HypnoBirthing in White Plains, Westchester, Roosevelt Birthing Center and NYC

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, 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)

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)

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)

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 episotomies, 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)

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)

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)

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)

This is Cat from your last HypnoBirthing childbirth 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, 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)

 

 

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