I recognize birth as a natural function of the female body. One that doesn’t require routine interventions. As a future midwife, a doula and Childbirth Educator I consider it a privilege to help women and their loved ones through one of the greatest experiences of their lives.

         My name is Heather Shelley. I am the mother of two boys, two girls, and wife to a wonderful and supportive husband. I started Birthing Your Way, after the birth of my second son.  I took my doula training through ALACE (association of labor assistants and childbirth educators) and  DONA (doulas of North America), and my childbirth education through ALACE, Lamaze and CAPPA and postpartum training through CAPPA (childbirth and postpartum professionals association). 

         I started on this path after the birth of my first son. I was pretty naive about birth when I got pregnant. I couldn't find a class at the time that was not associated with a doctors office or hospital, so I didn't take one. I read a bit, but the library didn't contain a whole lot of information either. I tried asking my friends about birth who had babies of their own, but they didn't say much at all. I delivered in the hospital with a doctor. I had a lot of support during my labor (mother, friend, mother-in-law), unfortunately no one really knew how to support me beyond the medical standard (that's what they were all used to). I was confined to a bed when I into labor and ended up having a very difficult labor and birth. I knew that there had to be a better way. Women had been having babies for thousands of years and if it was this bad they wouldn't have kept on having them. Looking back I realized that my labor and birth wouldn't have been so bad if I had prepared more, and found someone that specialized in labor support that knew how to help me before, during, and after the birth.

         For my next pregnancy I swore that experience would not be repeated. I took natural childbirth classes and read everything that I could on the subject of labor and birth. I found out about doulas and interviewed a few until I found one that I felt comfortable with. I went to a birthing center with midwives but changed to a doctor because of premature labor starting at 25 weeks. I choose a different doctor than the first. I found one who respected my wishes and treated me as a person who knew what I wanted and was educated about my decisions.  I went to a different hospital (My first one was in Utah , this time I chose Evergreen, in Kirkland, WA), one that understood birth as a natural process and not an emergency waiting to happen. I ended up giving birth at 38 weeks and had a great experience totally different from my first birth. 

         From this I realized that every woman could have a beautiful birth if she was educated and had the help that she needed during her labor. So I decided to help women to have the birth that they wanted, the way that they wanted.  It needed to be Your Way.

         Our next baby was born at a freestanding birthing center with a Licensed midwife. She was born with no medications and gently into the water. Our last baby was born at home also with a licensed midwife and she was a waterbirth as well.  

        I am now working towards a career in midwifery I hope to sit for the NARM (North American Registry of Midwives www.NARM.org ) exam in August of 2008.

        Thank you for visiting my site, and I hope that you find what you are looking for. Have a joyful pregnancy and a wonderful birth.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 801-805-8248 or heather@birthingyourway.com

Heather Shelley