JADA SHAPIRO, BIRTHDAY PRESENCE

Childbirth Education Class - 6 weeks at Birth Day Presence w/Jada Shapiro

My husband and I enrolled in the class expecting to learn about all things birth-related and were delightfully surprised to also find an intimate (6 couples) and caring community of expectant parents. The easy, laid-back tone of each class was expertly set by Jada, whose expertise stems from years as a birth doula and her own more recent segue into new parenthood. Classes were as informative as they were interactive. Jada's approach is inclusive of a wide range of birth plans and approaches to labor so that home birthers could feel just as comfortable as folks preparing for a hospital or birth center birth. I would highly recommend the class to couples interested in a more long-term birth class experience. Six weeks gives you a chance to really let all the information sink in. For us the end result was not only feeling well-informed and better prepared for our upcoming due date, but becoming part of a community of expectant parents with whom we hope to remain connected into the future. (May 11, 2008)

We took Jada's (of Birth Day Presence) child birth education class this summer, and we had a wonderful experience on a number of different levels. First, Jada is very knowledgeable, a very engaging and dynamic instructor, and genuinely caring. She introduced us to the world of childbirth, to the different approaches and methods, and knew to recommend useful resources for continued learning. She also knew how to create a very special environment in the class, that allowed us to open up to each other, share our experiences and concerns, and enjoy the time spent together. At the end of the class, not only did I feel prepared for the birth (and after the experience, I know that the knowledge and the conversations we had in Jada?s course were incredibly helpful), we also left with a wonderful new group of friends. I am delighted that Jada and her partner are opening a place of their own, and wholeheartedly recommend their services.

(march, 2008)

I recently took Jada's group childbirth class. It was terrific. The class is small and intimate. You feel very prepared for the birth experience by the end of the class. There is a lot of interesting reading material in the class, and you do a lot of activities to help you and your partner prepare for the birth. While the class focuses a lot on natural birth (no drugs) it prepares you for any type of birth you want to have - or might end up having regardless of what you plan for. Jada is great at answering questions and concerns that you have about your birth and can steer you toward good doctors, midwives and doulas.

In the last month we took semi-private (with 2 other couples) childbirth classes with Jada. They were terrific. I highly recommend them. 3 classes of 3 hours each in the home of one of the couples. It suited us perfectly because my and my husband's work schedules did not accomodate the once-a-week for 8 weeks typical schedule. It was also really nice to have it in someone's home and get to know other expectant couples. Jada is a superb teacher. Very knowledgeable, non-judgemental and experienced. She answered all our questions with warmth and humor. My husband did not want to attend classes at all because he thought they would be "weird", but after Jada's classes he was a total convert and we decided to hire her as a doula as well!

We took private classes in our home with Jada from Birthday Presence and it was fantastic. She's now doing group classes in Park Slope.