"Having Sharon as a doula at the birth of my son made all the difference. With both gentleness and strength, she quietly gave me encouragement and suggestions as I labored without medication. Her help in preparation for labor and delivery was also instrumental, guiding my husband and I through various coping techniques. Sharon is confident, knowledgeable and also has a fun sense of humor."

Erin Cyger, doula client

"Sharon was there every step of the way and, while she never told us what to do or how to do it, we knew she would “go to the mat” for us in whatever choice we made."

Nate, Janya, Glen and Cal, Kirkland VBAC doula client

VBAC Birth Story

"I had to be induced at 42 weeks, and I was significantly uncomfortable and anxious in the weeks prior to my induction. Sharon was immediately responsive to all of my emails and texts. She always validated my feelings and offered comfort and reassurance. She helped me organize my thoughts and questions for caregivers as we made decisions. She was such an excellent source of information, and really helped me stay calm and confident during those sensitive, anxious weeks waiting for my baby."

Becky Cooke, doula client

Fast hospital birth

"Sharon really follows the empowered birth concept. She doesn't bring preconceived ideas about what your birth should be. As far as I can tell she is the doyen of the doulas and as a leader in this profession, she knows all the research and best practices and offers this information in an accessible way. She is hilarious, and down to earth and will totally support you and your partner. She is thoughtful, skilled, and compassionate."

Eva Owens, doula client

"Sharon is an amazing human. She is strong, funny, the perfect amount of bossy, and very deeply supportive. I wanted a birth that would be the first of its kind: unmedicated, intervention-free, epidural catheter-free, midwifery-oriented natural birth of TWINS at Swedish. It's never easy being a trailblazer but Sharon helped us make it happen. She allowed my husband to be central, never wanted attention, knew all the ins and outs of the hospital. She made me feel strong and capable. If I were ever to give birth again, I would call her up in a heartbeat."

Skye Henley, doula client

"Sharon has a ton of experience and is particularly knowledgeable around VBACs with links to studies and real data to help me make decisions. She is supportive both in the moment and before labor, when you have questions and fears."

Julia Nardelli Gross, doula client

"I have had an ongoing nerve condition that doctor's noted could cause problems during the labor and delivery process. We had been meeting with doctors throughout my pregnancy about this situation, however, within one meeting, Sharon helped us generate a list of questions for providers, physical therapists and ourselves that was more helpful than any information or conversations we had with doctors. Sharon continued to be supportive through the pregnancy, waiting (our son came ten days late), labor and delivery and home visit follow ups."

Christie Schmid, doula client

HOSPITAL Birth Story

"I knew that I would be attempting a vaginal birth after two cesareans and wanted to find a great doula with a vast amount of VBAC experience. After meeting Sharon, I instantly felt a connection. Her knowledge of VBAC-related issues and experience supporting mothers attempting VBAC were unparalleled, and I believed that she would be a strong but gentle and compassionate presence during labor. She always put me at ease with words of encouragement, research-supported data, and resources when I needed more information."

Jill Jurenka, doula client

VBA2C Birth Story

"My husband and I were on the fence whether or not to hire a doula. Since I decided on having a natural birth at a hospital we felt that it was important to have lots of support and experience to back us up with that decision. Sharon came to us highly recommended by a friend. After our initial meeting with Sharon we decided to hire her because she seemed very knowledgeable, opinionated, experienced, and most importantly she had a good sense of humor. "

Tiffany Nance, doula client

Hospital Birth Story

"Sharon was recommended to us as someone with specialized experience with VBAC/home births and upon meeting her it was clear that her conviction and confidence matched our own-if not exceeded it! We were inspired by her, her work and her bold faith that we succeed with a VBA2C. My husband and I attended her VBAC Saturday class, which was enormously helpful and encouraging. It gave us helpful tools and important reminders of the birth process."

Mary DeJong, doula client

VBA2C Birth Story

NATE, JANYA, GLEN & CAL BIRTH STORY

Sharon was there every step of the way and, while she never told us what to do or how to do it, we knew she would “go to the mat” for us in whatever choice we made. When asked to describe Sharon, my husband says it best: she was our guide. No truer words can be said about the woman who was our doula for three years before she attended the birth of our second son. Sharon lovingly helped guide us through cesarean recovery, a miscarriage, surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, and, ultimately, the hard decisions about where and how to pursue a hands-off, yet fully supported VBAC. Over the last three years, Sharon answered all of my tear-filled phone calls and gently, yet firmly, handed me the shovel when I needed to dig deep. When we were finally expecting our second son, Sharon was an enthusiastic supporter of our strong baby and in my inherent ability to birth him. We initially planned a hospital VBAC, but began to feel unsettled with our decision. Sharon was there every step of the way and, while she never told us what to do or how to do it, we knew she would “go to the mat” for us in whatever choice we made. We ultimately decided on a home GBAC (garage birth after cesarean) and I have Sharon to thank for believing in me before I believed in myself.

On the day of our son’s birth, Sharon was the first to arrive at our birth house (my mother-in-law’s converted garage) and let in the labor tub crew to set up and fill the tub. I was in active labor when we arrived and dove straight into Sharon’s strong embrace. She was an ace at reading my cues and body language as I was firmly ensconced in ‘laborland’ and unable to speak. Sharon and my husband had a great rapport and several rounds of priceless banter that still get me laughing. She was equal parts comforting, uplifting, and downright funny!

Our childbearing journey was a rough and tender road and Sharon helped pave the way to a perfect, simple, and powerful GBAC. Thank you, Sharon, from the bottom of our ever-grateful hearts. We did it!!! -- Nate, Janya, Glen and Cal, Kirkland VBAC doula client

JANE HOME BIRTH STORY

"I ended up with the homebirth I planned. Sharon came as soon as labor got rough, and coached me through a few contractions with all the tips I could not remember once I was in labor. It really did help me cope with labor. She kept me hydrated and kept the puke bowl nearby, just in case. Her presence was a calm eye in the storm, me and her working together, while the midwives whirled around doing midwife-y stuff and my husband made the final preparations for baby and dealt with additional people in the house who had questions and needs and stuff to find.

Sharon was also my insurance against the unexpected. It brought me no small amount of comfort to know that she was there for me if I experienced a complication - if I needed to switch to a hospital birth - well, Sharon would be a constant. If I transfered in labor - again, Sharon. If my husband freaked out and forgot everything from childbirth class, well, Sharon would fix it. I would hire her again in a heartbeat and strongly recommend her."

TIFFANY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"Throughout the 34 hours of labor Sharon was right there from the beginning to the end. She was available by phone during the first stages, then came to our house to help with labor pains, and stayed with us at the hospital until after our beautiful daughter came into this world. She was a great at stepping in when necessary but also worked very well with the hospital staff. She was also great at helping my husband be a great coach so much so that it made my husband feel confident with every situation. Overall we had an excellent experience and would not hesitate to hire Sharon again if we decide to have a second child."

MARY VBA2C BIRTH STORY

"When it was clear I was in labor, and my water had broken, Sharon came to our home and entered into the rhythm of labor seamlessly. She intuitively knew when to allow my husband to participate at my side, when to encourage him to do so, and when to be at my side herself. My labor progressed, as did the long slow hours, and Sharon-tirelessly and enthusiastically-stayed alert and ready to assist me with my contractions as well as facilitated various methods to aid in labor. Ultimately, I labored at home for over 48 hours. The whole time Sharon encouraged, challenged and supported me in my hope for a VBA2C. She also knew when it was time to transition my labor to the hospital where I might take advantage of other options to assist me and my labor. I appreciated this ability to honestly assess a situation and make a decision, that while not my ideal, was best for me, my birth and my baby. Ultimately, we delivered our dear Anna after almost 60 hours of labor (2.5 hours of pushing!)...VAGINALLY!!! I know that I could not have accomplished this hope with Sharon and her belief in me and the power of my body. I would recommend Sharon and her services, absolutely!"

KRISTINE TWIN BIRTH STORY

"Sharon turned a potentially terrifying and disempowering experience for me (a scheduled C-section for breech twins) into the best memory I could have possibly made from this birth. Thinking back, it's amazing that she was able to calm me down and turn the experience around, especially given that I don't react well to the usual touchy-feely methods of soothing someone. Thank you, Sharon! I don't even let myself think about how it would have been without you."

ROSALIND HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"Having Sharon as a part of our birthing team was invaluable. She carried us through what was a very unplanned, scary experience for us and gave us the tools and information we needed to weave our way through hospital protocols and get the help we needed. She was consistently there for our family before, during and after the birth with resources, support and genuine care. Sharon is intuitive, calm, quick thinking and has a true gift for empowering women (and men) to make the best decisions for themselves and their baby. She will always have a special place in our hearts and we highly recommend her."

AMELIA, JAMES AND JESSE BIRTH STORY

"After witnessing Sharon in action at a friend's birth, I knew she was the doula I wanted at my birth. Her calm presence, experience, and compassion are second to none. Though I would have loved to homebirth, medical issues necessitated I birth in a hospital. Sharon was instrumental in helping me create an atmosphere in the hospital where I was able to 'let go' and have the unmedicated birth I'd hoped for.

Being a postpartum RN I didn't think I would need much help after the birth, but after my baby was unexpectedly hospitalized for a week, Sharon was right there providing advice, emotional support, home visits, and assistance with breastfeeding. It was invaluable and helped us successfully navigate the transition from life in the hospital to life at home. Thanks, Sharon!"

BECKY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"My labor was short and intense, and my baby was over 9lbs. Sharon always offered encouragement at the right times and knew how to provide perfect counter pressure on my back to ease discomfort. She was so familiar with the staff at the hospital that I felt like we were surrounded with friends while my baby was being born. Sharon really understood what was important to me in my labor, and she always expressed her confidence in me. She really bolstered my confidence in trusting myself and my instincts. With her assistance, I was able to acheive the perfect, unmedicated birth I had hoped for. I highly recommend Sharon as a birth doula."

CHRISTIE HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"We had a hospital delivery due to my medical situation and Sharon was (by FAR) the most supportive, creative, helpful and nurturing presence we had during the birthing process. She did an amazing job of helping my husband, mother and close friend be involved in the labor and delivery. She also knew just when to intervene, advocate and be near me herself. I had a long labor, starting Fri. mid day and ending Sun. morning. Sharon was with us each step of the way...helping us navigate long labors, back labor, long periods of not being able to push (but having the urge to push), long pushing and delivery! She was a positive presence, that continually brought new and fresh ideas to help us through.

Sharon helped us have the birth we dreamed of having! It was the hardest thing we've done (: but she helped us have our son naturally, with no interventions. We also felt each step of the way that if we needed to call in other interventions, we had a fabulous resource and advocate by our side (thru Sharon).
I would highly recommend Sharon as a doula- her humor, directiveness (when needed), support, advocacy, wisdom, experience, energy and skills were amazing!"

AMELIA, JAMES AND JESSE BIRTH STORY

"After witnessing Sharon in action at a friend's birth, I knew she was the doula I wanted at my birth. Her calm presence, experience, and compassion are second to none. Though I would have loved to homebirth, medical issues necessitated I birth in a hospital. Sharon was instrumental in helping me create an atmosphere in the hospital where I was able to 'let go' and have the unmedicated birth I'd hoped for.

Being a postpartum RN I didn't think I would need much help after the birth, but after my baby was unexpectedly hospitalized for a week, Sharon was right there providing advice, emotional support, home visits, and assistance with breastfeeding. It was invaluable and helped us successfully navigate the transition from life in the hospital to life at home. Thanks, Sharon!"

BECKY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"My labor was short and intense, and my baby was over 9lbs. Sharon always offered encouragement at the right times and knew how to provide perfect counter pressure on my back to ease discomfort. She was so familiar with the staff at the hospital that I felt like we were surrounded with friends while my baby was being born. Sharon really understood what was important to me in my labor, and she always expressed her confidence in me. She really bolstered my confidence in trusting myself and my instincts. With her assistance, I was able to acheive the perfect, unmedicated birth I had hoped for. I highly recommend Sharon as a birth doula."

CHRISTIE HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

"We had a hospital delivery due to my medical situation and Sharon was (by FAR) the most supportive, creative, helpful and nurturing presence we had during the birthing process. She did an amazing job of helping my husband, mother and close friend be involved in the labor and delivery. She also knew just when to intervene, advocate and be near me herself. I had a long labor, starting Fri. mid day and ending Sun. morning. Sharon was with us each step of the way...helping us navigate long labors, back labor, long periods of not being able to push (but having the urge to push), long pushing and delivery! She was a positive presence, that continually brought new and fresh ideas to help us through.

Sharon helped us have the birth we dreamed of having! It was the hardest thing we've done (: but she helped us have our son naturally, with no interventions. We also felt each step of the way that if we needed to call in other interventions, we had a fabulous resource and advocate by our side (thru Sharon).
I would highly recommend Sharon as a doula- her humor, directiveness (when needed), support, advocacy, wisdom, experience, energy and skills were amazing!"

JILL VBA2C BIRTH STORY

"During labor, I could not have asked for a more comforting and trustworthy presence. Having her there at my home, and then later at the hospital, boosted my self confidence, heightened my energy, and made me feel that it was okay to let my body do its work. I liked Sharon's approach during my labor – she stayed quietly supportive in the background when my husband and I were doing well on our own, but was always there when we needed her, quick to give hands-on help, advice, or words of wisdom and encouragement and humor.
Although I did not achieve the VBA2C that I was hoping for, I had a very positive birth experience, which would not have been the same without Sharon there to guide me throughout the journey. Feeling her loving and powerful support before, during and after the birth of my son were truly wonderful. My husband and I are so very lucky to have traveled this road with her for these many weeks. From the bottom of my heart, Sharon, thank you for all you have done to help shape what turned out to be an amazing experience that I will forever treasure!"

MARY HOSPITAL TWIN VBAC BIRTH STORY

"My husband and I also hired her for a private VBAC class. We both learned a lot, and gained confidence in ourselves. It helped my husband relax, knowing that he had tools grounded in his strengths with which to offer help.There is nothing that can prepare you for birth other than birth itself (and even then, every birth is different), but having a session with someone who can walk you through possibilities you hadn't considered, give you a chance to try responses out, show you tools tailored to the experience of a VBAC-ing woman is really invaluable. I came to the class already well-educated and well-informed, but I still learned new things. More importantly, I learned more about my own needs and boundaries, and gained confidence in asserting them.
This was continued through the labor and delivery of my twin babies. I moved pretty quickly into active labor after my mucous plug came out, and Sharon came over early in the process, because she could tell I needed the support. She showed me that I had control even when I was in great pain, that I could modulate my voice and make choices in the moment. She helped protect the metal/emotional space in which I could do what I needed without worrying about anyone else. She helped me handle labor when I felt I couldn't.
Sharon believes in women as powerful people. She is excellent at providing specific and personalized support to each individual client. We are deeply grateful that she was our doula."

MELISSA CESAREAN BIRTH STORY

"Unfortunately, at 38 weeks we found out our baby was breech. I immediately called Sharon to find out what our options were. She literally laid out all of my choices, gave me some websites that have information on things I could do to try and get the baby to turn, and also gave me the number for a chiropracter who does a procedure to help turn babies. Unfortunately again, our baby did not turn in time and we had to have another c-section, but Sharon helped us come up a birth plan that allowed us to preserve as many things as we could from a natural birth so that we had the best cesarean we could. Sharon met us at the hospital at 6am on the day of my surgery, helped keep me relaxed beforehand, and was even able to be in the operating room with us. In the end, Sharon didn't help us in the way we initially envisioned (support during contractions, suggesting birth positions, etc), but she ended up helping us in every way we needed her to. She was a great resource and comfort before, during and after the birth.
Joni Gupta
Sharon was our birth doula for our second child. Sharon provided tons of useful information about everything from delayed cord clamping to induction procedures. During the birth, Sharon's voice was magic. It really helped make the whole labor process as peaceful and relaxing as possible. After birth, Sharon helped with breast feeding and getting me fed. It was really great having all my needs taken care of and not even needing to ask. Sharon is experienced enough to just know what a new mom needs. To top it off, she has a great sense of humor and is an enjoyable person to be around."

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COMPLIMENTS

FROM DOULA CLIENTS

Erin Cyger, doula client

Nate, Janya, Glen and Cal, Kirkland VBAC doula client

Becky Cooke, doula client

Eva Owens, doula client

Skye Henley, doula client

Julia Nardelli Gross, doula client

Christie Schmid, doula client

Jill Jurenka, doula client

Tiffany Nance, doula client

Mary DeJong, doula client

NATE, JANYA, GLEN & CAL BIRTH STORY

JANE HOME BIRTH STORY

TIFFANY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

MARY VBA2C BIRTH STORY

KRISTINE TWIN BIRTH STORY

ROSALIND HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

AMELIA, JAMES AND JESSE BIRTH STORY

BECKY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

CHRISTIE HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

AMELIA, JAMES AND JESSE BIRTH STORY

BECKY HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

CHRISTIE HOSPITAL BIRTH STORY

JILL VBA2C BIRTH STORY

MARY HOSPITAL TWIN VBAC BIRTH STORY

MELISSA CESAREAN BIRTH STORY

Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE