopaths and told me to hit the shower for 30 min and do lots of nipple stimulation.  After that, I was to have some intimate time with my hubby (he assured them that performance anxiety would not be an issue! Lol).

We left everyone in the living room and retreated to our bedroom about 4. Things started to really pick up in the shower. I worked through about 6 waves and moved my hips in figure 8s during them. When I finished in the shower, Loran and I had our time together…all I’ll say is it worked! By the time we emerged from our room about 530 my waves were close and so very strong. I was using my peace cue and trying to focus my mental anesthesia but not having much luck.

I sat on my birth ball in the living room and the waves started to come hard and fast.  I called my doula over to me and leaned on her during my waves. I was starting to not feel so calm and collected.  The waves were huge and intense! I remember thinking hmm this is what my waves felt like toward the end with Nora….but I didn’t think I could possibly be quite there just yet.

My doula was AMAZING at this point.  She had worked to learn all the Hypnobabies hypnosis cues and just as I was ready to throw my hypnobabies out the window (yep, says the Hypnobabies instructor/doula/mom/pusher) I heard Teresa say deeper and deeper relaxed…and I was! I had never practiced the verbal cues. I didn’t think they were the right tool for me. With my previous hypnobabies experience, I listened to my mp3s in my own little world the whole time.  This time was so very different and I am hugely grateful Hypnobabies has so many ways to use the self hypnosis!  With each pressure wave, I’d lean into my doula and she’d start with the cues right away.  I was really vocalizing during the waves but my whole body would just melt when I heard those cues.

Rachel, Sheena, and Loran were all busy getting the birth room set up. Loran was so helpful!  The best part was I heard him muttering about having stupid candles that won’t light… I quietly said honey, they’re battery powered! As they worked, I kept thinking I want that tub and I want it NOW! Teresa asked at one point if I wanted to change position and in my head I knew I probably should but I couldn’t make my body cooperate.  The waves started to piggyback on each other and I was thinking is that damn tub filled yet?! Rachel came in to ask if I wanted her to fill the tub. YES!  It was wonderful when she came back and said it was all ready.  I headed for the tub about 630.

After a quick stop to the bathroom, I made a beeline for the tub.  I kept thinking of all my wonderful doula clients who have had a break or pause in their labor when they get in the tub.  That’s what I wanted – a break! My husband had turned on the pushing baby out track but I had him turn it off right away.  I wasn’t ready for that yet.

My waves started to feel more powerful and I could tell they were changing direction.  I was kneeling over the side of the tub with Teresa in front of me, giving me my cues.  About the time the waves started to change, they spaced out.  I actually dozed off between a few! I asked for the pushing baby out cd to be put on.  As soon as I heard Kerry’s voice, a huge wave came over me and I was pushing! It was cool how my waves seemed to line up with what she was saying in the cd.  I completely understand now why my mw says don’t put that cd on before I arrive!

I’d like to say I was peacefully ahhhh-ing my baby out like I did with Nora…but no, I was LOUD.  I just let my body do what it needed to do and
ahhhhing loudly felt right.  I didn’t even think about waking up my kids! My son came in about then to see what I was doing.  Then he went to watch cartoons, lol.  He came back periodically to check in but he was very casual about the whole thing.  I was talking to baby too as I felt him/her move down.  Kneeling just didn’t seem to be quite right.  My mw suggested I open one of my knees (kind of captain morgan’s style) and that was what I needed.

Baby started to really move after I opened my hips.  I felt myself stretching but the strangest part was feeling my bones move.  This wasn’t
a small baby! Soon Rachel encouraged me to reach down and touch baby’s head. I did and it felt…not like I thought it would. All smooth and weird. I was confused, what was I feeling?  Rachel and Sheena told me then that my water hadn’t broken and the baby was still in the caul. Whoah! How cool! I wanted to tell my husband to take a picture of baby crowining in the caul but I couldn’t find the words.

My whole birth team was so encouraging as I breathed baby out.  Loran kept telling me what a great job I was doing. It was intense but I pushed through several waves to get baby’s head all the way out. My sweet baby had a nuchal hand (hand by its face) which made things a bit more challenging.  Then another big push for shoulders, and another for baby’s chest.  The caul broke as baby was born.

Sheena caught baby and lifted it onto my chest.  As soon as I saw the baby’s face, I thought omg that baby looks just like Nora! We cuddled and baby was a little slow to breathe clearly but did fine with a little stimulation. Someone (Rachel? I think) said so what do you have? Did you look? And I looked down and I said oh it’s a girl!!! We thought you were a boy! Now we have to spend the next two days fighting over girl names! (We had a great boy name and couldn’t agree on a girl name at all)

Just then Nora came in.  Loran got a great picture of me talking to her, my eyes full of tears. I said Nora! You were right! It was a sister baby! Come see your sister baby.  It felt amazing that she just KNEW in her heart that this baby was a girl.  She’d get so mad when people would say it was a boy! Calvin came in too just to check things out, then went back to cartoons. He wasn’t too impressed with the whole process and a little irritated I had woken him up.

Everyone helped me out of the tub and to my bed.  It felt so good to be in my own bed snuggling with my brand new baby and sitting with my son and daughter while they were checking things out.  Baby was perfect, all 8lb 15oz of her. I was just fine.  Nothing exciting or dramatic, just an every day occurrence. And so very special for us. Home birth was such a great choice for our family.

… and THIS is why I do what I do!

PLEASE take the time to watch this video of THE Calmest Birth you will EVER see – 23 minutes of UNCUT footage of a Hypnobabies mom easing her own baby out into the world; her 2 boys running around, hubby taking photos, so calm, so confident, so relaxed, so easy and SO Comfortable.

No editing, no removal of any sound; just a peaceful, beautiful birth. She was in hypnosis the entire time and easily able to talk, move and communicate in all ways – lucid, in-the-moment, very present for her precious baby’s birth.

Childbirth hypnosis works. I am honored to be able to bring this education to women and their families of the Western Slope of Colorado! Why wouldn’t you want this for your birth?

Originally posted here. Thanks HypnoBliss Birth!

I came across this great post from Annie, a recent Hypnobabies® mama. I thought it was full of information my readers would enjoy and she was kind enough to let me share it!

Yes! It was Awesome! Wonderful! So peaceful, so relaxed, so beautiful! Absolutely worth all the training I did every day for half a year! Thank you Hypnobabies, I got exactly what I wanted and it was SO GOOD..!

I felt sure and confident all the time. I felt happy, good, peaceful, joyous. I knew I would know exactly what to do at any moment, I knew I wouldn’t have to ask anyone anything, I would just listen to my body and do as I intuitively knew I should do. I felt no worries about anything. I knew I would know if there was anything special I should pay attention to, and there wasn’t.

I was totally in my own world, I heard Kerry’s voice and the same time I didn’t hear it, I was there and able to say anything I needed to anyone and the same time I was completely elsewhere, calm, peaceful, in my own beautiful world.

I was on all fours all the time during the waves, and it was good. I only used the bed as a soft place to be on all fours. I leaned forward on a mountain of pillows and relaxed totally and took the hugs of waves, and it was so good. Intense, yes, but there was nothing wrong with that, intense was good. I felt so secure and sure.

At some point I kept shaking my butt, which felt great, at a later point I kept still, just relaxed and enjoyed the wonderful massage and pressure my doula applied on my back. And all the time I was in my own world, completely happy, calm and secure.

I didn’t feel transformation, I didn’t feel crowning, I didn’t feel the small tears I got. I only felt intensity, which was a good thing just as I had taught myself, pressure, wonderful need to push and the great great feeling when I went along that need and pushed. I felt my baby move, it was wonderful, a feeling full of joy! I knew when my baby was coming out, no one interrupted, no one tried to guide me in any way, I knew what to do. With a great, most powerful feeling I had ever felt I pushed, the head was out, I immediately touched it. It felt warm, wet, wonderful, I said “there’s the head”. Then I felt a great urge to say something gentle and encouraging to the baby, so that she would know that mom is waiting and it’s safe to come out to the world. The words came out of my mouth “Come darling, come out dear”. Then with a powerful, happy, so joyous feeling, the last push, my body moving along with hers so she could slide easily out – and she was born! I felt the most wonderful joy I had ever felt in my life!!! I was so happy, I felt so powerful, so full of energy, so proud!!! I kept repeating Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!!! I hugged my doula and continued repeating Awesome! Fabulous! Wonderful! Awesome!! The two members of the staff who were there witnessing the birth, the midwife and the nurse (who had only arrived at the last moment, as instructed), were both totally amazed and convinced, their eyes were wide open of amazement, they smiled and laughed and congratulated me and said wow you must be proud, wish we had had this on video, people won’t believe this, wow..!

I’m so happy and content about this birthing, and it feels especially good as my previous birth was a standard hospital version with all possible meds and a very poor, traumatic experience that took a long, long time to get over. This time it was all different and this birthing truly did become a very healing experience for me!

By the way, I had visualized a birthing that would begin with first some small signs, so I would know that now I can start to put myself in the right mood, “this might be it”. I wanted to have a bit of time to “adjust” myself to the right mood. Then I had visualized that it would be nice if it started in the morning, maybe 3…4 am, so we would all get some rest before it starts. Then we’d be home for a couple of hours, arrive at the hospital early enough to get settled nicely, then a few hours at the hospital, so that the whole thing would take say about 6 hours. Well, I got my sign, the mucous plug came three days prior, along with a few small signs during the days. So I could indeed get myself adjusted in time. I was really happy I got those days, I loved to settle myself to the right mood and start waiting for things to start. Then the actual process started at 3am, we were home for 3 hours, arrived at the hospital nicely and got settled, and after 6 hours, quite exactly, the baby was born. Wow! I’m really happy I did the visualization!!! =)

I also want to share the most important things, in addition to Hypnobabies, that I used to make the experience the best possible, just in case someone wants to know. And feel free to ask me anything you want to know.

* A good and understanding doula – absolutely indispensable!!! She was crucial for the success of this birthing, as she took care of all discussion with the staff so I could stay in my peaceful own world and concentrate. And she was there to massage my back exactly as I wanted and that felt like heaven!!!
(I wanted no one else to be there than just my doula, and, only when needed, a midwife. That way I could best concentrate and stay in my own world, and it worked exactly as I had hoped!)
* Epi-No! Yes, it works wonderfully! It helped both physically and mentally, as I learned in advance about the intense feelings and I even learned to enjoy the intensity! Thanks for the tip, I got it from this group!!!
* Spinningbabies.com – just as instructed in Hypnobabies! A very good resource! I had an “optimal position lifestyle” -attitude for half a year!
* Orgasmic Birth – the book (not the video). This is the resource that lead me to Hypnobabies. Beautiful, positive, powerful and confident attitude, reading this was like balm to my soul.
* Keeping my own clothes, using my own cd’s that had sounds of flowing water with binaural beats, candle light, scarf & cap to protect my eyes from bright lights and my face from anyone watching, using the power of sound as I sang through the beautiful, wonderful second phase, happily, joyously, calmly… oh it was just so beautiful!!!!!!! =)
* …And so on

So, now I’m a very happy Hypno-Mom of a 3-week old baby girl, cherishing the memory of the birthing for the rest of my life!!! Thank you Hypnobabies, thank you Kerry and the team, thank you, you wonderful moms in this group, this group gives so much support!
Yes, Hypno-Moms Rule!!! =)