Welcome! My name is Michelle Zoric Chenevert. I am a Certified Childbirth Educator, a Spinning Babies Certified Parent Educator, and Certified Birth Doula. I have a Master's degree in French and a Master's in Education. I am glad to put my education and training to work for you!
Why Childbirth Education?
I became a childbirth educator after I had a wonderful, transformative birth at a birth center, following a BirthWorks Childbirth Education course. I realized that my friends, who only did a hospital-based birth class and had "standard" hospital birth experiences, did not have such positive experiences, and also had Cesarean births around 30% of the time.
I knew that my childbirth preparation, and the choices it allowed me to make about my care, made all the difference. I wanted to help others do the same!
Our bodies were made to give birth. Our birth choices can have profound and lasting consequences for our own health and our babies' health!
What I Want For You
My goal is for you to make INFORMED, EMPOWERED choices about your maternity and birth care. I never want you to say, "if I had known X, I would have made a different decision." My classes will give you the information you need to choose for YOURSELF what is best for your body and your baby.
My core beliefs about birth are:
- Moms and babies are strong and smart. We must listen to them!
- Trust your instincts -- your body knows what it's doing.
- People will be at peace with their birth experience if they know that they had all the information they needed to make their decisions.
How Does Spinning Babies Fit In?
When your body is balanced and your baby is in a favorable position, pregnancy and birth are generally more comfortable. As a doula, I have found that the Spinning Babies techniques for balance and position are the most useful thing I have learned to help birth progress smoothly. I wanted to share that information with birthing people BEFORE labor begins, to help provide that balance and avoid difficult positions, such as "sunny-side up" (Occiput Posterior), breech, or other positions.
At this time, I am the only Spinning Babies Certified Parent Educator in the Pittsburgh area. Click here to learn more about what Spinning Babies can do for you! A Spinning Babies Parent Class with me, online or in-person, can help you feel more comfortable during your pregnancy, and can help your baby begin labor in a favorable position, resulting in a shorter, more comfortable labor, with fewer interventions.