If you would like speak with anyone whose testimonial you see below, just ask. We will be happy to put you in touch.  

You can also view our birth stories based on where people gave birth:
Stamford, Norwalk and Greenwich
Bridgeport, Yale & Other CT Hospitals
Danbury Hospital and Birth Center
NYC & Westchester,
Home Births, VBACs and HBACs. 

You can also check out What Dads Are Saying.

Sophia Catherine Whitehead was born on 11/12 7:23pm at  7 lbs 11oz.  I started feeling a minor tummy ache at around 4 am on Saturday,  November 12 and by 6:00, I was pretty sure my membranes ruptured. I decided to wake up Justin and tell him that we should start getting prepared to head to the hospital (as I was positive for GB strep and knew I had to have antibiotics every four hours). After calling the doctor’s office, turns out I would be seeing the on call doctor – not our doctor. Despite “the plan” being much different than I had envisioned, I remained calm and went with the flow.  I wasn’t having any surges yet, so we walked into the hospital around 9 am. The nurse asked if we had a birth plan and we told her that we were going to be HypnoBirthing. She understood and told us she wouldn’t bother asking about drugs, etc. and that she’d bring a birthing ball in. We soon met the on call doctor. At this point, I still wasn’t having any surges, but I was 2-3 cm dilated. I started having surges shortly after, but not very close together and not very intense – though I did have a bit of nausea. My nurse was sweet enough to help me stay mobile while hooked up to the IV, but I still hadn’t “progressed” much within the next hour or so.  At this point, the doctor mentioned Pitocin as a way of helping things along. I was very calm and collected and asked if we could have an hour to ourselves, as we’d really like to do this naturally. He had absolutely no problem with that. This was the turning point of the labor! I The next time the doctor checked me, I was 4 cm and had a nice pattern of surges. Our nurse was ecstatic for us and we avoided Piton. Yes! For the next few hours, I turned the lights off, kept mobile & took an amazing hot shower and swayed my hips in a spiral motion while the water dripped down my back.  When the doctor next checked me, I was 9 cm! From then on, to my surprise, I felt comfort in being hooked up to the monitor and sitting up in bed because Justin could count up and down the surges with me. I was focused the entire time and my red balloon visualization was perfect! Once I had the urge to push, it felt *awesome* to be actively participating. I loudly grunted through each urge to bear down and told the doctor in between pushes how much I loved this phase!  After a few strong pushes, Sophia’s head was out. I reached down to touch it, which was pretty neat. Her body came out easily with one push. Thank you SO much for everything, Cynthia – I wouldn’t have had such a wonderful birth story if it weren’t for you.  – Melissa Whitehead, Fairfield CT (Birthed in Bridgeport Hospital)

Dear Cynthia, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the things we have learned and you have done for us. I am so blessed to know you and so happy that our paths crossed in the summer of 2008. You were telling me about your beautiful birth of your son so passionately that I knew right then, that was the only way for me when I got pregnant. I never liked hospitals and didn’t know there was a birth center in CT. I hated the idea of medication and wanted to deliver in water. Here I was, after three years, calling you in 2011 with my pregnancy news and you were so happy for me. I couldn’t wait to take your classes and to learn about everything I could. You are truly amazing at what you do and on top of it you have a very kind and warm personality. To my surprise my husband loved your classes too and we could hardly wait to go each time. HypnoBirthing is a wonderful method and I recommend it to everyone. When we took your class you asked everybody how we’d like our birthing to go and I said that I want the laboring and birthing to be the best experience of my life. Well my wish came true and I am so happy that it became even more beautiful and peaceful then I expected. Thank you for your encouragement to look into home birthing even when I had made my choice to deliver at the birth center. Thank you for recommending my wonderful midwife whom I love dearly. Changing my mind last minute was one of the best decisions of my life. Having a wonderful experience means so much to me, and therefore I am so grateful for you and I will always be. With lots of Love, Mariann & Steven Balogh, Stamford CT (Home Birth with Joni Stone)

Marin’s birth was perfect…there is not a single thing about the experience that I would change!  The techniques we learned in Cynthia’s Hypnobirthing class, as well as all of the knowledge that she shared during her classes, empowered and enabled us to have such a wonderful experience.  Since this was my first pregnancy, I didn’t fully understand this at the time, but it’s really unusual (and difficult!) to expose yourself to the facts of pregnancy and birth.  So much of this information just isn’t discussed or published in places that are easy to find.  After taking Cynthia’s class, we had a clear idea of what we wanted for our daughter’s birth.  We made the decision to plan for her birth in a place (the CT Birthing Center) that we felt complemented our personalities and would be understanding and supportive of our birth plan.  We hired a doula that was also a good match for us.   My labor lasted about twelve hours, 3 of which were spent at the CT Birthing Center.  I would not describe any moment of this time as painful…it was an intense, exciting, amazing time.  I used Hypnobirthing techniques for relaxation throughout my labor, especially the last 3 hours.  My husband, Brett, was able to receive Marin as she was born and he placed her on my chest.  We were together from the moment of her birth and we were not separated once.  Cynthia, thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge with so many women.  I’m sure the impact of your efforts spreads further than any of us can know as you continue to help so many families start off with positive and healthy births! - Amanda Alstead, Ridgefield CT (Birthed in Danbury Birthing Center)

From the moment I first called Cynthia Overgard, her warmth, personality, compassion and interest made me feel so comforted and cared for. Cynthia has a genuine spirit and a love for what she teaches to her expectant parents. My husband and… I agreed that taking Cynthia’s course was the best thing we could have done during our pregnancy. Cynthia opened our eyes to a world we never knew even existed when it came to the birthing process. They say that “ignorance is bliss”. Before we met Cynthia we were blindly walking into this process of “having a baby”. We never knew we had so many options and so much power over our individual situation. Cynthia helped us to quickly realize that we could take control and have the birth of our dreams. The HypnoBirthing techniques aided my husband and me in coming into total relaxation every night before bed. We’ve never slept better! We talked openly with each other about our hopes and dreams for our daughter’s birthing day and grew excited every time we thought about how she could be born under the circumstances we really wanted. I am an educator. I always tell my students that the best stress reducer is preparedness. Well, I finally took some of my own advice and, with Cynthia’s knowledge and guidance, Mark and I felt very prepared for our daughter’s birthing day. And you know what?  It was completely stress free! If you are thinking about HypnoBirthing I would say keep an open mind and trust in your own mind and your own body. It really worked for us and I can’t wait to do it all over again! What an amazing journey.  Emma Frances Beyerly was born at 3:18 am on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 in the peace and tranquility of our home.  She was 19.5 inches long and weighed in at 6 lbs. 4 oz. Our dogs, Molly and Cosmo, lay peacefully outside in the hallway during the entire delivery. Mark, Emma and I relaxed on the bed as a newly expanded family as Joni and Gengi checked on us and began their post-partum care for me. We were so relaxed and happy just hanging out in our room. I could breathe deeply and feel all the love and gratitude fill my heart. Thank you, God, for this beautiful birth with this beautiful little healthy girl. We couldn’t be more blessed. – Sandy Beyerly, Fairfield CT (Home Birth in Fairfield)

Cynthia teaches with such integrity. She truly has a passion for Hypnobirthing and empowering women around birthing and it shows in her work. She also goes over and above merely teaching her classes. She has been an incredible holistic resource and teacher to me. I am always meeting other women who have taken Cynthia’s class who credit her for their births being beautiful. Cynthia, you should know the couples from your classes don’t just appreciate you…we all LOVE you. HypnoBirthing was EVERY bit of what allowed me to stay relaxed and in control during the birth so I must thank you a million for your teachings!! I’m so grateful for a natural birth!– Rebecca Velasquez, Norwalk CT (Birthed in Danbury birth center)

My wife and I took Cynthia’s HypnoBirthing course two years ago, and feel it is no exaggeration to say the positive effects are still being felt in our lives today. Cynthia has a truly rare and remarkable gift for conveying the techniques of HypnoBirthing, which proved so powerful and beneficial for us through both of our son’s births. Her impassioned, caring, fun approach made all the difference in helping us learn to apply this method to achieve a beautiful, peaceful birth. – Eric Daure (Stamford CT, Birth was at Danbury Birthing Center)

During my second pregnancy, when I insisted on trying a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), my doctor discouraged me with at least 10 different reasons why I would not be able to have a vaginal birth, and said I should save myself the hassle with a scheduled C-section. I however, had the miraculous opportunity to find you, Cynthia, when I was already 36 weeks pregnant. That first phone call with you changed the course of my birth and my life. It was the beginning of a wonderful journey for me. I immediately joined your HypnoBirthing classes, and applied all the tools you taught me. I followed your advice to consider leaving my unsupportive OB, even so late in pregnancy, in order to find a practitioner who was aligned with my dream for a vaginal birth. Just a few weeks later, in my home and under the expertise of two wonderful mid-wives, I birthed my baby vaginally, naturally and calmly. I had a HBAC (home birth after cesarean) and my baby weighed more than 8 lbs! Ina May Gaskin was right…My body is not a lemon! I hope many, many more women will have the courage to believe in themselves as I did, and feel the power of being a woman, and birth healthy, strong babies that are free of after-effects of “medical deliveries”. Cynthia, my journey was only possible because of you and it began when I first called you. I thank you, Cynthia, for changing my life! I am forever grateful for that first time we spoke and you made me believe this was possible for me. I will always remember you and my two wonderful mid-wives (Joni Stone and Gengi Proteau) and for the awesome experience of natural birthing at home! - Richa Gautam Menon (Home Birth VBAC, Stamford CT with Joni Stone)

Cynthia Overgard has a professional and very informative style and is passionate about the subject of HypnoBirthing. It was an absolute pleasure to attend her classes, which were well-managed, fascinating, inspiring, thought provoking and ultimately life changing – the 3 hour classes seemed to fly by every time. Post-Birth Update: Thank you Cynthia for your inspiration. This most major life event happening at home in water was all due to you and having taken your class. I’m sure you change many people’s lives with your class, and for changing mine I am very grateful. - Lydia Heilmann (Home-birth in Fairfield, CT with midwife Joni Stone)

I feel like Cynthia came into my life and my pregnancy at the perfect time. I was five months pregnant and just had decided to make the switch from an ObGyn practice in Greenwich to the midwives at the Birthing Center in Danbury. I was excited and relieved to have found the midwives when I did, but I knew I needed to educate myself and take a birthing course. Additionally, so many people were constantly questioning my decisions about wanting a natural birth and having a midwife, so I felt I really needed to empower myself. The first time I spoke with Cynthia about her hypnobirthing course I knew she was the right fit for us. My husband and I took her class a month later and we were so thankful that we chose Hypnobirthing of CT. Cynthia immediately makes you feel relaxed and welcome. From day one you will know that she cares about each of her clients as individuals. I felt comfortable asking questions and Cynthia is a wealth of knowledge. She has all of the characteristics you would hope to find in a birthing teacher: passionate, supportive, friendly, smart, informative, and caring. Thanks to Cynthia, I had found the confidence I needed to believe in myself and my body. I left her course knowing I had all of the tools to make my dream of a natural birth a reality. In late February, the birth of my daughter was everything I had hoped it would be. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I immediately started listening to my hypnobirthing CDs, while breathing and visualizing. I arrived at the birth center 5 cm dilated and after only two hours of being in the water, I was fully dilated. I truly believe that this happened so quickly because of the techniques I learned from Cynthia’s course. As a result of the hypnobirthing, my increased self -confidence, and a supportive midwife and husband, I birthed a beautiful baby. Now two years later, I am pregnant again. This time from the very beginning I am excited about the birth and know that this is what my body is made to do. I know I can still turn to Cynthia and my midwives for advice and information, and for that I am forever grateful! – Jaime Hoffman, Stamford CT (Birthed at the Danbury Birth Center)

Cynthia, I wanted to share the wonderful news. I had a baby boy on May 3^rd. Dan Morgan Black was born at 10:40pm in an all-natural water-birth at Hudson Valley Hospital Center’s Birthing Pavilion.  He was 7 lbs 11 oz and 20 inches long.  The staff, my doula and my doctor (and John of course) were all amazing and they honored my wishes 100% and were 100% supportive of my natural birthing choice. My surges started early – Friday night then all Saturday so Saturday night about 11pm we drove 45 minutes to the hospital only to find out I was only 1cm – Ugh, I couldn’t believe it.  But the good news was that hospital and nurses suggested I go home and wait it out. On Saturday I went to the hospital around 6:00 and by 7:00 I was in the tub, my doctor came shortly after and Dan was born at 10:40. My water broke in the tub right before the baby’s head crowned. John lifted the baby from the water, placed him on my chest and we waited as the cord pulsed out. John cut the cord and we all just stayed quiet and took in that very precious moment.  No drugs, no episiotomies, no compromises. It was so amazing. I just wanted to share that with you and thank you again for your wonderful class, all your knowledge, insight and advice.  – Lee Morgan, Greenwich CT (Birthed in Hudson Valley Hospital)

Cynthia, Mark and I were walking our dogs tonight just reflecting on class and all I can keep saying is that I am so impressed with how passionate and informed you are when it comes to home deliveries and hypnobirthing. Your explanations and true-life stories are so clear and emotional. I love that. Straight from the heart. You are making our decision stronger and stronger each time we leave your class and we feel more and more confident and composed that we are leaning in this direction. It just all makes so much sense to me and FEELS right. Class was great today! - Sandy Beyerly, Fairfield CT

I am so grateful that I took your class at HypnoBirthing of CT for so many reasons, Cynthia. Not only did it inform and empower me on so many levels, but it led to us having the birth of my dreams and to making two of my closest friendships as a new mom. Ashleigh Rader and Rachel Stowe from the September class have become such dear buddies of mine. We all have play dates at least once or twice every week. I’m just so grateful that landing in your class led to so many wonderful things for us! – Lindsay Hurty (Home-Birthed her 9 lb. 13 oz. baby in Darien CT with midwife Joni Stone. She left her OB at 34 weeks when he suggested a scheduled C-section)

Hi Cynthia – We had our baby girl on Nov 7 at White Plains Hospital. My amniotic fluid was low according to three separate tests and so we had to get induced. The birth was vaginal which was what our goal was all along. The OB who admitted us strongly suggested C-section, but we were adamant about how we wanted have our baby. So everything was a big success! The techniques you taught us helped me relax and it helped work with the Pitocin to dilate my cervix. Thank you again for your class, Cynthia. – Jennifer Corpus (Westchester NY, Birthed in White Plains Hospital)

Cynthia, our birth was an amazing experience. I was so relaxed that I napped for 3 hours during my surges. The nurses were shocked when they observed strong surges on the monitor while I rested peacefully. One kept asking what my pain level was until I threw her out and ordered no one to enter the birthing room except the midwife. The baby was birthed shortly after, in 2 hours. My natural birth left me energized and full of joy, as Leya nursed contently. Victor and I loved the entire process, it brought us closer. Thank you so much! - Emily Chen (Westport CT, Birthed in Norwalk CT hospital)

Cynthia, I am happy to announce our daughter Georgia Rose was born on Wednesday. She came into the world pink and very alert, and she breast fed soon after. I’m very proud of myself for staying so calm and not letting fear get the best of me. I was really able to let my body do what it needed to do. Thank you teaching us so much. Hypnobirthing and your classes have been such a blessing for all of us for both of our daughters’ births. – Sachi Porizkova, New Milford CT (Birthed at Danbury CT birth center)

I just wanted to write you and tell you about our wonderful birth! Mike and I had our little boy Owen Michael on March 20th. He was 9 lbs. 10 oz. Our labor was great, and I think the HypnoBirthing helped me to relax and let my body gradually and gently open up so that I could have the easiest, best birth possible. We delivered when I was 41 weeks, 2 days. My membranes released at midnight and the surges started right away. By the time we got to the hospital just after 1:00 am, I was checked in and I was 9 cm dilated, and at 10 cm about 20 minutes after that. Owen was born at exactly 2:00 am for a total of 2 hours of birth from start to finish (and no drugs either). I couldn’t have imagined doing it any other way. It was so wonderful to finally have the all natural, empowering birth that I always knew I could have. – Lauren Specht (Yorktown NY, Natural VBAC, Hudson Valley Hospital, NY)

At first I was quite skeptical about the concept of Hypnobirthing – I assumed it might be too flower-power or something…but after reading the book and seeing how it transformed my wife’s confidence and then our birth experience, I can only recommend it. HypnoBirthing combined with a great doula made all the difference for us and allowed us to have a fully natural birth (no epidural or pain-relievers) despite my wife having to endure 13 hours of labor on Pitocin followed by nearly 4 hours of intense pushing. But our unborn son and Gina remained so calm throughout the whole process and had a steady heartbeat so there where never any panic,  screaming – just the HypnoBirthing CD or classical music playing in the background.  I am confident that had it not been for Cynthia’s HypnoBirthing of CT class, we would have ended up with a C-section.  - Henrik Hansen, Stamford CT

I found Cynthia’s HypnoBirthing class at the right time. I was always unsure about the birthing process. Kevin and I attended the class when I was pregnant with my first child. Cynthia taught me things that made me confident and at peace with the entire process. I gained the courage to leave my OB/GYN at 40 weeks when they scheduled a c-section without consulting me first. I switched to midwives and birthed my daughter at 42 weeks with midwives at Danbury Hospital in a beautiful birth that was peaceful and my husband and I made all the decisions. I birthed my second daughter at Danbury hospital with the midwives at 41 weeks. I was in such a peaceful and calm state that the midwives thought my labor had stopped until I said “baby” and my beautiful daughter was born. What an amazing experience. Thank you for teaching me, thank you for making this process available and for helping to give me confidence to make decisions for myself, my children and my family.  - Susan Muthersbaugh, Fairfield CT (Birthed in Danbury Hospital)

Cynthia, last night Jon and I were discussing this, and we both feel that the price we paid for your class was an incredible deal for the amount of information we received. I don’t know where we would have gotten this info otherwise, and it was a true blessing that we found you and attended your classes. Jon really wanted me to add the fact that the lessons we learned in HypnoBirthing not only have benefited the way in which we birth our baby, but our lifestyle on many levels as well. You were very influential on me as a whole, and your class rocked!  Post-Birth Update:  Cynthia, I wanted to let you know that Jon, baby, and I successfully HypnoBirthed at Bridgeport Hospital on August 15^th. It was a long labor- 33 hours. I was so tired, but was determined NOT to get the epidural or C-section, and what do you know….boom, little baby girl came into the world with only a few more tries of pushing. I was so happy! Long story short, HypnoBirthing totally worked for me. All the nurses at the hospital could NOT believe I was walking the halls at 9 centimeters dilated. And they could not believe I never screamed once. They said that most women come into the hospital and want the epidural at 1 cm. They thought I was amazing. I inspired many-including the doctor! Thank you for everything. She latched onto my breast right out of the womb and is a champion breastfeeder!!! Thank you again for all your help. I could not have done this without your class. - Adrienne Wilson (Birthed in Bridgeport CT Hospital with Dr. Choudhary)

I’m so thankful for you, your spirit, and your insight, Cynthia. I cannot even begin to thank you for bringing HypnoBirthing into our lives. The whole process has really made this experience magical. I wonder who has gained more from HypnoBirthing….me or Rhei C.?! LOL! The midwife is at our house right now…I was just listening in via speaker phone during the exam (I’m at the office). Baby is head-down and has dropped into her pelvis. Heartbeat is perfect. SOOOOOOOO EXCITING! Thank you, Cynthia, so much…I’m forever grateful for your inspiration. If it were not for you, we would not be in this perfect space right now Peace and love, Greg.  Post-Birth Update: Thank you so much for making the journey to our home birth, Cynthia. I know Rhei C. really wants to reach out…so allow me to send her love for now and from the bottom of my heart, for all that you have given and shared with us. What a journey! Much love to you, Cynthia. Greg Bura, Newtown CT

Our experience at HypnoBirthing of CT was absolutely essential to this pregnancy. Not only were we able to meet and get to know other expectant couples with similar birth goals, we also found Cynthia’s teaching and class materials invaluable. We now feel much more prepared and excited for the arrival of our son. And we are grateful for the inspiration given to us by Cynthia Overgard to pursue the birth of our dreams. We feel truly enveloped in a supportive birth community we didn’t have before this class. Thank you, thank you! Post-Birth Update: Cynthia, I wanted to *finally* send you our birth story! After your class this summer, we were determined to have the home birth that was our dream for our son, in spite of the trouble we’d had finding a provider who would take us on so late in the pregnancy. We finally found Stacey Rees, from Clementine Midwifery in Brooklyn, and we knew we had the right midwife. Then came the wait… I was 10 days overdue when I finally went into labor. I had mild contractions for about 24 hours. By early afternoon the next day, things began to intensify. The midwife checked my cervix and I was dilated to 3cm. Gary set up the birth tub and I got into the warm water. As soon as I was immersed, I felt as though I’d left the planet. My mind was completely consumed with the feelings in my body and I focused on imagining the ribbons unfurling, the cervix dilating. Just a few short hours later, at 8:58pm of October 22nd, our gorgeous son, Adrien Fox Faulkner, was born into the water. It was the most dramatic and life-changing moment in my life. I turned over from my hands and knees to hold him in my arms while my husband cried beside me. Our dreams had all come true. As you may remember, my mother passed away during this pregnancy—but she was so definitely with me during the birth and I felt that she was protecting us and keeping us safe. Everything went without a hitch—I had an easy, quick recovery and was able to focus all my attention on my new little life during the post-partum period. I would never have wanted to give birth in any other way, and I’m so grateful that it went so well. My most delicious memory is of those very first few hours after Fox’s birth, in the quiet of our home after the midwives had departed, just the three of us getting to know each other. Thank you so very much for your support, for sharing your home birth story, and for your class. Please let me know if I can ever be involved or support anyone else who is interested in talking about home birth and its incredible benefits and experience. – Moya Meckel (Home Birth in NYC)

HypnoBirthing class with Cynthia provided the techniques, personal attention and emotional support I was hoping for in preparing for as natural a birth as possible. And, I did it! Hypnobirthing educated my husband and me on alternatives to today’s conventional medical practices, especially in choosing to birth at a hospital. I was empowered to recognize my choices and felt in control, safe and confident to voice my desires. Given the various birthing methods and personal anecdotes provided by Cynthia in her course, I built a tool box from which I drew upon and put to use in preparation for labor and during the moments of labor that arose, shifted and passed. I was keenly aware of the need to release and surrender, listening attentively to the interchange of my body and mind and trusting that my baby was leading the journey. - Kathleen Freis, Stamford CT (Birthed in Stamford Hospital)

Cynthia, I couldn’t have had a home birth VBAC without your HypnoBirthing of CT class. I’ve been wanting to send you a long overdue email regarding my home birth — It was awesome!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! My entire family thanks you!  I couldn’t have done it without HBCT. I still have to remind myself that a VBAC is a big deal in this day and age because it really didn’t feel like a big deal when I had Olivier. I hope that doesn’t come out the wrong way but it was really easy for me to have a home birth.  Cynthia, I’m glad that you’re still going strong teaching HypnoBirthing. Women should be lining up your door! – Rocio Stasi (Home Birth VBAC in Stamford CT with midwife Martha Roth)

Cynthia, I wanted to let you know that baby James arrived on March 12. After much investigating and stress over changing care providers and hospitals through January, we decided to have him at Danbury Hospital attended by the midwives from the childbirth center. This turned out to be completely the right choice for us – you’ll be pleased to hear that I got my VBAC and had a natural drug-free labor and delivery. The midwives were wonderful and the experience was incredible. If you would like more details about the birth, especially for other VBAC moms, I’d be happy to with share them. Thanks again for your support and kindness throughout the course. I definitely credit HypnoBirthing with opening my eyes to the options as well as giving me some good coping tools for the lead up to the labor and the labor itself. I would not have changed a thing about the whole experience, and we have a gorgeous little boy to show for it all. - Lisl Dunlop (Rye NY, Natural VBAC at Danbury Hospital, CT)

Cynthia – We had our baby!  Yes, the couple that planned on a 41-42 week pregnancy (for the sake of our move) delivered at 36 weeks and 6 days! So much for me being in control of that! : ) I just found out that day at my midwife appointment that I was positive for strep and would have to come right to the hospital if membranes released. I was positive mine would not (as my mother’s never did…and most women don’t etc..). But, that night around midnight mine did! So we packed some bags (I hadn’t done this yet thinking I had at least a month) and got to hospital and in a room by 2am. Once we were in the car I was having pressure every 3minutes. The only part of my birthing experience that went ‘as planned’ was the actual birth itself. I was soooo grateful to have taken your class. I stayed calm and quiet, found it best not to talk to others much at all except when they absolutely needed to ask me something and Antonio and I had figured out a sort of sign language so I could let him know of some basic needs without really becoming too ‘awake’.  We had Orion completely naturally at 8:12am (about 7 hours later) and although it was not easy, it really wasn’t bad.  I felt in control the whole time, I was relaxed and almost slept between the stronger times of pressure. Antonio was great, calm and relaxed himself and reminded me of the breathing, which really saved me towards the end as it gave me something to focus on.  So…just wanted to let you all know that birth was great, we’re home with baby and very happy and your class was SO worth it!!  - Kim Breen, Glendale NY (Birthed in Phelps Hospital)

The class with HBCT was excellent. The instructor was even better. I would recommend Cynthia Overgard to anybody. I have certainly been given the tools, now it’s just a matter of implementing them. My husband was very unsure of coming to class at first, but after the very first one will now probably be its biggest spokesperson. Through the information and techniques garnered in class, we were able to feel safe in choosing a home-birth, the place where we really envision bringing our child into the world with the most love and support. Cynthia is organized, passionate, and truly cares about all of her students. She always took the time to give meaningful responses to questions and concerns, both in class, before, and after class. My husband says he wishes she could come to our birth!! Post-Birth Update: Blessings and gratitude to you for being there, Cynthia - when you arrived I felt like I could do it my way – quietly!  – Rhei C. Gordon (Home Birth in New Milford, CT)

Cynthia was always on time, respectful, knowledgeable, encouraging, and positive. We Iill just miss this class so much!   – Rhonda Trust, Fairfield CT / Post-Birth Update: Cynthia! Since we spoke last I had baby boy Ezra Cooper! He was born completely naturally and pain free using all of the Hypnobirthing techniques I learned from your class!! I had a wonderful experience with the midwives at Norwalk Hospital, and was smiling and laughing through my beautiful labor! - Rhonda Trust (Fairfield CT, Birthed with Norwalk CT Midwives)

There are so many reasons why your birth-story gatherings are beneficial, Cynthia. The most important aspect, to me, is the opportunity to hear firsthand experiences of women who have had amazing, satisfying natural births and are beaming and bursting with joy and enthusiasm to share their stories! I get the goose bumps when I listen to them and I just know that my birth story will be just as amazing and satisfying. It’s the truest affirmation to just how doable natural childbirth really is. (I found this was also a great help in shutting down voices of dissent in my family). The Q&A & hypnosis sessions add the icing on the cake. The fact that we’re just a room full of women getting to ask any question that’s on our mind, no matter the topic, is a resource that isn’t available anywhere else. So many of the questions addressed can’t be found in any book anywhere. And as you know, I love your hypnosis. I cry tears of joy every single time because I feel such a deep connection with my baby and I just know we are going to work well together on the day of his/her birth. Cynthia, your willingness to open your warm and inviting home to us and give us the gift of this experience speaks volumes of your kindness, compassion, and dedication in helping women have their dream of peaceful, natural birth realized. And the food is great, too!! - Ellie Simoulidis (Norwalk CT)

Cynthia’s class empowered us to choose the type of birth that WE wanted to have. The hypnobirthing relaxation techniques helped my wife immensely and allowed me to play a part in the birth. Practice, practice practice because it does work. – Rob Bogner, Stamford CT (Birthed in Danbury at CT Childbirth and Women’s Birthing Center)

Cynthia, Taking your class at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut (“HBCT”) was the best decision I could have possibly made. You have a great degree of tact and sensitivity when it comes to accommodating people of diverse mindsets, backgrounds and approaches to birthing. My husband loved the class as much as I did. Your class truly allowed me to birth my baby calmly and comfortably. I am so happy I found out about you and your classes. Thank you for everything! - Zuzane D., Stamford CT (Birthed in Danbury Birthing Center)

Hi Cynthia! We wanted to let you know that we welcomed little Ben into the world on Monday night at the birth center! He is happy and a healthy 8 pounds. He was 3 weeks “early” but fortunately waited until the first hour we were eligible to birth at the center! HypnoBirthing was invaluable to our experience. Your classes helped to prepare us for anything and absolutely kept me relaxed and calm through the whole experience. And more importantly, your class opened our eyes to a better, more fulfilling way to birth! And we did it!! Thank you! – Amy Walker (Greenwich CT, Birthed in Danbury Birth Center)

Cynthia – here is my story, which I feel like shouting from the rooftops to let all women know they can do it too! Our home birth was amazing – it was exactly what I hoped and prepared for and I’m still just beaming over the whole experience! I started feeling some surges at 11 PM on Wednesday, but I’d had the same thing a week earlier which fizzled out so this time I wasn’t completely sure I was really in it. But by 12:30 the surges were 5 minutes apart and strong so I contacted Joni. By 2 AM the surges were about 3 minutes apart and when Joni got here they were fast and furious. I was at 8 CM when she checked me and I just kept progressing but I have no sense of how time went after that. At some point though it was clearly time to start pushing and that was a big relief – definitely the part I liked better! All that time I was using breathing techniques, visualizations, affirmations, and general tips (one that really helped was remembering that once a surge was done it was done and I would never have that one again. Another was welcoming each surge because it brought me closer to the birth of my baby. This last one really kept me from fearing or dreading surges and was very important). Chris did the counting during surges which was huge for me but I wasn’t using it with breathing – just as a count. It gave me an external focus and a light at the end of the tunnel. The last few minutes were the most challenging for me. I’d been awake just over 24 hours and I was starting to feel really tired. Lucienne’s head was crowning and just felt enormous but I couldn’t get her out without a few more surges and the time between them was hard to take and felt very long. Joni’s help in guiding me through that was just amazing and she kept me from really getting scared. She kept me focused, confident, determined, and able to find that last burst of energy that I needed. She also kept me from tearing! In that last push Lucienne emerged and Joni put her right on me. It was just spectacular! After a few minutes Joni and the assisting midwife left the 3 of us together for about an hour, during which time we kept Lucienne’s cord attached. Now she’s sleeping for up to 3 hours at a time, nursing beautifully, and is taking in her world. Chris and I are just thrilled and couldn’t be happier! I really want everyone to know how possible this is! I feel like Lucienne, Chris and I were all given such a gift with this experience and if it helps anyone feel more confident and prepared then all the better. Thank you so much for being part of my beautiful birth experience – it couldn’t have gone the way it did if I hadn’t been so well prepared by your class! I can’t wait for us to all get together! - Danielle Daure (Home Birth in Stamford CT with midwife Joni Stone)

Malía was 9 days overdue, but that 9th day was the happiest day of my life. I had been told again and again that the baby was big so we really thought she might be early. We arrived at the birth center at about 8:20 A.M. and got as settled in and focused on HypnoBirthing. After about 2.5 hours of pushing, at one point I hollered, “Can’t you just reach in and pull this baby out!?!?!” They laughed, but I was serious! Malía finally popped out, all 9 lbs 8 oz of her. That instant when I felt her slide out was the happiest moment of my life. If I have 12 babies I’ll HypnoBirth 12 times!” – Carina Bandhauer, Southbury CT (Birthed in Danbury birthing center)

I took Cynthia’s class at HBCT (HypnoBirthing of CT) early in my second trimester and it was the best thing I could’ve done. The negativity that surrounds pregnancy and childbirth is unbelievable (and even more shocking is our willingness to help perpetuate it). Taking Cynthia’s class early helped me to have a calm, positive, and wonderful pregnancy. In addition to a refreshing and bright outlook on pregnancy, my husband and I gained so much valuable information. Cynthia really covers all the bases and provides additional resources to help make any decision an informed one. We’ve continued doing research on our own, thanks to Cynthia’s inspiration, and feel confident about the choices we are making. I highly recommend this course to any expectant mother. It will quiet your mind and calm your fears. - Ellie Kousidis (Norwalk CT)

We were so fortunate to have worked with Cynthia and to be a part of the HypnoBirthing of CT community. Cynthia is well informed and very helpful. Her stories and personal experiences make the sessions fun and interactive. Classes were well organized, on schedule and Cynthia kept enough snacks to keep us all hydrated and nourished. I have no improvements to recommend whatsoever. I can’t recommend this course highly enough. Even though I was induced with Pitocin, I was able to stay focused and grounded to give birth without an epidural using the techniques Cynthia taught us. It was very empowering. Thank you, thank you!!” - Madeleine Corliss, Norwalk CT (Birthed with the midwives at Norwalk Hospital)

I attended Cynthia’s class in October 2010 and had a wonderful home birth in January. The information Cynthia provided and the techniques she teaches really helped me to focus and have the best birth possible. Cynthia is a caring instructor and was always available for any questions or concerns I had. Our daughter was born on January 22, at 8:05 pm. I was really happy with the way things turned out, have great memories of the event and a precious little girl – I couldn’t ask for more! – Ashlee Anderson (Home Birth with Joni Stone)

We absolutely loved the class at HBCT and found it so incredibly helpful on so many levels. Cynthia, I feel like we are on an entirely new “confidence level” with respect to birthing and parenting.  We took the class in February, and after practicing the techniques daily for a couple of months, I had some additional questions and was craving the company of women on the same journey as me. The refresher course allowed me to ask my questions, practice the meditation in a group setting, and hear the beautiful birth stories from other women Cynthia taught who had recently experienced birth using HypnoBirthing. This part was invaluable!, thanks to you!  — Will & Stephanie Kelly, Newtown CT (Birthed in Danbury Hospital)

Cynthia’s class at HBCT was excellent! All women should be given this knowledge. I am now genuinely excited about the prospect of birthing my baby. I feel the tools, techniques and knowledge have empowered me and given me a faith in my body I have never known. Thank you. Post-Birth Update: Dear Cynthia, Happy New Year! I wanted to let you know that Freya Elizabeth Hope Parsons arrived safe and sound on Sunday, January 2^nd, 2011. Her arrival into this world was everything we had hoped (and visualized daily): calm, gentle and beautiful. I am happy for you to share our story with you current prospective parents if you think it would be of help. When we arrived at the birth center at 7.00am it felt so calm there, just us and the midwife. I knew I would be meeting my little girl soon. The midwife quickly checked me on the bed and told me I was already 6 centimeters. During my pregnancy I had thought when the time came I would be really focused on this number, but I was so focused on my own body it didn’t seem to matter I just seemed to know that everything was moving along as it should. I felt total trust in my body and in my baby girl’s ability to make her journey safely. I got straight into the birthing pool and Mike set up the relaxation CD. At this stage I wasn’t talking to anyone I was in my own little world, focusing on my baby and the journey she was taking. I was able to manage each surge with my breath and my vocal cords. It felt so primal and natural. During all this time Mike was using the light touch massage and telling me what great job I was doing. His reassurance and calmness was exactly what I needed. I knew that everything was fine and my baby girl was doing exactly what she needed too. At around 8.20am it was clear that I was near completion as in between surges I was coming out of my relaxed state and able to hold brief conversations, even crack a few jokes about how noisy I was and how they needed a different pillow in the pool. Shortly after this time I could feel the baby’s head, upon first touch I was very surprised and a little concerned as I could feel an angled shape and I thought that maybe the cord was coming before the head. Then I remembered what we had been taught in class about the baby’s skull folding over itself. – Wow, this was what I could feel – I was truly elated! At this point I felt so connected to her that I was talking to her and encouraging her to finish her journey. Mike was kissing my forehead and telling me how amazing I was. After a further 20 minutes and six or seven more surges, during which I was able to keep contact with her head, Freya Elizabeth Hope arrived safely and calmly at 8.54am. She was placed straight on to my chest where she stayed until the cord stopped pulsing then Mike cut the cord (in between his tears) and took her from me while I moved onto the bed. I delivered the placenta naturally about 10 minutes later while Freya was skin on skin. She nursed about 10 minutes later – easily with little assistance. She was so calm, contented and alert and has this way (so far!). While we could have stayed at the center until late that evening we left around 2.00pm with our 5-hour old baby – who slept the whole way home. Our first week has been wonderful and I know the relaxed way in which she came into this world is responsible for a great deal of that. Thank you, Cynthia, and HypnoBirthing for giving me the confidence and skills to trust my body and my baby and allow me the birth I wanted. It has been interesting talking to friends who had all had thought I was living in ‘first-time-mum fantasy land’ when I had talked about the birth we were hoping to have… they have been truly shocked at what we achieved. At first I felt I couldn’t share our success as it felt like gloating – but I now know that people like me need to share our stories so that we can increase women’s confidence and disperse some of the fear in the hope that we can get birthing back to where it should be. Thank you again for everything. – Tina Parsons (Fairfield CT, Birthed in Danbury Birthing Center)

Hypnobirthing of CT with Cynthia opened my eyes to how a baby should be brought into this world. - Jim Stasi (Home Birth VBAC in Stamford CT with midwife Martha Roth)

Cynthia! Thank you so much for everything you have taught us and for your list of resources. As we continue to prepare for our baby, the knowledge we have gained from your class has had such a positive impact on us already, and will help us to provide the type of loving welcome we have envisioned for our baby. - Alyssa Begin (Trumbull CT)

Cynthia.  Is. A-maz-ing.   She radiates expertise, confidence, and gentleness, all in the same breath.  And as a first-time Mom-to-Be, that’s exactly what I was hoping to find in a Birth Class educator.  Specifically, a HypnoBirthing educator.  Her infinite knowledge, lighthearted demeanor, and overtly nurturing heart truly manifested as a beacon of light for my husband and me.  From the safest birthing methods to myths surrounding labor, our constitutional rights to the obstetrics industry, relaxation techniques to our birth plan, Cynthia raised so many valuable questions while still encouraging us to choose for ourselves what fits best.  By making herself incredibly available to her students, constantly educating herself on our behalf, and (lest we forget!) providing homemade, delectable treats (hello, chocolate ricotta marble cake!), she grows her network of practioners and friends with every class and birth.  She once mentioned that when one’s doctor enters the room, one should feel comforted and relieved verse stressed and defensive.  My immediate thought was, “I’d feel that way if my doctor were Cynthia.”  In fact, it was a victory revelation for me: I had to switch doctors.  For the education and comfort she provided, along with what I felt in my heart and gut, validated this miracle of birth could truly be a calm, natural experience.  It doesn’t have to be—and shouldn’t be!– the sensationalized, fearful, and confusing episode peers and Hollywood lead us to believe it is.  There is another way.  And it’s absolutely beautiful.  And Cynthia will show you how. - Courtney Fischbach, Stamford CT (Stamford Hospital)

It was obvious from day one that Cynthia is very knowledgeable and passionate about birth. I’m am so grateful for the variety of topics she covered and feel like I walked away with the tools I need to take control of my birth. My husband was worried about feeling excluded before the class started but that was not the case at all. Cynthia makes sure to include the birth partners and let them know how important they are in this process. It was nice to be in a room every Saturday with like-minded people. We missed class when it was over! I think it’s almost a shame that women have to relearn that childbirth is a completely natural process that our bodies are designed to do. I’m so grateful that HypnoBirthing of CT exists to teach women what they’re capable of. Not only am I looking forward to meeting my daughter, I’m truly looking forward to labor and birth. I can’t wait to experience it. Thank you, Cynthia! I’m going to recommend this class to every pregnant woman I meet! – Brenda Torres, New Haven CT (Birthed at Yale New Haven Hospital)

Cynthia, this experience at HypnoBirthing of CT has been a very knowledgeable experience for both my husband and me. I hope to stay connected as our pregnancy progresses…you have given me the tools to have faith in my body and baby’s intelligence, thank you. – Stamford CT Mom

Cynthia is very knowledgeable about the procedures used in hospitals and birthing centers. I felt I was provided with a well-rounded amount of information (both pros and cons) that will help me make the best decisions for my own birthing process. I was made aware of many things that I never knew of before that I am very thankful to now know about. I honestly think the class environment was wonderful. It was very comfortable, inviting and the snacks were a wonderful treat to have! I feel like I came away from the class with all the knowledge I was hoping to obtain. There are so many things I now know to ask my doctor and the birthing plan check list is a tremendous help! Since I am going to be birthing in a hospital, I really feel like I have an idea of what I am in for and I have the knowledge to stand up for what I feel will be right for myself, my husband and our baby. Thank you so much Cynthia for sharing your knowledge with everyone! I felt like I was the minority when I told people I wanted a natural birth. It is heartwarming to know that there are other mothers out there who want a natural birth and ones that have had a natural birth. It has been a wonderful opportunity to meet you and the other parents in the class. Post-Birth Update: Hi Cynthia – I just wanted to let you know that our baby boy was born Monday, January 17th weighing in at 9 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long. No one expected him to be such a big baby! I am only 5′ 1″ and weigh 115. Just another person to show that you don’t need a C-section for big babies! Thank you again for all your information from class – it was a huge help through the whole birth experience! - Anna M. (Trumbull CT, Birthed in Bridgeport Hospital)

Cynthia is extremely passionate about her work and truly cares about each and every woman. She has conducted extensive research and is particularly knowledgeable about the medical system and family health. Her personal stories were very inspiring. Wonderful! Why don’t more women know about this? This was the best investment I made for my health and my birthing. Before I took this course, I was terrified of giving birth. Although the birth didn’t happen as planned, before I took your course, I was terrified of giving birth. Cynthia, thank you again for an amazing experience. – Julie Relevant (Bethel, CT, Birthed in Greenwich Hospital)

My favorite quote of Cynthia’s: “Hear everyone; Listen to yourself.” I appreciate that Cynthia’s opinions are based in obvious and extensive research. I highly value her confidence and conviction in the subject matter—ultimately I found that her overall demeanor has given me more strength to have conviction in what I want and what I believe. For us, Hypnobirthing has been excellent mental preparation for our journey through the rest of this pregnancy, the beginning of our baby’s life and our roles as parenting partners. We have learned and regularly practice techniques to get to a deeply calming place, and we feel that this will benefit us tremendously during labor and in life in general. I have found incredible strength within myself as I’ve ventured through this class, and I feel so well informed. Now that I understand what really happens in birth, I’m really looking forward to experiencing our birth into a family, rather than having it just happen to us. Post-Birth Update: Cynthia, On November 19, at 5:05 a.m., our daughter, Penelope Kate, arrived in our home with the incredible assistance of Joni Stone. She weighed a hearty 9 pounds and 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. We truly had the birth of our dreams, and I am so grateful for all of the preparation that your class provided for us. - Lindsay Hurty (Home Birth in Darien CT with Joni Stone)

Elijah River was born on October 11th at 3:14am in the comfort of my bedroom. This was also my birthday and his arrival was the greatest gift I could have imagined as his birth was a VBAC and a dream come true.  I labored peacefully for 25 hours at home with the support of my midwives, doula and incredible husband Joe. Though it was a long labor, I wouldn’t change a thing. There wasn’t a moment of doubt in the room that I would be able to do it. Through Cynthia’s teaching I felt so prepared and therefore confident in my abilities to birth naturally.  I’d learned the tools to help stay grounded in my body and leave my mind behind. I trusted that my body and my baby would work harmoniously to bring him into the world. I felt so supported the entire time. It was a birth without incident or complication, but there was a profound awareness after all was said and done that had I been anywhere but in my home, I surely would have had a repeat C-section. I am absolutely overflowing with gratitude for my experience and the amazing people in my life who guided and supported me through this incredible journey. – Rachel Beninati, Stamford CT (Home Birth After Cesarean in Stamford, CT)

Cynthia is very knowledgeable and we appreciated her unbiased encouragement to do our own research in order to make the best decisions for our child. My husband was particularly impressed with how Cynthia explained some of the common “preventative” practices in hospitals that, in most cases, interfere with natural processes and the baby’s experience. Furthermore, we were both surprised to learn about how capable the baby is when he or she is born and how certain practices help with the bonding process. It further drove home the point that this is a natural process. We found Cynthia to be a tremendous resource and are very grateful that we found this class and have learned from her. We liked how it is rooted in human nature and made us think about this natural process exactly as that, natural. We are already using these techniques for relaxation and remaining calm in our daily lives as well. We thoroughly enjoyed the class and opening our minds to learning all about this natural process. My husband and I found the class extremely valuable and we found it reinforced a lot of our preexisting beliefs. – Alyssa Begin (Trumbull CT)

Cynthia, we wanted to let you know we had our baby girl Ruby Stowe on October 10th! She was born at 3:13 in the morning and weighed in at 8 pounds 4 ounces, measuring 20 inches. We had a beautiful homebirth with Joni; it was such an amazing experience. The birth was everything I always wanted it to be and am thankful to have taken your class in order to prepare for such a tremendous life experience. We are all doing great and enjoying being a new little family. Cynthia, because of you I was able to have the birth experience I wanted. I can’t thank you enough. – Rachel and Jason Stowe (Home-birthed in Greenwich CT with midwife Joni Stone)

I could not have hoped for a smoother and better birth and I am convinced that Cynthia Overgard’s class and the Hypnobirthing relaxation techniques were the main reason for the smooth, fast (~4 hrs) and fully natural birth of our baby, Noah. Due to Cynthia’s class I was well prepared in terms of what to expect from the birthing process, which allowed me to relax and focus instead of feeling out of control or fearful. I would strongly recommend Cynthia’s class. – Samira Siskind (Stamford CT, Birthed in Norwalk CT Hospital)

I have always known that birthing a child in a relaxed setting without any unnecessary medical assistance was the only way I wanted to do it. My belief has been and still is that a healthy female body is designed to birth a baby without any medical intervention. Cynthia’s hypnobirthing classes were recommended to me by a friend of mine when I was 8 weeks pregnant. Signing up for the course was the best birth preparation my husband and I could have undertaken. Each of the 3 hour sessions were very informative and interesting. We always left with confidence that we will know everything we need to know by the time our baby arrives. Cynthia was always fully prepared and very passionate about the many topics discussed. She always encouraged us to ask questions and to take control of our own circumstances while in labor. We welcomed our daughter in a calm and very relaxed atmosphere of a bedroom at a birth center. It was by far the most fascinating, happy and yes, exhausting day in our lives. – Magdalena Gorzkowicz, Stamford CT (Birthed in Connecticut Childbirth and Women’s Center)

Cynthia, I just have to thank you for preparing Griffin and me for such a beautiful moment in our lives. Our hypnobirth was truly amazing. We arrived at the hospital at 2:30pm and Caroline was born at 6:14pm. I had back labor, which you prepared me for but I was able to stay completely focused. The entire staff at Danbury Hospital praised me and were fully supportive throughout,waiting with patience while I stayed in my zone. Griffin told me that it was amazing and I could have been one of the women in the videos we watched in class! Thank you for empowering me to believe I could do this. I believe birth is just a mental challenge that we are all capable of getting through if we convince ourselves we can. I was a swimmer all through college and treated my labor like an intense practice, with each surge like an interval training set. In the last ten minutes I was so tired and looked to Griffin. He said, “Practice is almost over.” With those words, she was born. She looked in our eyes and every sensation went away as she was placed into my arms. Thank you so much. – Lucy Sheridan, Woodbury CT (Birthed at Danbury hospital)

Getting prepared to give birth for the first time can bring a lot of stress on a future Mom, no matter how many books we read, and how prepared you try to get. I can now tell you, Cynthia, that your classes were to my husband and me, crucial in the way we handled ourselves during the process. I do remember, how much support we found on you (and still) every single time I had a question, whether during the course or after. You have given me so much insight, that I felt that I was all the time picking your brain. A long lasting bond and friendship was created! Thank you so much Cynthia!!! – Romy Alvarez, Norwalk CT (Birthed in Danbury Birthing Center)

Cynthia, I wanted to let you know that Chris and I had a baby girl, Anoka, on July 18th. Thank you so much for all that you taught us not only about hypnobirthing but about everything else. Your class really helped us prepare for labor and post labor. Without your class I am not sure we would have ever made the transition to the Danbury Birthing Center, which was definitely the right decision for us. We didn’t quite have the birthing scenario we planned, as we just barely made it to the center, but the birth was perfect. You have no idea how much your class made a difference in Anoka’s birth and we really want to express our gratitude. We will definitely recommend hypnobirthing and your class to anyone we know who is expecting. – Mallika Nair (Stamford CT, Birthed in Danbury Birthing Center)

I feel blessed to have found Cynthia’s class which has given me the tools I need to believe in the natural wisdom of my body, rather then ceding control to others who claim to know best. Cynthia is extremely well-read and up-to-date on the latest thinking around pregnancy, birthing, prenatal care, etc. – she is a wonderful educator and true advocate for women who wish to experience a birth that is truly magical. I cannot thank Cynthia enough for the gift she has given me and my family. The birth of our first child 6 years ago was very difficult – hospital drugs, prolonged labor, baby in ICU, difficulty latching, postpartum depression, etc. This time, with Cynthia’s help and guidance, we enjoyed a natural birthing process which was very empowering and extremely healing for me and my family. For that, I am forever grateful to Cynthia. Our son, Pranay, was born November 22 at 6:06am, morning of a full moon/blue moon. – Seema Dasani, Wilton CT (Birthed at Danbury Birthing Center)

Cynthia, I want to thank you for a great class. You are an amazing teacher and person. Your heart is huge. I learned so much in those 12 hours and now I am confident on how our birth will be. Thank you for everything. – Marisa Jonason (Greenwich CT)

Julian was born on April 4th at 10:41am and is absolutely amazing! The whole experience was amazing and we truly want to thank you for the role you played in helping us achieve a wonderful birth. Dan and I are still in awe of the entire experience but especially his birth. You were so instrumental in our birthing decisions and it made our birth exactly what we had hoped for. We very much appreciate all of the information you provided and your passion for all of it. Thank you very much for your support in our decision making process – it was invaluable. You are an amazing teacher and person and we’re very happy to have met you! - Kim Massey (New Haven CT, Birthed at Danbury birth center)

Cynthia is a great instructor. She is a very good speaker, organized, interesting and engaging. I appreciate her conversational approach, her anecdotes and her knowledge. She is obviously very connected with the subject matter and I feel like we gained so much from her insights. I would recommend Cynthia to any friends interested in natural, unmedicated childbirth. She is a great resource well beyond the classroom, and I feel very fortunate that we found her! - Ashleigh Radar (Darien CT)

Cynthia’s class offered such a refreshing view of the birthing process.  I truly missed class when it was over, but left there being very confident in my ability to have a relaxing and calm birth, no matter how it turns out! Post-Birth Update:  Hi Cynthia! I just wanted to update you and let you know Kevin and I welcomed Dylan Joseph on 7/7/11 (his due date!) at the Birth Center in Danbury! Around 2:30 a.m. I thought I was having slight surges, but nothing much, so I just went back to sleep.  That morning I felt fine, so Kevin headed to work.  Then around 10:30 I started having on and off surges and around 11:00 I told Kevin to come home. Kevin got home around 12:30 or so and called the birth center and our doula. The doula arrived and was very helpful in rubbing my legs through the surges.  Finally, around 2:30 p.m. I said we had to get to the birth center. When I was checked, they said I only had a tiny bit further to go!  Once the room was ready, Cathy told me I could get checked again whenever I was ready – I got on the bed and she told me I was ready to push.  I did end up literally flat on my back but that was fine with me. Kevin and our doula asked if I wanted to switch positions, but I was just fine.  I pushed for about 15 or 20 minutes and then Dylan was here! That you so much! – Caroline Hoffman, Wilton CT (Birthed in the Connecticut birthing center)

This is Cat from your last class in April. I wanted to share with you I had my baby boy Michael on June 22, and thank you so much for your wonderful class it definitely made a huge difference. I had the most amazing labor everything on the hypnosis CD you gave us came true. I did my entire labor at home when I got to the hospital I was surprised i was already 10 cm and ready to push! I find it so incredible how powerful your mind really is labor felt so good in the shower and when my doula was massaging my lower back! I hope other women out there can realize that natural child birth is so possible if you put your mind to it! – Catherine Ortiz, White Plains NY (Birthed in Phelps Hospital with Full Circle Midwives)

Cynthia Overgard’s Hypnobirthing class was the single most important thing I did to prepare for the birth of my second son. If only I had had the wealth of information she provided before the birth of my first son! Cynthia’s non-judgmental and supportive approach to offering her vast knowledge allows her students to make mindful choices in preparation for the wondrous event of birth. She covers all areas of concern for parents preparing to bring their children gently and lovingly into the world. Under this most precious circumstance, Cynthia Overgard is the woman whose advice and guidance parents will be grateful to have. - Amy Piantaggini (Danbury CT)

Cynthia, We are now proud parents of a healthy beautiful daughter, Ella Cassen Brunetti. We had a beautiful birthing experience and a lot is due to you and hypnobirthing. Thank you for all your advice and teachings. We delivered at Norwalk Hospital and had a wonderful experience there with the staff and facility. Our nurse was very supportive of a natural birth even though she does not see many of them. The day after delivery she came to visit us and told us how beautiful and refreshing our birth was. She said she would have loved to have that video taped because that’s how all births should be…I was very appreciative of her compliments. I had told her I had been preparing for it by practicing the hypnobirthing methods, and she was impressed to say the least. My doctor even told me that my birth experience reminded her why she had gone into OB. It was all in all the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had! Thanks for your advice with everything. - Cassen Brunetti (Fairfield CT, Birthed in Norwalk CT Hospital)

I loved the course and I loved Cynthia. Cynthia was able to express her knowledge and compassion about natural birth and hypnobirthing without being overbearing or overwhelming. The class was amazing and I feel it was well worth our time and money. The information was invaluable to my husband as well. – Rebbecca Rosen (Home-birth VBAC, White Plains NY)

Cynthia, I just wanted to say that I was truly overwhelmed by the first class. I wasn’t prepared for this utterly breathtaking new perspective. Rarely do I encounter a concept that overturns conventional wisdom so decidedly and with such force. And you present it in such a clear, well intentioned, passionate and honest manner. I’m honored to be taking this workshop. We are both excited by your energy and dedication, and of course the terrific content. Dana and I came out of that first class with a new sense of confidence. I think you mentioned that the doctor in that film was heroic. I wholeheartedly agree and I think you are heroic, too. What an amazing gift this is! I wish every pregnant woman could take your workshop. Thank you. – Berl Kaufman, Westchester NY (Email received by a Dad after the first class session)

Cynthia is very warm, friendly, compassionate and extremely knowledgeable. Being a former teacher, I do recognize that just because a person knows the material of a subject matter doesn’t mean they can really teach the material. Cynthia is an outstanding instructor; a true educator. I felt powerless before taking this course. The way she taught this course changed my perspective on giving birth and truly empowered me. This has been one of the best experiences in my life. I would recommend everyone I know to take this course with Cynthia. I could go on and on raving about this course. She made my husband and me feel at ease, and as first time parents, that was very important. Cynthia is a true asset to the Hypnobirthing profession and she should be commended for being so. It is a great process and gives you an empowering perspective. I could not have asked for more in this course. - Tanya Hazelhurst (Stamford CT, Birthed in the CT birth center)

When I became pregnant, I knew I wanted to do things differently. In Cynthia’s class I learnt far more than I ever expected. Cynthia helped me to express and release my fears – fears I didn’t even realize I had until the class began! Cynthia is so knowledgeable and insightful. Leaving her class I felt empowered. She helped me to believe that I could have the natural birth I’d always wanted. Remembering Cynthia’s guidance in labour, I was able to remain calm and tranquil, even when special circumstances (heavy meconium) meant we had to transfer from the birthing centre to the hospital just before delivery. Malakai was born naturally (sunny-side-up), weighing it at 8lbs 13oz on March 30^th 2009. To my delight, Cynthia followed up with a phone call a week or so after our son was born and helped me to talk through and process the experience, which is a gift I will never forget. We remained in contact over the next two years and I was overjoyed a couple of months ago to share with her the wonderful story of our second son, Lucas’ birth. The greatest thing that Cynthia taught me is that it doesn’t matter how long or short your labour is, but that it is simply about allowing your body to do what it knows how to do naturally, in the time it needs to do it. I will be forever grateful that I took Cynthia’s class. – Karen Fryer, Newtown CT (Birthed in Connecticut Birthing Center)

Before I took Cynthia’s class I had no idea how to support my wife in labor. This class taught me practical ways to be actively involved in the birth of my sons. I loved all the scientific research and data she presented, it made making informed decisions about cord banking and circumcision so much easier for us. - Alex Orthner, Newtown CT (Baby was born in Connecticut birthing center)

Thanks so much for opening our eyes; we were really lost and clueless before we took your course. We not only learned about Hypnobirthing but we learned a great deal about many medical interventions that we never even knew existed!  Your class was spot on about how some medical  caregivers try to undermine your efforts, and how important it is to have  strategies to deal with that.  During Zoe’s birth, the doctor was talking to us about Pitocin and C-sections.  Finally we got an angel of a nurse who understood our wishes for a natural, drug-free birth and she supported me the whole way.  Everyone is amazed that I did it without drugs,  and I’m proud of myself too. You’re class was spot on  We’re very grateful. – Linda and Julien, Westport CT (Birthed in Danbury Hospital)

The Pitocin really added an unexpected element to my birth plan and as a result I am told that my surges were much more intense then they would have been without it. I was happy to be practicing my hypnobirthing techniques throughout the day. Through each surge I focused on expansion and opening. I listening to the CD and was able to meditate and at some points drift off to sleep (I was snoring) between surges. In the end, I declined the epidural and had a vaginal birth. My midwife and MANY other people were astounded that my determination and hypnobirthing techniques were able to help me achieve a vaginal birth with back labor and Pitocin while declining the epidural. Thanks again for your class and support! - Abbey Polito, Stamford CT (Birthed in CT Childbirth and Women’s Center)

Cynthia, I enjoyed the Hypnobirthing course so much….I am sad that it is over. You are a wonderful instructor and I will absolutely recommend your class to my pregnant friends in the future. Thank you for sharing your beautiful birth story….you are truly an inspiration to me. - Mary Rice (Danbury CT)

After taking Cynthia’s hypnobirthing course with my husband, I gave birth to my 9 lb. 1 oz. son in 7 hours with no complications. By the time my husband and I got to the birthing center I was fully dilated, and after about half an hour of pushing, my beautiful son was born. While I didn’t employ all the breathing and visualization techniques from the course exactly as taught, I think the invaluable thing hypnobirthing did for me was allow me to approach birthing my son with confidence, optimism, and even eagerness. We birthed our son in exactly the way we had hoped. Thanks, Cynthia! - Evelyn Fetridge (Brewster NY)

Cynthia, you are very inspirational. You showed us that even the most worried of expecting mothers can train herself to be relaxed and focused through the birthing process. You birthed a 9.5 pound baby peacefully without drugs or medical intervention of any kind. You showed us all that no matter how big or how small a woman is, her body was designed for birth and nature will provide for her all of the accommodations she needs. I have recommended this technique to every pregnant woman I know. Bethany Klinger, Bridgewater CT (Birthed in New Milford Hospital)

Cynthia is very knowledgeable and confident. She is able to help us work our way through many different questions, scenarios, and opening us up to new ideas and empowerment. Before this class I never thought I would be an individual who was capable of being able to birth with such measures. I appreciate being opened to this way of birthing and have used it to completely change my mind of the process, the medical implications and to know that I can be in control of this process and birth my baby in a way that is healthy for me and my baby. I really enjoyed this class. It was amazing to watch some of the births that took place in the videos. It made us completely cancel our birthing class at the hospital completely because we were fulfilled with what we learned by attending your hynobirthing class. – Hope Bove (South Salem NY)

Cynthia, speaking as a husband, your classes on Hypnobirthing are invaluable and fun. You helped us both relax about the birthing process. The knowledge we gained empowered us to seek the birth we wanted. The environment at the classes was perfect; I liked hearing from other couples (and husbands) about how their pregnancy was progressing. Now, my wife and I understand the options available, and I understand how I can best support her before and during the delivery. And for those other husbands out there, the food at breaks was great! - Jason Stowe (Home Birth in Greenwich CT with Midwife Joni Stone)

Thank you so much for the refresher gathering today, Cynthia. It was really wonderful to hear Kathleen’s and Lindsay’s natural birth stories, especially given the varying paths each one took to have her baby (at the hospital versus at home). It’s an incredible confidence-builder to listen to and ask questions of other women who seem similar to me – women who were recently pregnant and took your course, just like me. It re-affirms that the decisions my husband and I are making are right for us as we prepare for our first child. I also loved meeting and being around other pregnant women who have taken your class, to hear about their practitioners and their birth plans. I would most definitely jump at the opportunity to do this again next month and can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to spend the afternoon in a room full of such interesting discussion and truly lovely women. – Nicole McElroy, Stamford CT (Birthed in Bridgeport Hospital)

The best aspect of our class was Cynthia’s depth of knowledge and enthusiasm. Everything she taught us was helpful to us. – Anna K., White Plains NY (Birthed at Greenwich CT Hospital)

I was so very impressed with Cynthia’s sincerity, big heart, excellent time management, reliable follow-up, easy-going communication, and perfect class presentation. She covered the topics in an organized manner ensuring the concerns and questions from the group were addressed (without rushing). It was a very satisfying experience overall. We also loved the materials she prepared for us (well-organized, color-coded, and nicely-bound). This is definitely the best thing we spent our time, effort,and money on while preparing for our baby. Cynthia’s class inspired and empowered us to have a birth we wanted to have. Taking her class was the best thing we did while waiting to meet our baby in person. It made us grow as parents before we even became them. Cynthia, you are an inspiration! We became much more empowered because of you.  - Giedre Minkauskaite, Stamford CT (Birthed in Connecticut birth center)

It was a very easy and fast labor. I arrived at Norwalk Hospital at 7:00 am and at 10:40 am she was born! Hypnobirthing was very useful. Thank you so much for your help! – Adriana S., Stamford CT (Birthed in Norwalk CT Hospital)

We were very impressed with Cynthia’s positive attitude towards birth, beautiful videos, resources given to us, and the availability of Cynthia for questions. Cynthia was clearly passionate and informed about natural birth. She is a natural teacher with her great energy and lively stories. -Erin Schwartz (Westchester NY)

Cynthia’s hynobirthing class was a joy to attend. The classes were full of valuable information that my husband and I found to be eye-opening and transformational in the realm of child birth. With our second baby we experienced a night and day difference from our first birth.  We felt prepared, calm and much more in tune with my body and experiencing how labor can be such a glorious event. I came from a place of tremendous fear from my first birth, and with my second an amazing transformation took place, resulting in my birthing peacefully and joyfully. Cynthia’s class is presented in a passionate, enjoyable manner.  She has been a wealth of knowledge to prepare us for the birth all women intended to have.  I wished I had taken her class for my first baby! - Alexandra McLaughlin, Norwalk CT (Birthed in Connecticut birthing center)

Cynthia Overgard is knowledgeable & helpful with HypnoBirthing as well as prenatal and parenting information. She is very caring and empathetic. Our hypnobirth was better than I could have imagined. It was empowering and solidified my belief that bringing a child into the world can be a magical and peaceful experience. Thank you, Cynthia, for helping us gain a clearer vision of how we wanted to bring our baby into our lives and the world. I wish every woman could have the same experience. – Marie-Alana LaChance, Waterbury CT (Birthed in Connecticut CT birth center)

Cynthia is personable, passionate and friendly. I can’t wait to have a happy, comfortable, calm birthing experience and use the skilled I learned in HypnoBirthing of CT. This was an excellent childbirth class – great skills and information for all expectant mothers with a bias toward natural birth. –  Post-Birth Update:  Hallelujah Hypnobirthing Really Works! Alexa May was born at 7 pounds at the Connecticut Childbirth and Women’s Center after a smooth, (easy??) labor and delivery. Mom labored at home in the tub and was admitted to the birthing center with less than an hour left to go. What am amazing experience!! Thank you Cynthia and all the other Hypnobirthing mamas and babies that inspired us!  - Erica Sawers, Fairfield CT (Birthed in the Connecticut Birthing Center)

Cynthia, you have been on my mind every day the last few weeks as I have been trying to set aside some time to tell you about the birth of Baby Miles! Miles Lewis Geller was born at 12:33am on May 27th.  Labor was a 40 (!) hour affair. We went to Greenwich Hospital around 4am on Thursday morning to find out that I was just 2 centimeters and the baby was facing backwards…which was accounting for the back labor. We decided to return home to continue with the labor. It was about 10am and Noah he took charge reminding me of all the HypnoBirthing techniques we had worked on. We kept the Rainbow Relaxation CD on repeat on my iPhone all day and while Silvie helped to rub my back and feet, Noah coached me through the contractions, in between which I seemed to fall asleep sometimes!  I took several baths and showers and continued like this for most of Thursday trying to visualize getting the baby down/turned around. We returned to the hospital around 5pm Thursday evening- and I was SEVEN centimeters.  Both Noah and I began to cry! The staff at the hospital honored our wishes by leaving us completely alone to labor, except to check the baby’s heart rate every half hour. As the night went on, and I was told to report when I felt the urge to push. And by 12:33, Miles emerged healthy and strong! The nurses we worked with at the hospital said she couldn’t believe how quiet and calm I seemed. I look back on the event and feel so proud of myself and Noah for making the choice to experience this birth naturally. We were both so present and IN it.  It was amazing. I am so happy with how it all turned out. I do feel very proud of myself and of Noah.  It was an incredible experience for us both together and as individuals. While I do feel lucky that it happened as it did, I also feel like I made it that way, and that’s an incredible feeling. I hope your classes continue to go strong. Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm. I am so grateful for your class and the support you were able to provide that gave us the knowledge and the confidence to make this happen. – Jill Geller, Port Chester NY (Birthed in Greenwich Hospital)

I gained so much from Cynthia’s knowledge and awareness, all relating to the things I consider important when it comes to birthing my baby. It was so refreshing to be around her. I loved her kindness, gentleness, and free-thinking manner. HypnoBirthing is amazing, I’ve already told all my pregnant friends about it. I loved this class, and only wish I had taken it earlier in my pregnancy to have more time to practice and research what we learned. - Michelle D’Ambrosio, Milford CT (Birthed in Connecticut birthing center)

Cynthia, we are greatly enjoying your class and our new outlook on birth. You should take great pride in the work you do. You are truly making a difference in this world. Thank you for everything. - Marya and Jeff Neary, Brookfield CT (Email received after the first class session.)

I valued how Cynthia listened as I explained my feelings and the instruction she provided that helped me relax my fears and give me confidence in trusting in myself and what I wanted for my baby’s birth. As a person and as an instructor, Cynthia was supportive, accepting and sincere. – Tavy Davenport, Stamford CT (Home-birthed in Stamford CT with midwife Anne Margolis)

Cynthia’s class offered such a refreshing view of the birthing process. We learned very valuable hypnobirthing techniques as well as what an empowering experience birth can be. I truly missed class when it was over, but left there being very confident in my ability to have a relaxing and calm birth.” - Caroline Havlin, Wilton CT (Birthed in Connecticut Birthing Center)

Cynthia’s classes at HypnoBirthing of CT taught me that when it comes to giving birth, I’m in charge. She was thorough, knowledgeable, kind, giving of her time outside of class.  A pleasure!  Cynthia even went out of her way to help us to find local childcare for our son so we could attend her classes 90 minutes away from our home.  Cynthia, you’re passionate about the issue, and it shows. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about HypnoBirthing through you.- Monica & Pete Waugh (Natural VBAC in Central NJ Hospital, followed by another natural VBAC two years after that!)

Thank you for your wonderful childbirth class. Henry and I found it so informative and truly eye-opening. We are so lucky to have stumbled upon you! I always said that my C-section just wasn’t “right”, but I couldn’t put it into words. Now I’m able to pinpoint exactly what I was feeling and why. It validated all my thoughts and feelings and helped me close the book on that chapter of my life and look forward with happiness to our next birth. Please know how much you have touched our lives even more so than most family and friends have. I am just so impressed with every-thing you shared with us, and the vibrant energy you bring to all you do. It’s no wonder you love what you do…it is such important work! – Carrie Lugo, Stratford CT (Danbury Hospital VBAC)

Cynthia really made me believe this can work for us. Cynthia’s very organized and a great presenter. The handouts and videos are particularly valuable. I’m so grateful to have found out about your class. It has really changed my perception of how wonderful the birthing experience can be. Here is a photo taken of Lucy, just a few minutes after she was born at the birth center. Thank you, Cynthia! – Brenna Burns (New Haven CT, Birthed at CT birth center)

We are so grateful for everything you have taught us, Cynthia. Your class has been informative, educational and inspirational. We are so grateful for the knowledge and empowerment we gained for our son’s birth. – Laura Rosen, Hartford CT (Birthed at CT birth center)

Cynthia, I’ve been wanting to write since my daughter was born! I know you’d be pleased to hear that I got my natural VBAC birth! I was extremely anxious during my 40th week anticipating the scheduled C-section at the 41-week mark, and on Thursday, April 7^th, I was in labor! I felt super relaxed and excited through the surges from 7pm – 12am. At that point, the surges were 3-4 minutes apart, so I felt that we should go to the hospital. I was only 2cm, so we went back home.  I labored in bed and slept in between surges until 6am. When we got to the hospital around 7am, I was 5 cm. Things got really intense, and I was no longer able to relax. I went from 5cm to 10 between 7 – 9am, and Jane Margaret was born at 9:28. I was so proud to have had a natural VBAC birth – especially on the morning I was scheduled to have a repeat C-section. Thank you so much for all of your support and good advice. I am so appreciative!  - Emily Dolan, New Milford CT (Natural VBAC in Danbury Hospital)

Cynthia’s class was engaging and fun, and she always honored where we were in our process. Cynthia’s passion, energy and devotion were inspiring and helped me to feel empowered to give birth naturally, and to trust in my body. Her class taught us not only about our minds and bodies, but also prepared us for what to expect at the hospital. She enabled us to make informed decisions in advance of the birth rather than feeling overwhelmed when the actual time came. Cynthia was always flexible and attentive to our needs. My birth was 3 hours from start to finish, and then we met our beautiful son. – Katherine Silvan, Wilton CT (Birthed at Stamford CT Hospital)

Thank you so much for such a wonderful class.  We really enjoyed it, and appreciate all the passion and expertise you provide! I know we could not have had such a wonderful experience anywhere else.  – Jillian Griswold, Stamford CT (Email received after last class taught.)

Cynthia was very effective at helping me to release my emotional anxiety and giving me the confidence I needed in order to choose a natural birth. Cynthia is very caring and well-informed,and went out of her way to support us by being very accessible in all ways. Even though we were concerned about birthing in a facility with a high C-section rate, our HypnoBirthing tools and information really taught us how to remain in control of events in the delivery room. We ended up with the birthing experience we wanted because we were so prepared. Because of this, Cynthia was among the first people we called from the hospital to share in our joy after naturally birthing our beautiful daughter. – Lindsey Defillipis, Pound Ridge NY (Birthed at Stamford CT Hospital)

Our birth was quite fast, Cynthia. At 6am we drove to Danbury with strong surges every 3 minutes. I was 5 cm upon arrival and went straight into the tub, which was very calming. After another three hours our boy was born. After the birth I felt great and we went right home after a big lunch! Cédric’s birth was completely different from Morris’. I went into strong labors from the beginning on and after only 3 hours he was born. Again I was able to relax thanks to hypnobirthing methods and the tub. The hypnobirthing really works for me and makes me very confindent about our third upcoming birth! Thank you again for your helpful classes! – Sarah Annen (Stamford CT, Birthed at Danbury CT birth center)

Hi Cynthia – I was in your class in White Plains in late November, and on the 26th of December we had a baby boy!  And, it was a natural VBAC!!!!  I started having contractions on Christmas night then had him on the 26th at 4:00 pm in Danbury Hospital!  It all worked out beautifully and we are so happy that he is healthy! He was big—8 pounds 15 ounces!  And I did it with no meds, too! Troy was so impressed with how I handled the surges.  Honestly, I never felt any “pain” nor did I even think about needing any medicine. I kept focused and breathing and calm the whole time.  Thank you for everything!  - Melanie Millard, White Plains NY (Birthed in Danbury Hospital)

Cynthia, Thank you so much for your wonderful HypnoBirthing classes. The HypnoBirthing helped me a lot in the birthing room. Your instructions taught me how to stay focused which made the birth go very smoothly. I was relaxed and calm throughout the entire birth. Even my midwife said that I was a “model” HypnoBirthing mom. And now we have a beautiful, loveable SON! - Shira Tarantino, Stamford CT (Birthed in Phellps Hospital with Midwives from Full Circle Family Care)

Cynthia is extremely accessible and addresses all questions in an honest and objective manner. The most valuable aspect of class were all the real-life, positive stories. Cynthia’s passion for natural birth is very inspiring. I truly appreciate her caring and friendship which made us feel supported and believe that it is actually possible to have a calm, joyful and natural birthing experience. It has helped me believe that natural birthing is attainable even by someone filled with fear like me. Thank you Cynthia for being a great teacher, sharing your knowledge and most of all becoming a good friend!! – Rekha Terway, Stamford CT (Birthed in CT Childbirth and Women’s Center)

Cynthia provided a positive and professional atmosphere and made us feel so comfortable. She taught us so much and we enjoyed being with the other expecting parents so much. It just seemed to end so quickly. She covered the hypnobirthing wonderfully. The class and what we learned gave us the strength to keep looking for the right place (and doctor/midwife) to help us achieve the birth WE want. We are so glad we took this class earlier rather than later because it opened so many doors for us. Thanks! - Marisa Rae (Stamford CT, Birthed at Connecticut Birth Center)

After leaving the first session of Cynthia’s class I said to my husband “I wish I had taken this class when I was pregnant the first time. My birth story might have gone very differently.” I am so grateful to have found Cynthia. Her passion for providing women with the knowledge and tools to empower them to have the best birth possible is infectious. Even as second time expectant mother, I walked away from each session feeling moved and prepared to bring this baby into the world in a way that would be gentle and loving for both of us. I felt fairly knowledgeable before the class, but I truly feel that the information and techniques I learned from Cynthia’s HypnoBirthing class are invaluable. Cynthia’s information is current, and it is clear that she is always furthering her own knowledge so that she can impart as much as possible to her students. Cynthia’s approach is loving, supportive and inclusive. I can’t wait to share my birth story!!! – Rachel Beninati, Stamford CT (Home birth in Stamford, CT)

Cynthia’s passion to inspire and empower us with all the knowledge and information regarding natural birth through her personal experiences, hypnobirthing method, facts, and materials prepared us very well. I was also impressed with how well she was prepared for each session. I felt, I gained so much from each class. I can’t think of anything that wasn’t helpful for me. I was also impressed with Cynthia’s friendly manner and willingness to help us out in any way she can. I felt that she genuinely wished/hoped to help us though the process. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Hypnobirthing although I did a bit of research before signing up. I felt this turned out to be an excellent. I gained a better understanding of natural birth and confidence in myself. It really helped me to have a healthy and positive image of birth over what I had imagined for a long time. I don’t feel scared and nervous at all about birthing now. This is a big milestone for me. What else can I ask for? I enjoyed all the sessions and felt I was more and more prepared and inspired after each class so that I can have a wonderful and beautiful birthing experience for my son. Overall, my opinion is great and excellent for what I’ve gained and learned so far!!!! We talk a lot how much we are glad that we were able to find your class and learn about hypnobirthing. Post-Birth Update: This is Gina Hwang (my husband is Henrik). I hope you remember us. It’s been so long since we met you in your classes – over two years. I believe we took your sessions in Sept 2009. I also don’t know if you remember that you helped me with wonderful thoughts and great advice via emails even after the course ended, since I was so torn between a hospital birth (which I initially planned) and a possible water birth in the Danbury Birth Center (1 hour drive from where we lived in Stamford at that time). Changing caregivers turned out to be the best decision we could have made. It was a long birth, and I ended up needing Pitocin with intervals of antibiotic, but I had no epidural at all – not even a drop throughout the whole labor. I didn’t even consider it as an option. I kept telling myself, “I can do this.” I remember the HypnoBirthing CD playing aloud in the room. When I finally pushed the baby out, it was a true moment of ecstasy. I didn’t remember if I shouted or screamed, but Henrik said I didn’t make a sound. If we hadn’t met you and didn’t learn HypnoBirthing from you, I don’t know what my birth experience would have been like. I am sure it would have been completely different. I know it’s long overdue, but many, many thanks again for your inspiration and wonderful advice over our birth choices. With all that, Henrik & I was able to experience the most amazing moment of our lives in wonderful care of our practitioners. Cynthia, I now truly believe that we can endure labor without any medication. Perhaps mine was a bit more challenging with Pitocin, but I found it was bearable after all. - Gina Hwang. White Plains, NY (Birthed in Danbury Hospital)

Cynthia, My water broke at 2:30AM on November 6th and some contractions started, but then stopped.  Since I’m a VBAC mommy, my midwife (Sara) suggested castor oil to try to get things started, so we could try to avoid Pitocin and another C-section.  I had a few more contractions on my way to the hospital after taking that.  Then Sara suggested inserting a Foley bulb catheter that fills with water to dilate my cervix to try to get things moving without medicine.  I continued to have contractions.  I was told that when it came out (up to 12 hrs later), I would be 3-4 cm dilated.  They checked my vitals every 2 hours and every time they came to check, I was surprised another two hours had gone by.   Contractions started to come pretty close together and some seemed to last for quite a long time.  I was exhausted (partially due to almost no sleep the night before).  I began to doubt myself and wondered if I would be able to make it through without any medication.  Around 11 or so, I suddenly felt the urge to push and out came the bubble, so it was assumed that I was now 3-4 cm dilated.  I was feeling the urge to push again.  I couldn’t understand why, so she checked me and said I was about 7 cm and 100% effaced.  Everything after that started to happen so quickly.  I had contraction after contraction and kept feeling the urge to push.  I pushed for about an hour and seriously wondered if I would have the energy to keep going.  It was hard work.  I was exhausted. Seeing Sara get everything ready was so encouraging though!  I couldn’t believe it when he actually came out on my next push.  They put him right on my belly (where we saw for ourselves that he was a boy!) and then I was able to hold him close for hours.  After he was born, my husband Rob made a comment about how we avoided a C-section.  It suddenly hit me then that I actually got the drug-free VBAC that I wanted!  I was so proud of myself and Rob told me he was really impressed with how I did.  So, Jonathan Cameron was born at 1:11 AM (only about 2 hours after I was only 3-4 cm dilated!) on 11/7/11, weighing 7 lbs. 14 oz. Sara was incredible and I’m so glad she was there with me.  I often look back on my birth with such pride and happiness about what I accomplished.  Cynthia, Thank you so much for teaching us how wonderful the whole process can be and for encouraging us to make informed decisions to get the birth we want.  I really feel the need to shout from the rooftops about my experience and want all women to know that it’s not supposed to be like it is on A Baby Story.  I think everyone should take your class!  I really can’t thank you enough! – Jen Klemm, Norwalk CT (Birthed with Norwalk Midwives)

Cynthia was able to speak from her personal experience using the HypnoBirthing for both of her babies’ births. This was very important to us. Cynthia was very well prepared for each class and offered a wealth of information and was very enthusiastic. Cynthia offered healthy snacks during each class. It was a great treat and kept our energy going. Overall the class was perfect as is. I walked away feeling confident and excited about the upcoming birth of my baby. -Jen Sileo (Westchester, NY)

My babies were born at 1:34 am and 1:50 am after about 34 hours of labor. Noah was 5 pounds 9 ounces and Liam was 6 pounds 3 ounces at birth. HypnoBirthing helped me achieve a vaginal birth of twins with no pain medication whatsoever, despite challenging conditions.  The day before my due date I developed high blood pressure that my doctor was worried about was early preeclampsia. The risk of preeclampsia is higher with twins than with single babies. I had been resisting the recommendation to induce, which for twins is recommended at or before the due date. The day after my due date, I agreed to stripping of the membranes and moving up the induction schedule since my blood pressure was still high. Around 4 PM on Wednesday, my membranes released for Baby A, about 20 minutes after the stripping the membranes procedure. .  (Baby B’s membranes remained intact until just before he was born.) This was not supposed to happen but did. So I went immediately to the hospital (Northern Westchester) because my doctor wanted to do follow up tests for the high blood pressure and keep me monitored for the same reason. My doula Silvie came shortly after I arrived. My sister came the next morning. My contractions weren’t very strong and around 7 am on Thursday morning I’d developed a slight fever that my doctor said was a sign of infection from the membranes releasing. I was then put on IV antibiotics for the remainder of the labor. This wasn’t what I’d hoped for! Not the membranes releasing nor the IV tubes nor having to go to hospital right away for the entire labor instead of just when active labor happened. But, as the Hypnobirthing CD reminded me “I am prepared to meet whatever turn my birthing takes.” A few hours later, around 10 am, the contractions still weren’t very strong and I hadn’t dilated since the exam in his office the day before (2 cm both times). So I was put on Pitocin – level 4 – and remained on it for 13 hours. I was not happy about that either! That was also something I had hoped would not be necessary! Things progressed slowly – I did a variety of coping techniques and never needed pain meds – a lot of movement, singing, dancing, etc. At 5 cm and exhausted I did Hypnobirthing until 9 cm which was a great break. I don’t think I could have gotten through the long labor without the Hypnobirthing technique which allowed me to relax for hours at a time. I listened to the Hypnobirthing CD over and over again. At times I think I briefly fell asleep as I had a strong association with it of sleep and relaxation, having listened to it before bed for several months before the birth. I had a couple of showers. At 9 cm I wasn’t progressing and my doctor said my cervix was swollen and implied a c-section may be necessary. After 30 hours of labor it was disappointing to hear that, but at that point I just wanted the babies to be born and I knew that if I did need a c-section it wasn’t from lack of trying everything else!  He gave us another 1.5 hours, during which time I did more Hypnobirthing, and when he came back I thought there was no chance of a vaginal birth since I wasn’t feeling the urge to push as I’d been told I should. However, my cervix had softened enough, perhaps from the Hypnobirthing, and/or perhaps from more time passing. Anyway, to my great surprise, and I think to the great surprise of everyone in the room, my doctor was able to stretch my cervix with his fingers to 10 cm. He then told me to push and I did and the babies arrived at 1:34 am and 1:50 am on Friday morning. Horah!  Thanks to you, Cynthia, for all your help during my pregnancy – the Hypnobirthing classes were excellent and being able to do Hypnobirthing for so much of the labor was incredibly helpful! I would recommend your class to anyone hoping to have a natural birth with as few medical interventions as possible.  — Catherine A., New Rochelle, NY (Birthed twins in Northern Westchester Hospital)

My wife Sandy and I took Cynthia’s class earlier this year prior to the birth of our first child, Emma. I was a little skeptical of Hypnobirthing at first, but after spending 2 weekends with Cynthia and the other couples, and experiencing the natural birth of our daughter Emma at home in August, I am a believer. Up until about 28 weeks into our pregnancy, we were planning on a “normal” birth with an OB in the hospital, and were following whatever direction the doctors gave us. Through Cynthia’s class, we learned we had options – many of them (who knew!?) – and also learned how natural birthing can be – how what we consider “normal” in the US really isn’t normal or natural at all. We shifted gears entirely, found a wonderful midwife (courtesy of Cynthia!), dropped our OB/GYN practice, and ended up having a drug-free, natural water-birth in the comfort of our own home. As a husband and father, I can tell you that it was the most amazing experience, and both my wife and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The birthing process definitely required work (mostly for my wife), but I felt so well educated and prepared that I was there to help her every step of the way. And following the techniques learned in class, my wife made labor and birth look easy. Three days after giving birth, she was already talking about having a second! My recommendation to any couple pregnant right now – get educated, get empowered, take Cynthia’s class and learn about child birth from a whole different perspective. It will definitely open your eyes and change your thinking. Thanks Cynthia for helping us to make our daughter Emma’s birth such a beautiful and personal experience for both me and Sandy!  – Mark Beyerly, Fairfield CT (Home Birth / Waterbirth in Fairfield CT)

This was the most valuable workshop I’ve ever taken. May sound like hyperbole, but it was truly inspiring. We thank Ms. Mongan for creating HypnoBirthing and we think Cynthia as a HypnoBirthing instructor is heroic. Cynthia was an amazing instructor. She was thoughtful, thorough, patient and a wealth of information. - Berl Kaufman (Westchester, NY)

Cynthia, I wanted to share some wonderful news with you…..Monday, April 20 at 10:34 p.m Dominic Quentin was born!!! It was a bit of a surprise since I was exactly 37 weeks and was expecting at least another week or two The labor and birth far exceeded our expectations!  My water broke Monday morning at about 5:30 a.m. I had no surges from that point till noon, so my midwife recommended that I go and get acupuncture to help stimulate surges. At around 5:30 p.m I was feeling some irregular cramping, but nothing intense. At around 7:30 p.m my surges became more regular, but mild. We went about our usual evening routine, ate dinner, watched t.v….and then very suddenly, like a light switch at almost 9 p.m my surges became closer together and much more intense. Angelo called our midwife to update her and she said that she would be leaving in about 15 minutes (she comes from New Haven). Within five minutes of Angelo hanging up the phone I was ready to push!!! He called her and told her to hurry and get here as fast as she could! Angelo had to fill our actual bath tub, because the birthing tub hadn’t been delivered yet and he had a feeling that we would not have time to fill up our midwife’s back up tub that she was bringing. Thank goodness he did because our midwife arrived at almost 10 p.m and I literally got in our bathtub and started pushing, and within 30 minutes Dominic arrived!!! It was the most amazing experience of our lives and completely fulfilled my dream of having a peaceful, natural and empowering at-home water birth! Throughout the very short labor and delivery I definitely utilized many of the hypnobirthing techniques, I even had the affirmations CD playing in the background   Thank you so much Cynthia for all that you taught us!  - Eva and Angelo Rizio, Old Greenwich CT (Home Birth)

Cynthia! You will be excited to hear that we welcomed our new daughter, McKenna, this morning, June 14th, through a successful, VBAC HypnoBirth! She weighed 9 lb. 6 oz. She’s beautiful and doing well. Thank you for all your love, support, wisdom, and positivity! It was instrumental in our success.   I wish I had known about your classes for my previous births.  You have empowered me in ways that I realize every day.  I am thrilled and so excited to welcome this new little baby into our lives in this life-changing and peaceful way.  Thank you so much!   Kind regards, Leanne O’Connell, Shelton CT (Birthed in Bridgeport Hospital)

Cynthia, you have been on my mind every day the last few weeks as I have been trying to set aside some time to tell you about the birth of Baby Miles! Miles Lewis Geller was born at 12:33am on May 27th.  Labor was a 40 (!) hour affair. We went to Greenwich Hospital around 4am on Thursday morning to find out that I was just 2 centimeters and the baby was facing backwards…which was accounting for the back labor. We decided to return home to continue with the labor. It was about 10am and Noah he took charge reminding me of all the HypnoBirthing techniques we had worked on. We kept the Rainbow Relaxation CD on repeat on my iPhone all day and while Silvie helped to rub my back and feet, Noah coached me through the contractions, in between which I seemed to fall asleep sometimes!  I took several baths and showers and continued like this for most of Thursday trying to visualize getting the baby down/turned around. We returned to the hospital around 5pm Thursday evening- and I was SEVEN centimeters.  Both Noah and I began to cry! The staff at the hospital honored our wishes by leaving us completely alone to labor, except to check the baby’s heart rate every half hour. As the night went on, and I was told to report when I felt the urge to push. And by 12:33, Miles emerged healthy and strong! The nurses we worked with at the hospital said she couldn’t believe how quiet and calm I seemed. I look back on the event and feel so proud of myself and Noah for making the choice to experience this birth naturally. We were both so present and IN it.  It was amazing. I am so happy with how it all turned out. I do feel very proud of myself and of Noah.  It was an incredible experience for us both together and as individuals. While I do feel lucky that it happened as it did, I also feel like I made it that way, and that’s an incredible feeling. I hope your classes continue to go strong. Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm. I am so grateful for your class and the support you were able to provide that gave us the knowledge and the confidence to make this happen. – Jill Geller, Port Chester NY (Birthed in Greenwich Hospital)

Dear Cynthia, I’ve been wanting to write you since I gave birth last Wednesday, as I was so excited to tell you my birth story of my second child, Eva Victoria Black. First of all I feel fortunate to have attended the refresher gathering you held at your home just a few weeks before I gave birth. I felt as if I was right back in your …class from a couple years ago, and it all came back to me. The group settling lead by you was powerful and helped me to be fully engaged. So guess what – I had an unassisted home birth, just me and my husband, John, Wednesday morning July 13th – in our bathroom. I woke early on Wednesday July 13th at 4am not being able to get comfortable. I noticed I was having some surges lasting pretty long, but I didn’t bother timing them. I decided to tell my husband at 4:15am that he shouldn’t plan of going to work today. By 4:30am I had my iPod playing Rainbow Relaxation and the affirmations, and all I remember was “Trust in your body”, etc. I was sitting on a yoga ball, leaning over a pillow on the bed and breathing through my surges. I thought to myself, “These seem kinda close.” But I just kept my focus. My poor husband was trying to get me to talk to him but I just didn’t have the words to speak, I was totally in the moment. He was trying to figure out if he should time the surges, call my doula, call the midwife, get the car ready, etc. I was in a cool bath by 5:30am, again breathing thru my surges. At this point I realized, “I don’t think I can go anywhere.” I didn’t want to move to get in a car and these surges were coming pretty fast. I got out of the tub by 6am with the help of John, and managed to tell him to call the neighbor to watch our 2 year old son. Around 6:15am I stood briefly, my water broke, and decided my hands and knees was the best position. I leaned against our bathroom vanity rocking a bit and could tell this was it. Now at 6:28am my husband asked if we were going to Hudson valley, as planned. I shook my head no, then he asked, “Are we going to Greenwich hospital?” I shook my head even more, and said, “”I’m having the baby, now!” With 2 more surges I could feel my baby just work herself down and out, I was remembering the unassisted-home-birth story you told in class, also in a bathroom, as we were. I trusted in my body. And at 6:32am my husband guided our daughter out and told me it was a girl. The placenta followed and I lay back on the bathroom floor, baby against me, covered in a towel, with placenta attached and level with the baby so it could pulse (my husband had the midwife on the phone now, giving simple instructions.) I rubbed the her little back and she let out a little cry. I could hear my son downstairs say ‘baby’. I was the most peaceful, gentle, amazing experience. Our doula came 20 minutes after the baby was born, she was on the way to the hospital to meet us until my husband called back to let her know we just had a baby girl. She met us at the house, helped me and the baby into the back of our SUV, back seats folded down, pillows, me, baby, placenta and her with John driving – I’m sure it was a sight if any of our neighbors saw. We proceed to Hudson Valley where my OB/GYN and pediatrician were located. A popular question was why not just call 911, and I reply it wasn’t a medical emergency. I just had a baby, that’s all. We arrived at Hudson Valley hospital, my midwife met us there. They were all very supportive and respectful and we were both examined in the room, spent the night and left the next day. She weighed 7lbs 8.5 oz 19” long. I feel I truly experienced HypnoBirthing, and it is by far the most amazing powerful tool that every pregnant woman should experience. It’s empowering! I always wanted a home birth in the back of my mind – I guess I got it! Much love and gratitude, Cynthia, to a wonderful teacher and guide. – Lee Black, Greenwich CT (Unassisted Home Birth)

Hi Cynthia, We wanted to send you our news! Ava Rose was born at home on July 6, 2011 at 10:36am. She was born at 6lbs, a little peanut, but is already 8 and a half. The labor was about 11 hours, and we were able to implement hypnobirthing into the process. There was nothing more special than to be able to do it at home. There were times where labor would slow just a tad, and Melina would go back to the CD and get right back in the zone. Although at first Melina wasn’t 100% all about the home birth, she was a rock star and says there is no way she would have done it any differently. We want to thank you so much for having a contribution to our beautiful birth. Please feel free to use our story or use us as a resource if anyone has questions about a home birth. I am so glad to see you continue to touch so many people’s lives with your class and can have such a positive impact on the most beautiful times in people’s lives.  — Keith and Melina Mirante (Home Birth in Meriden, CT)

Hi Cynthia!  We welcomed Everett Welty Lewis on 8/9/11 at 8:05am. He was 8lbs. 2 ounces and 20 inches long. This birth went even better than the last! Because of your fabulous class, I felt completely in control and was able to have the birth experience that I had wished for the first time around (no Pitocin was involved this time around!). I was so focused and never even considered having any sort of pain relief. At one point, during the late stage of labor my husband told me he thought that I was asleep because I was so calm in between the surges. I have recommended your class to all of my friends because I feel like you are so full of knowledge and really empower people to take back the birth experience. The doctor that assisted my doctor during my labor came to see me the day after I delivered. She said I should be the poster girl for labor and delivery. Labor lasted a total of 4 hours and we met our second son! We are in love! Thank you so much again for all of your knowledge and keep up the wonderful work!  - Becky Dolcetti Lewis, Darien CT (Birthed in Stamford Hospital)

Dear Cynthia, We are so grateful that you were a large part of our birth-prep experience.  As a result of you and your hypnobirthing class, we felt calm and confident as labor and delivery  approached and I delivered our daughter without meds at The Birth Center in Danbury.  What an amazing experience!  Thank you for being an excellent resource and example for us.  Love, Camilla and Chris, Norwalk CT (Birthed in Connecticut Birthing Center)

Cynthia was exactly the kind of instructor we were looking for when it came to childbirth education classes. We had already been sold on the Hypnobirthing approach from what we had read online and heard from friends. But when you take classes with Cynthia, you get much more than the Hypnobirthing curriculum. Cynthia has years of knowledge and research behind her, which she shares with her students along the way. From factoids, to tips, to surprising discoveries, my husband and I learned so much from her–and much of it was information we would not have found ourselves! Equally important, Cynthia’s emotional support and confidence-boosting helped strengthen us through certain challenging situations that we encountered along the way in our pregnancy and labor. I continue to highly recommend Cynthia to my friends, strangers, my hair dresser, anyone who dreams of having a natural birth!  - Angelika & Jeff Schlanger, Stamford CT (Birthed in Stamford Hospital)

Dear Cynthia, Thank you so much for the loving way you deliver your class material. You are a wealth of knowledge and both my husband and I have gained invaluable information that we will take with us through our birth journey. As first-time parents-to-be, you’ve enabled us to make informed decisions and have given us the confidence to deal with any situation that may arise during the birth. Each and every time we entered your home and were greeted by your warm and loving presence (and delicious snacks!), we felt comfortable and able to ask questions or speak our minds whenever necessary. It is clear that you have a true passion and respect for hypnobirthing and for the birthing woman in general and that infectious quality comes through you and seeps into the people sitting in your class. We’d make the hour plus drive again in a heartbeat and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything! With Love, - Alicia and Gary Comitto, Ossining, NY (Home Birth)

I hope that you know how much you and your class has impacted me, my pregnancy, Justin, and really my life. This has been the singular most important experience that I have had in a long time and I will forever be grateful to you for that. So thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will certainly keep you posted on the rest of my pregnancy and I look forward to sharing my birth story with you when the time comes!!  Sending love and gratitude, Ellie Lindenmayer, Farmington CT  (Connecticut Birthing Center)

I had a good experience with the Putnam Gynecology Group and had a very calm labor experience. I had a few friends who had C-sections with them and that made me a little nervous but it was not my personal experience. The birth plan and the education in your class was very helpful and gave me more confidence to handle any situation that could have occurred during my labor.  You  are a wonderful teacher and helped me to have an enjoyable and calm birth. My son is very calm and hardly ever cries unless he is very hungry and I do believe his birthing experience had something to do with that!  - Mia Wallack, Stamford CT (Birthed in Greenwich Hospital)

Local Resources:

Danbury Birthing Center
Connecticut Childbirth and Women’s Center
94 Locust Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810-6032
(203) 748-6000
www.CTBirthCenter.com

Silvie Falschlunger, NY/CT doula
www.Birth-In-Motion.com

Kaia Yoga Wellness Center
Kaia Cafe
Owned by one of our HypnoBirthing of CT couples, Stan Woodman and Gina Norman
1200 Post Rd E
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 532-0660
www.KaiaYoga.com

Yoga For Everybody
11 Unquowa Road
Fairfield, CT 06824-5015
(203) 254-9642
www.yoga4everybody.net

Greenwich Hospital
5 Perryridge Road
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
203-863-3000
www.GreenHosp.org

Stamford Hospital
30 Shelburne Road
Stamford, CT 06902-3628
(203) 276-1000
www.StamfordHospital.org

Norwalk Hospital
34 Maple Street
Norwalk, CT 06850-3894
(203) 852-2000
www.NorwalkHospital.org

Danbury Hospital
24 Hospital Ave
Danbury, CT 06810-6032
(800) 516-3658
www.DanburyHospital.org

Hudson Valley Hospital
1980 Crompond Road
Cortlandt Manor, New York 10567
www.hvhc.org

Bridgeport Hospital
267 Grant Street
Bridgeport, CT 06610
203-384-3000

Women’s Obstetrics and Gynecology, P.C.
Dr. Ronika Choudhary
115 Technology Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
(203) 268-2239
www.womensobandgyn.com

St. Vincent’s Medical Center
2800 Main Street
Bridgeport, CT 06606
203-576-6000 or 1-877-255-SVHS

University of Bridgeport
60 Lafayette Street
Naturopathic Health Clinic
Bridgeport, CT
(203) 576-4349

www.LotusPod.org
Carol Piro and Vivian Howell provide an array of services including Therapeutic Massage, Reflexology, Life Coaching, Energy Balancing, Breathwork, Watsu, TranceDance and more.

Online Resources:

Official Site for the ICPA – International Chiropractic Pediatric Association
www.PathwaysToFamilyWellness.org

Peggy O’Mara’s online community for natural parenting.
www.Mothering.com

The Health Ranger: Well-researched natural health articles and stories. Not your mainstream health information.
www.NaturalNews.com

Official Site for La Leche League, the experts in breastfeeding.
www.LaLecheLeague.com

Official site for Holistic Moms Network
www.HolisticMoms.org

Dr. Joe Mercola’s top-subscribed natural health newsletter.
www.Mercola.com

Ina May Gaskin, one of the world’s most famous and esteemed midwivesand birthing authors, and a woman I’ve had the honor of interviewing and learning from.
www.InaMay.com

Orgasmic Birth Official Site – Birth as an ecstatic experience.
www.OrgasmicBirth.com

Official Site for Water Birth International.
www.WaterBirth.org

Great resource for exercises and optimal fetal positioning.
www.SpinningBabies.com

HypnoBirthing Utah has some great birth vidoes.
www.HypnoBirthingUtah.com

Midwifery Today is an excellent resource for pregnancy articles and information.
www.MidwiferyToday.com

Official Website for HypnoBirthing – The Mongan Method
www.HypnoBirthing.com