Birth Retreat
Join us on the shores of Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho, for a weekend of comprehensive GentleBirth™ education, Comforting Touch for Birth massage, and Dancing for Birth™ class. Stay in the historic and beautiful Blackwell Hotel, or stay off-site and join us for workshops, sessions, and classes.
The Blackwell is a luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of our treasured city. Situated in downtown Coeur d’Alene on charming Sherman Avenue, The Blackwell Boutique Hotel’s location provides our guests with easy access to several activities and adventures. The Birth Retreat is uniquely designed to allow the perfect balance of structured time for education and preparation, as well as free time to explore, relax, and connect. Plan to arrive in Coeur d’Alene early on Friday and stay later on Sunday to enjoy more of what this beautiful area has to offer. Located only ¼ mile from Coeur d’Alene Lake, The Blackwell Boutique Hotel is just steps from scenic beaches, boardwalks, walking paths, trails and wooded bike paths. Explore the popular Tubbs Hill hiking trail and Centennial Trail or experience breathtaking views just blocks from this historic property. On-site guests will experience genuine warmth and care in their appointed suites and a delicious breakfast prepared fresh each morning. This venue has been thoughtfully crafted to make each of our guests feel comfortable and welcomed, making the Birth Retreat a memorable experience.
* Nutritious snacks and refreshments are included. No lunch or dinner served or provided. There will be time allowed for meals off-site in the vibrant culinary scene of Coeur d’Alene. The Blackwell Boutique Hotel serves as an ideal base for exploring the area’s diverse restaurants, many within walking distance from the hotel.
Together you’ll learn comfort measures for birth, positions for labor, coping techniques, guided movements, meditation and mindfulness, self-hypnosis for deep relaxation, newborn care, preparation for a peaceful postpartum, breastfeeding guidance, and more. Practice and role play for birth, so when the time comes you’ll be ready, confident, capable and your own best advocate. Additional guest teachers will join us for lactation and infant feeding, newborn care, and further guidance.
Reserve this special time and space to prepare for birth and parenthood together as a couple, along with other parents-to-be. The Birth Retreat will leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed, more confident and prepared, and in control for your positive GentleBirth™ experience.
When is the next Birth Retreat?
- 4pm Friday, April 25, 2025 – 3pm Sunday, April 27, 2025
Who is the Birth Retreat for?
- The Spring Birth Retreat is best for Summer and early Fall 2025 due dates
- Expecting couples; partners are encouraged and welcomed
- Single mother with a support person
- First time births and those birthing again
What to expect at the Birth Retreat:
- Opening ceremonial Birth Circle for setting intentions, creating a sacred and protected space for learning and bonding
- Comprehensive GentleBirth™ childbirth preparation workshop to prepare for late pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum
- Interactive and informative GentleBirth™ workbook
- Dancing for Birth™ class teaching an evidence-based childbirth method based on the principles of movement, gravity, and instinct, decreasing labor pain, increasing birth satisfaction, and improving outcomes
- Spinning Babies™ friendly daily activities to lengthen muscles and increase range of motion in your pregnant body to make space for baby’s best birth position
- Comforting Touch for Birth massage, partner training, and couple connection
- Mindful movements, guided meditation, and optional self-hypnosis for deep relaxation
- Positions for labor, comfort measures, and coping techniques
- Peaceful Postpartum session, including lactation and newborn care
- Deep work in preparing for birth and parenthood together
- Connection with other couples that are on the same journey
- Closing ceremonial Birth Circle to end our Birth Retreat symbolizing closure and a return back to our normal routines
Why attend this Birth Retreat?
- Get away from everyday life and immerse yourselves in learning, refreshment, and connection.
- Learn from a local birth doula Shannon Smith, certified GentleBirth™ childbirth educator, Dancing for Birth™ certified instructor, Comforting Touch for Birth massage guide, Spinning Babies™ enthusiast, mother of six, grandmother of seven, with over 33 years of motherhood experience. At this Birth Retreat, you’ll receive a comprehensive education on labor and birth, gain confidence, and learn ways for focusing your mindset using mindfulness, meditation and self-hypnosis techniques.
- Experience in-person and hands-on training for birth.
- Partners will learn ways to connect, support, and comfort with confidence. This is the ideal way to be your own best advocate!
- Meet other couples that are on the same journey, make new friendships, share stories, and learn from each other.
- Take the opportunity to deepen your connection and intimacy with your partner as you both prepare to welcome a new addition to your family. Spend quality time together and disconnect from the everyday routine.
- Explore the beautiful Coeur d’Alene Lake area and Downtown CDA. There’s a reason they call this town the “Resort Town”!
- Spend time in nature by the tranquil lake, intentionally grounding yourself to prepare for the labor of love ahead of you. The fresh mountain air will help you to relax, renew, and recharge as you nurture your body, mind and spirit.
- Take away the confidence of being well prepared for your Positive Birth Experience!
Birth Retreat with on-site overnight accommodations at The Blackwell Hotel for Friday and Saturday nights $2500 per couple
Birth Retreat programming only, no overnight accommodations $1900 per couple
* Half due at reservation; Balance due by April 1, 2025
Comforting Touch for Birth Massage
For parents-to-be who love massage, Comforting Touch for Birth is the course for you!
When pregnant mamas feel supported and held it helps her know she can relax, let go, lean in, and handle the work of birth. Comforting Touch for Birth will help mama feel more grounded and assured throughout the birthing process.
Knowing how to touch your partner will help you feel more connected as a couple and more prepared for the experience of childbirth. Comforting Touch for Birth will give partners the confidence to support through touch in pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
In this 90 minute class couples will:
- Learn a variety of comforting touch techniques, including counter-pressure and massage to use during labor to bring comfort, both during and between contractions.
- Understand the fundamental principles of skillful touch so partners have the tools they need to succeed in providing the touch you want and need throughout the whole experience.
- Receive time devoted to practicing with your partner, with feedback from a birth doula.
- Walk away feeling confident about using touch to comfort and support your partner.
Dancing For Birth™ Class
Dancing For Birth™ class is the ‘trifecta’ of birth preparation. It’s feel-good prenatal & postpartum fitness, childbirth & newborn education, and a celebration of pregnancy, birth, and parenting, all rolled into one amazing class that offers support from pre-conception through postpartum and beyond. Start at any time during pregnancy and continue through postpartum. Wear baby to class for mutual health benefits and bonding.
Gentle Birth™ Childbirth Preparation
GentleBirth™ – Your Positive Birth Begins Here!
GentleBirth™ combines Brain Science, Birth Science, and Technology to prepare you and your partner for the most positive birth possible. We proudly continue to lead the way as the world’s most innovative, evidence-based, birth preparation program.
Brain Science: The GentleBirth™ brain training approach reduces pain in labor and supports emotional wellbeing through pregnancy and beyond.
Birth Science: Learn all about best practice and how to stack the odds in your favor of a safe, empowering positive birth – as you define it.
Technology: Each day, the GentleBirth™ app guides you through our unique brain training program tailored exactly to your circumstances.
Support: You’ll have access to the GentleBirth™ community for emotional support and the advice from GentleBirth™ experts.
Workshops: At our 1 or 2 day workshops or our 4 evening class series, you’ll learn brain training techniques, including Mindfulness, Hypnobirthing, and Sport Psychology. You’ll also learn all about the signs/stages of labor, effective labor comfort measures, birth preferences and how to confidently navigate your options for the best birth possible. We will provide you with the tools, techniques, and support to empower you in your pregnancy, birth, and early parenting experiences.
The GentleBirth™ App provides everything you need for a more relaxed, positive pregnancy, birth and parenting journey. Each day you’ll be guided through our unique brain training program tailored exactly to your circumstances. You’ll learn simple effective breathing, mindfulness, and medical hypnosis techniques that you’ll use long after your baby arrives.
Birth Doula
Birth is an empowering experience that most women remember for a lifetime. It’s my heart’s desire to help mothers have the birth of their dreams. I provide insight and education, allowing each mama to make the best decisions for her body and her baby, to fulfill the birth experience she longs for. I am a trained and experienced labor companion who provides mama and her partner continuous emotional support, physical comfort, and assistance in obtaining information before, during, and after childbirth. I do not speak for my clients; rather, I offer an extra pair of eyes to see and ears to hear, to help with understanding throughout your pregnancy and birth.
My primary role as a birth doula and member of your maternal care team is to offer a continuous presence for emotional support, physical comfort, non-clinical advice, and guidance for mama and her partner. I help with coping measures of relaxation, rhythm, and ritual comforts such as breathing, relaxation techniques, movement and positioning, comforts with touch, hot and cold application, hydration, water soothing, and sensory support. I lend a hand in keeping the birthing couple informed of the progress of labor and the options available to them.
Mama Mentor
Motherhood can be challenging to navigate. Having a personal guide can make all the difference between stress & anxiety and peace & calm.
Do you want individual attention from a mother with 30+ years of experience? Let’s chat!
We can meet in-person or over Zoom.
Do you have questions? I can help provide the answers!
Topics we can talk about include, but are not limited to:
Pregnancy Care
Birth Plans
Postpartum Planning
Newborn Care
Meal Planning
Sleep Guidance
Potty Training
Preschool Years
Home Schooling
Event Planning
Shannon Smith holds many certifications: DONA birth doula, Newborn Collective postpartum doula, Dancing for Birth™ instructor, GentleBirth™ childbirth educator, and Comforting Touch for Birth massage guide. She owned a mommy and me fitness franchise for a decade, empowering and encouraging mamas in all stages of motherhood. She brings this wisdom and knowledge to seasonal Birth Retreats. Her training, wisdom, and experience of all things motherhood spans over 30 years. In 2021, Shannon founded her passion project BellissiMamas where she helps mothers create the most beautiful motherhood through mentoring, doula support, childbirth preparation, connection, and community. Follow her on Facebook @Bellissimamas and Instagram @bellissimamas, and read her blog at bellissimamas.com.
