Birth Planning & Preparation for Survivors Of Assault and Trauma to Feel Safe in Labor
Learn how to avoid re-triggering past traumas and feel supported, not watched, in labor. We take birth trauma very seriously.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Hear from others how our courses and coaching helped improve birth experiences and eliminate birthing and secondary trauma.
EXCELLENT Based on 37 reviews Caity Thompson2022-04-30 I was so anxious about having my second baby after the train wreck that was my first. I spent the majority of my second pregnancy fighting providers just to advocate for myself. I reached out to Mandy for knowledge and tools to help me achieve my VBAC. I LOVED and cherished our Zoom meetings and I’m tremendously sad they’re over. Mandy was so kind, compassionate, caring, and most importantly easy to talk to. It was definitely a judge free zone full of the most incredible support. I felt so knowledgeable and so empowered having Mandy in my corner. Mandy, thank you so much for being an integral role in helping me claim my VBAC! You really helped me process Ben’s birth so I could go forward and advocate better for myself with Samuel. I will always be forever grateful for you ❤️ In the words of the great Dolly Parton, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” Thank you for helping me adjust my sails. Sassy Smyth2022-04-18 I’m not a mom nor have I ever been pregnant, but I have learned so much about my anatomy, the birthing process, healthcare as a business, and patient advocacy and informed consent from Mandy. As friends and family in my life have gotten pregnant and given birth, what I have learned from Mandy (and this is just her free resources- I can only imagine how much more I would know if I took a formal class) has given me the language and the knowledge to support my friends in their pregnancies and empower them to be advocates for themselves and get access to the information they need to make the best choices for themselves, their deliveries and their babies. Mandy’s passion is evident in her work and I recommend anyone who may give birth, knows someone who will give birth, and/or is a birth worker to learn from her. Dr. Sheila Shilati2021-03-25 We found Mandy via Instagram and we could not be more pleased with the experience. At the time, we were feeling very frustrated with the process between our OB and the window for us to make decisions was closing. We were feeling alone, frustrated and just overwhelmed. When we came across Mandy, we knew immediately she was the person we needed. We decided to do private consultations which ended up being a lifesaver. While our birth plan was altered due to reasons out of our control, Mandy was there for us, to just helps process all of the emotions that come with birth. Further, just her willingness to spend the time and address every little issue imaginable and reminding that we are advocates of our own process and health. She is warm, educated, earnest, truly has passion for this work and I wish we could just bring her home with us. Lol. Do yourself a favor, take the time and get the support you need. I feel like way too many of us are sitting with feelings and experiences we don’t need to hold onto by ourselves. Mandy is also very reasonable, I’m from Los Angeles, trust me on this. I am beyond grateful for what she did for us. It was what we needed at the exact right time. Ashley Mauceri2020-08-24 Amazing class! Definitely worth the time and money! Mandy is a FABULOUS instructor and gives details and hints on how to be honest with your body. Jaime McGuire2020-08-23 Mandy is an excellent teacher! In our classes with her she kept us engaged and helped me feel confident in learning about my body and my baby’s birthing process! I will definitely use the tools she taught me throughout the rest of my pregnancy and through my labor. Kaitlyn K.2020-07-25 Can not recommend enough!!! With her help I ended up with the birth of my wildest hopes and dreams!!! She’s smart, witty, direct and so knowledgeable!! With my first two births they were inductions with a epidural. I was so checked out emotionally and lost in the overwhelm of delivery. This gave me the perfect escape m to not be present emotionally. Experiencing this I found post delivery a sense of a lost opportunity. That there was a loss of connection with my baby and therefore it was a very slow bond to be built. This time around I knew I wanted so much more. I didn’t know how to get there alone so after reviewing many websites looking for the right fit, I found Mandy. So I messaged her with questions having the expectation she would tell me to take her birth class and she’d be happy to answer any questions I had. That she would push me for money. Instead she responded with answers, follow up questions for me and went along with talks and questions I had even when they had nothing to do with her specific specialties and points of birth/peanut balls and trauma. Talking with her and finding new information about my body and hormones that happen helped me get the birth I dreamed of. I ended up taking a class from her and it’s worth every single penny and moment of your time! She takes time and gets to know you even in a class full of people. Even with a induction I had a calm, empowering, unstoppable surge of strength and belief in myself for my delivery. All while maintaining a trauma informed and aware room. She taught me things such as: Medication free delivery, trauma and how to open that conversation with my medical providers, I learned the hormones released during labor and having people wait for my consent before touching me then waiting for me to tell them I’m relaxed and when to start a procedure. She believed in my abilities to accomplish my dream delivery and her belief empowered me to believe just as much in myself. Eva Chadnova2020-07-03 Fantastic educator, so knowledgeable and empowering. We took the online class during the difficult and uncertain time of the COVID. Thanks to the techniques she taught us (peanut balls for the actual birth plus all the labour preparation and positioning) and the empowering tips she gave us (regarding how to stand up for your preferences in birth), my birth went exactly as I wanted it to. Mandy's classes as well as her video training are a real treasure, highly recommend!!!
Birth Trauma Prevention Resources For You
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125 Labor Positions
Your guide of 125 labor positions to shorten labor & manage pain. Don't stall on your way to meeting your baby! 🔥Invaluable when those first labor contractions start.
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Postpartum Game Plan
Download the FREE Postpartum Game Plan, and you'll be ready for the first 6 weeks of parenthood!
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FREE Birth Boldly Birth Plan
Between preggo brain and not knowing what you don't know, we decided to make this template for you. It'll help sort out YOUR top priorities & guide you through making them possible!
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Baby Got VBAC
A collection of stories meant to inspire women who have had a previous cesarean birth and are looking into their options for their next birthing experience, particularly into having a vaginal birth after a cesarean.
Childbirth is a turning point and transformational life experience. But it can be unexpectedly impacted by past experiences and trauma responses. Take control of this opportunity to refine effective coping skills you already possess – prepare for your best birth possible.
Recently Featured On 👉
10 News - WSLS.com
The Birth Nurse: Managing Pain During Labor
Daytime Blue Ridge, WSLS 10, Roanoke, VA
Evidence Based Birth Podcast
Trauma-Informed Childbirth Education with Mandy Irby, The Birth Nurse
It’s no secret that the birth world can be a bit of a minefield. With so much conflicting information out there, it can be hard to know where to turn. That’s where we come in. As a registered nurse of 13 years and having a traumatic birth of my own, our courses and coaching cover the history of birth culture (like is it truly medically necessary to use stirrups when pushing?), positions to lessen the chance of tearing and so much more.
“Families and nurses experience birth together, and I work to promote trauma-informed birth care and prevent birth-related trauma for all.“