“Taking Shelley’s classes was the best thing my husband and I did! It prepared us so much for what was to come. Even though the birth did not go exactly as we planned, I could not have gotten through it without all the information we learned. I would recommend taking these classes to anyone!” –Carrie

Who: Shelley C. Snyder
What: Awesome childbirth classes!
Where: Glenmoore PA, Chester County (western suburb of Philadelphia)
When: April 27th to July 20th 2012
Why: It can only do you good!

"Shelley's passion and vast knowledge regarding the subject of natural birth was infectious and inspiring to us" -Emily & Brendon

10 Good Reasons to Take my Class
1) Educating yourself is empowering and life changing
2) It will cut out weekly time for you to focus on the new baby
3) Natural birth is safest for mom and baby
4) Natural birth is the healthiest for mom and baby
5) Natural birth is the cost effective for everyone
6) It promotes family
7) It takes a holistic approach and is actually fun
8) It is a great opportunity to meet others who are likeminded and in a similar place in life
9) Your birth experience will impact you forever
10) Natural birth is totally possible and the method I am trained in has the highest natural birth success rate!

WHO: This is a very exciting adventure for me as a stay at home mom to be able to use what gifts I have been given and offer them to bless others. I am fascinated with the miracle of birth. My passion for serving the birthing and mothering community continues to grow as I raise my children and mingle with all those who venture into this amazing time in life. Shelley’s Stories tells more about me.

Pregnancy and childbirth have been of great interest to me since my college years. Pregnancy is such a miraculous time. Our bodies have the capacity to grow another human being inside our belly! Crazy. Ode to my Placenta gives us appreciation for this process. Pregnant belly's are so beautiful. Bellys photo gallery I spent a couple of my college years volunteering as a pregnancy counselor at a crisis pregnancy center where my passion for life was sparked. Upon graduation, I worked with pregnant mothers at an adoption agency and I also worked as a case manager at a children’s hospital serving families of children 0-3 years of age with developmental delays. I earned my certification through the Childbirth Enhancement Foundation as a Doula-professional labor assistant. Did you know that Doulas have been show in published studies to provide: 50% in chance of C-section, 60% in use of epidural anesthesia, 30% in use of narcotics (Stodol or Nubain), 40% in use of Pitocin, 25% in the time of labor, 40% in use of forceps and vacuum extraction less than birth without a doula. I have attended many births. I personally have three drastically different Birth Stories. I am a mommy to Natalie, born 3/1/06 in the hospital and Alivia born 10/26/07 via a water birth at home and Pierson born at home 6/29/10!

WHAT: I would not be a childbirth teacher if I did not believe in the amazing birth process and the life changing experience that it can be to have the birth you want. I will be totally honest, preparing and having a natural birth is a big committment, but well worth it! It is not something we have to be afaid of, but it is scary that 1 in 3 women are having thier baby surgically delivered. “I would never want to make any woman feel bad about the birth of her child. Women need to be honored for their birth stories, no matter how those stories go.” See article Cesarean Birth in a Culture of Fear One thing we can control is to choose to educate ourselves and to be as prepared as possible.

So now that you are having a baby there is lots to learn. Take my Awareness Quiz and find out some shocking information and just possibly how unaware we are when it comes to the subject of birthing! We go over the answers in class 4, but if you are taking this online, just Contact Me and I will email you the answer key. Good luck.

The classes I teach are very comprehensive and holistic in approach. The following topics are covered, but not limited to:

-Nutrition, diet and exercise
-Pregnancy, gestation, anatomy and breastfeeding
-Stages of labor
-Relaxation techniques
-Creating your birth plan
-Unexpected outcomes
-Coaching skills
-Preparing for your new family and postpartum

If you would like to get started on reading you can check out My Birth Library and Recommend Reading for some good resources.

My Birth Classes photo gallery

WHERE: Glenmoore, PA, Chester County. Classes are held right off of US322. We are conveniently located just 5 minutes from Downingtown, Honey Brook and Coastsville. Easy access off of the 30 Bypass or the PA Turnpike. We are just 15 minutes from Exton and Morgantown. Students have traveled from Media, Reading, Chester Springs, West Chester and other nearby cities. Your birth is worth the commute!!!

Find Glenmoore on Google Maps

WHEN: Classes are subject to change, please contact me to confirm dates.

Class Schedule
2012
Winter: NA
Spring/Summer Quarter: April 27th -July 20th 2012
Fall Quarter: NA

Winter Session: Not available
Spring/Summer Session: April 27th to July 20th 2012, Friday nights 7-9pm. There will be no class May 25th for Memorial weekend or July 6th for Fourth of July weekend holidays. A double class will be held on Sat. June 23rd (no class the 22nd). Sign up by April 13th and get $25 discount on your tuition.

I always have a class reunion where we get to see each other post pregnancy, and with child in arm, eat some good food, swap birth stories and hang out! It is always so great to meet everyone's babies!

Bradley Babies photo gallery

HOW MUCH: The fee for the class is $300, which is actually the going rate these days. I know it sounds like a lot, but it is actually only about $25 per class and it is totally worth it, read testimonies. If you register two weeks in advance you will receive $25 off your tuition. To register, a non-refundable $50 is due; this will secure your spot in class. Class size is limited to a maximum of eight couples. The balance is due at the first class. Included in the fee are the class workbook, barrowing privileges from My Birth Library, an official Coach Card, and an opportunity to hear from guest speakers from La Leche League International, Dr. D. Eagle Chiropractic, Blakes Diapers (cloth diaper demo), and parents with great natural birth stories. Payment plans may be worked out if necessary. Please make checks payable to Shelley Snyder, Contact Me to get mailing address or you can pay your deposit now by credit card.
Full price $300
Early registration (April 13th) $275

Sign up for classes

Here you can view templates and read sample Birth Plans

I keep track of my birth statistics so if you are interested in things like what percent of my students went into labor early, how long their labors lasted, etc. you can check it out.

Here is something to consider...
"Some healthcare trivia: In the United States, what is the No. 1 reason people are admitted to the hospital? Not diabetes, not heart attack, not stroke. The answer is something that isn't even a disease: childbirth.

Not only is childbirth the most common reason for a hospital stay -- more than 4 million American women give birth each year -- it costs the country far more than any other health condition. Six of the 15 most frequent hospital procedures billed to private insurers and Medicaid are maternity-related. The nation's maternity bill totaled $86 billion in 2006, nearly half of which was picked up by taxpayers." Midwives Deiver: America Needs Better Birth Care and Midwives can Deliver It and Effects of Hospital Economics on Maternity Care give us some good information to think about. Check out an awesome local Midwife at Rising Moon Midwifery

Play Group Possibilities

I was the first in my childbirth class to have a baby, when I hit the 6 week mark I realized I had been experiencing some postpartum depression and was really longing for someone to relate with me about how our lives had just been completely changed. I was not alone. There were five of us that decided to get together for a play date/mom’s group. That was in May of 2006, we got together regularly for years. We have made some good memories together that always include eating well, playing hard, and time to relate and encourage one another. It has been awesome to go from being pregnant for the first time, watching our kids grow up together, then being pregnant for the second and third time and seeing our group grow and evolve. Thank you to all of my wonderful mommy friends for all of your support, good food, and all that you have taught me about natural living and being a good mother! I hope that you too will find community with those in your childbirth class.

Play Group photo gallery