Letter from Kimberly

Hi Sylvie,

I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how my birth with Jayda went.

I woke up last Sunday morning at 7am with my first surge. At that point they were every 7 minutes apart. I got a few last minute things ready and decided to finish my laundry. My parents arrived just before lunch and brought KFC. We ate lunch and watched a DVD... Meet the Fockers (very funny by the way)! By the time the movie was finished, my surges were 2-3 minutes apart and I decided it was time to go into the hospital. By the time we got there, got settled and I was checked, it was 5pm. I was 5cm dilated. I checked into the labor & delivery room and had Jeremy run me a bath. I spent about 1 & 1/2 hours in the tub, when I needed to get out... I was feeling funny and I was shaking. It was 7pm, the doctor examined me and I was 9cm dilated!

I was very surprised that I dilated 4 cm in less than 2 hours. Jayda was born shortly after 20 minutes of pushing. Jeremy was amazing at keeping me calm and focused. I don't think I could have done it without him. I really needed him as the surges got stronger and especially while pushing. He was awesome.

As for Jayda, she was so alert and still is. She acts like a 2 month old. She nursed for 40 minutes after she was born. She's an excellent breastfeeder. She weighed 9lbs 2oz when she was born and is quickly gaining!

I used all of my Hypnobirthing tools and I found it to work wonderfully. I will definitely use this method of giving birth should we decide on a third baby.

So, I just wanted to thank you for your sessions

P.S. By the way, the Nursing staff were amazed! My nurse said that she'd never seen anyone so calm during labor in her 33 years of nursing. She thought I would make a great candidate for televised birthing.

Take care,

Kimberley

Letter from Kelsey

Sylvie,

Thanks for your excellent instruction during our sessions together and your outstanding support during labour and delivery. Your calm, supportive, positive leadership ensured that I meet my goal of a drug free delivery. Your RMT training was very much appreciated in the management of my back labor. It was a very fulfilling and rewarding experience. Our midwife was also very impressed with your assistance and looks forward to seeing you with her clients in the future.

If we have another baby you will be one of the first to know as we will not be having another birth without you

Best wishes,

Kelsey, John, Seth and Baby Noah

Baby Noah
Born September 29, 2005

Letter from Erica

I understand from Sylvie that you are considering a Hypnobirth, that is fantastic!!

I cannot say enough good things about this method and about Sylvie. My first birth was a drug-free, midwife assisted, 36 hour ordeal. I was so badly traumatized by the pain and the experience that I seriously didn't want to have another baby. Not because I didn't want more children but because the thought of the pain paralyzed me.

I knew when I got pregnant the second time that I was going to have to consider some way to deal with my fears. I saw a pamphlet of Sylvie's at my midwife's and called her. I admit I was a little skeptical because I am a Type A personality who is never sitting still or relaxed. I decided to do my research and keep an open mind.

She came to our home for our sessions and after the first session I totally bought in to HypnoBirthing. It just made so much sense. It showed me that the reason there is so much pain is because of the fear and that in turn gives you a long labour. I wanted to enjoy my births not be scared of them. Sylvie had a great video that showed other women who had hypnobirths and I was amazed!!!! I thought they looked like they were asleep while I remember climbing the back of the bed screaming during my first birth. After every session I felt ready to do this. Another thing that happened to fortify my trust in Sylvie is that my baby hadn't turned by 34 weeks and so they were beginning to worry he would be breach. After my second session he turned. My midwife said that because I was so relaxed after my time with Sylvie, the muscle were relaxed enough to make room for him to turn.

We had our son at home with 2 midwives and Sylvie. It was honestly the most beautiful birth. I really wish we had videotaped it because I would love to have been able to show my friends and family how special and calm it was. Both of my midwives were amazed at how calm I was and they both said it was the best birth they have ever been to. The intention was to have my husband keep me focused but I found I needed him to just rub my back and be there for me to lean against. Sylvie was very accommodating and agreed to take over his role and be the one to talk me into a deep state of relaxation. Sylvie stayed from 6 p.m. until almost 6 a.m. so I think that shows her dedication and support. She didn't leave my side the whole time. She sat on my hard wood floor and kept me calm and focused. She is a fantastic person and a very skilled HypnoBirthing specialist. Her voice is what got me through it.

I was so relaxed that my midwife had to ask me when I was having a contraction because she couldn't tell. When I knew I was ready to push I told her so and she actually didn't believe me because I wasn't making the tell-tale signs of a women ready to push.

Jackson was a 9 pound baby with a large head. I am 5' 7" 118 pounds and gained only 25 pounds during my pregnancy. Everyone was surprised that I had such a big baby so I truly believe that if it wasn't for Sylvie and HypnoBirthing, I would have been asking for drugs and would have had a very long and hard labor, maybe even a C-section. So many of my friends have had C-sections, birth related infections, long labors and generally a disappointing experience. I just wish they had tried HypnoBirthing because I believe they wouldn't have had these terrible experiences.

My baby is the most relaxed little boy in the world. He is so happy to just sit and take in the world and is a real snuggler when he is in your arms. He slept through the night starting at 7 weeks! I attribute much of his personality to our sessions with Sylvie because each time she would leave I would feel so relaxed and empowered and I carried this feeling through my whole pregnancy. The birth was so calm, we had low lights, people I trusted, music and it was at my home. I wish I had had this atmosphere at the hospital with the birth of my daughter, I would have been able to enjoy that birth much more.

I tell everyone, especially first time Moms, that they have to try HypnoBirthing. It is well worth the time and money because when you are in labour, if you decided not to work with Sylvie you will regret it ... trust me!!! The only other piece of advice I have is videotape your birth because you will want to show people how great it was and how relaxed you were.

Erica