Sharon Muza - Birth Classes, Doula & CBE Workshops, Birth Tub Rentals — Local services in Seattle

When I got pregnant, I immediately knew that my husband and I wanted to take a childbirth education class so we would be as prepared as possible for the birth we wanted. After some research I signed up for Sharon's class, not sure what to expect or how helpful it would actually be. Well, it turned out to be one of the BEST decisions we made during pregnancy.

We feel like we were able to have the birth we wanted because of what Sharon taught us. We hired a doula, but she couldn't be there for the birth. It turned out we really didn't need her because my husband ended up being the greatest doula ever thanks to what he learned in this class.

A few of the most helpful things we learned (though I could go on and on): How to advocate for ourselves to achieve the birth we wanted Pain management techniques, both mentally and physically How your partner can be involved in the process. It truly felt like WE went through labor/delivery, not just me. Breastfeeding info Learning what a real birth looks/sounds/feels like. This was helpful to just wrap our heads around what was to come!

We also have to give Sharon major kudos for pivoting during a pandemic and seamlessly turning her class into a virtual space- we couldn't believe how few technical issues there were. It's like she has been teaching virtually forever. We felt like we didn't miss out on anything even though it wasn't in-person.

We had the birth of our dreams and are so thankful for Sharon who helped us learn so much and...

I recently took part in Sharon's 4 day doula training workshop and follow up lactation class. What a great experience! In just 4.5 days Sharon was able to fully give us the keys to see ourselves as capable doulas across many situations.  By really emphasizing that the main aspect of a doula's role is to be there for their clients, to help them know their choices, to help amplify their voices and follow their leads, Sharon showed us how our mere presence as listener, supporter and advocate can make a big and beneficial difference at such a pivotal moment.

The course covered so much - from cultural humility and awareness to prenatal care and birth planning to understanding many aspects of labor and birth to postpartum support to being there for clients grieving from overwhelm, disappointment or loss. The panels with guest doulas from across the country with various specialities and backgrounds were particularly wonderful and inspiring. My fellow classmates were also each so very inspiring. Sharon helped to create an open hearted and open minded space in which we could hear each other and share.  And on the practical side, the course covered the nuts and bolts of launching a doula practice - marketing, building a resource base, contracts, payment and to top it off, Sharon continues to make herself available with office hours and mentoring as we progress on our doula path.

The workshop exceeded my expectations and further affirmed for me that the path of a doula is one I want to...

I highly recommend taking Sharon's Birth & Baby Your Way class. She presents a lot of information in an engaging way - it's definitely geared toward those who want to be more hands-on and interactive with their learning. I felt the class leans toward unmedicated birth with minimal interventions (which is what I wanted), but Sharon does a good job of preparing you for all potential interventions/complications and equips you to make educated decisions.

I gave birth in a large hospital where the care is more clinical than personal, but I was able to advocate for my birth preferences since I knew the pros/cons of the recommended interventions. Sharon even had a class activity where we practiced disagreeing with a care provider's recommendation; this was eye-opening for me as I tend to avoid conflict and follow authority. I think if I had not been prepared for all these possibilities in advance, I would have easily gone along with the care team's recommendations and would not have felt any control over my birth experience.

The birthing course is definitely more in-depth than many other options, but I think it's perfect for those who want thorough preparation and education about their upcoming...