We learned so much in the pre-work for Rachel's birthing class that we felt the need to consider altering our birth plan. Once we started Rachel's class, we actually did change our birth plan and never felt more confident in such a life-changing decision. Her guidance and the education we received EMPOWERED us to plan for an incredibly transformational birth experience with no interventions in the comfort of our own home. My husband and I grew closer and more aligned during the class and after, as we prepared to welcome our first child. The exercises she has you practice and the information she shares should be something every expecting couple goes through. Her audio tracks taught me what I needed and helped me before during and after birth. I was even lucky enough to attend one of her prenatal yoga classes which left me with a sense of calm and space in my belly (which is rare for a pregnant woman in her third trimester)! I highly recommend you make Rachel part of your birth team by signing up for one of her classes. read more

Video Birth Course Review- My husband and I took the YES to Birth class virtually to prepare for the birth of our daughter. I wanted a natural/un-medicated hospital birth and this class prepared me to achieve that. If I could use one word to describe my birth, I would say it was: PERFECT. Every aspect of it felt so right, and I absolutely said YES to every moment of it. My husband and I used the tools learned in this course to relax, go with the direction of my baby and my body, and have a smooth, unmedicated, natural hospital delivery. Thanks to Rachel for helping us get there! read more

We really appreciate this class since we used to be extremely terrified of childbirth. The class changed my wife's mindset and reduced the fear of birthing. During labor/delivery, my wife was able to let go of herself, and her body naturally transitioned to a more primal state. At the peak of the surges and strong rectal pressure, she found the affirmation "yes" so helpful as it made her feel the pelvic muscles really open downward. When she arrived at the hospital, she was already fully dilated at 10 cm. When pushing, it felt very relieving, and just as Rachel taught, her body automatically pushed without needing to use her own strength. From her waters breaking to the delivery of our baby, it only took 8 hours without any medications! We wanted to thank Rachel so much for her insightful teachings that enabled us to have a safe, efficient, and beautiful birth experience. read more

***Update post-birth*** Before giving birth to our daughter but after taking Rachel's class, I recommended Rachel's course to anyone interested in being knowledgeable, empowered, and prepared for birth. AFTER giving birth to our daughter, I even more strongly recommend Rachel's 'Yes to Birth' course. Long story short -- her class and audio tracks supported my positive birth experience. This was my first child in-utero and with Rachel's tracks, I labored at home for as long as I could before our Doula told us it was time to leave for the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 2 AM and our daughter was born 5 hours later. I believe Rachel's class empowered me to labor and birth without an epidural (I did have nitrous oxide during the pushing) and her audio tracks also progressed my labor/dilation quickly. Strongly recommended to any and every parent seeking tools and information to support a positive birthing experience! read more

My husband and I are so happy we took Rachel's birth class, and recommend it so highly to everyone we know that's looking for birth prep. Rachel is incredibly knowledgable and uses the hypnobirthing approach to help empower women and their partners to access their innate strength and wisdom. The class was extremely informative, and I left feeling that I had tools to draw on for the birth. She's also extremely funny and engaging - she has a way of delivering so much information effectively and with so much humor that at times I felt like I was at a standup show. When I took Rachel's class, it was 2.5 months before my due date and I had a hospital birth planned. She took the time to speak with me 1:1 and guided me to speak with a homebirth midwife for the purpose of learning about it - even if was to confirm my decision to have a hospital birth. I then ultimately chose to have a homebirth and it was the best decision that I could have made for myself (with appreciation to all couples making decisions that are right for them). I appreciated that she guided me to make an informed decision, having opened me up to more knowledge about options I had. I had an incredibly positive birth experience. Throughout the pregnancy I listened to her audio tapes, which were also very useful in preparing for birth - through the breathing exercises, I felt more prepared to be in my body and access my inner strength. If you're looking for a birth class that's empowering, informative and humorous - take Rachel's class! read more

Isla 6/30/20 7:23am 7lb 6 oz 19.88" She's here! She's really here. We labored at home for 72 hours. It was a long, challenging, transformational and beautiful experience. After that much time, no sleep and much less progress than expected, we made the decision to transfer to UCSF so that I could get some pain relief and much needed rest. While we didn't have the home birth we expected, we had the most amazing experience both at home and at the hospital and were cared for by truly wonderful women. Isla was born sunny-side up or as the midwife at the hospital said, "She's a star gazer!" which was why things were taking so long. Mom, Isla (pronounced eye-luh) and Dad are home and doing great. Rachel, everything you taught me was such a guide. I used all of your breathing techniques during labor. Embraced surges by saying "yes" and felt so empowered even when we had to transfer to the hospital. I know I was able to sustain my physical and emotional well-being because of the commitment and intention you helped me to find around our birth experience. You helped me to feel truly prepared...for both the uncertainty and the beauty of birth. Thank you. We love you and appreciate all of your support. You are such a gift to us and the world! We are enjoying this slow and sacred time together. All our love, The Wagner Family read more

My wife and I took Rachel's birthing class and we both learned so much and felt so prepared for the birth of our baby girl. We definitely put lots of the tricks and methods we learned into practice during birth and it really helped us achieve the best outcome. While our birth plan didn't go exactly as we hoped, we had all the knowledge to know what to expect and how to shift with our baby girl and have a wonderful birth experience. We both highly recommend Rachel's class for all expecting parents. Thank you Rachel! read more

By the time we got to Rachel's class, my husband and I were over all the baby things. We both thought it was going to just be a crunchy version of everything else we'd already read and learned. That first class took us right out of it though. Rachel's approach to bringing both partners together and into the experience is fantastic. We both walked away feeling more confident about the birth experience we wanted and how to achieve that. We felt more connected and in tune than ever. Truly a game changer! We had an amazing birth experience and I hold Rachel to be an integral part of helping us get there. Highly recommended if you want a no or low intervention birth. read more

My husband and I took Rachel's Yes To Birth class in July 2019. I went in knowing that I wanted to deliver drug free, and as naturally as possible, but never even considered home birth. Our interest was peaked in the class and we continued collecting information. We had already hired a doula and the day we met our Midwife it just all clicked into place. Giving birth to Emmett at home was so empowering and amazing for our family. I credit Rachel for helping us see that this was the best choice for Emmett's birth. I would recommend this class to anyone looking for extra support for a conscious and natural birth. read more

I purchased and put to good use the audio package in my recent pregnancy and birth. The affirmations were especially valuable after I learned I was Group Beta Strep positive and I decided to decline antibiotics at labor. Having the affirmations really helped me stay connected to positivity and confidence. My son was born last Wednesday and it was absolutely the right choice for us. While I had a successful unmedicated labor (and the breathing from her audio helped me get there!), I sustained considerable lacerations (tears)- not uncommon in rapid labor like I had. I reached out to Rachel if she knew of a healing meditation/affirmations for my condition because I couldn't find any available online. She responded and we were able to compose an audio that's exactly what I needed. It's excellent. I am so grateful for Rachel's already composed body of work and her dedication to helping others. Thanks Rachel! read more

Rachel Yellin's childbirth education classes were amazing! Rachel brings a depth of experience that made the world of difference to my labor experience. Her audio relaxation program in particular was so wonderful in helping me to let go of some fears I had during pregnancy and enabling my daughter's birth to be an experience where I felt both empowered and informed. I also listened afterwards to Rachel's new mother relaxation recordings and found moments of peace amidst a challenging start to motherhood. She has so much knowledge and her "Yes to Birth" program is well worth the investment - as Rachel says, "birth matters" and I highly recommend working with Rachel for anyone wanting to feel confident and ready to advocate for themselves during the birth experience. read more

One of the best teachers I've ever had! (and I've had a lot in my 44 years!) My husband and I did your hypo birthing video course during my 2nd and third trimesters and loved it so much! We both felt that you were one of the best teachers of such a massive volume of sensitive and important information we'd ever seen! We would watch 30 minutes at a time and learned so much! It was so helpful during the birth (which was at home with our midwife) and I still listen to the sleep meditations, the breastfeeding one and a few of the other meditations. I just LOVE them and they've helped both with sleep (which is sparse right now with breastfeeding) and with anxiety so I'm so super grateful. read more

Rachel Yellin's birthing class was unlike any other learning experience, and we feel truly blessed to have her in our corner. The depth of her knowledge about birthing, her passion, and her wisdom are unmatched. The weeks we spent in her class brought me closer to my partner, and gave me a completely new understanding of what her mind and body experience as she grows our little one to full term. As an expectant father, I feel I gained as much from Rachel's mindfulness techniques as mommy, information and preparation that I access daily. I can't recommend this class highly enough. Thank you, Rachel! read more

My husband and I attended the Yes to Birth! class that Rachel puts on every month, and it allowed us to have the tools, conversions and support/community to rethink my birth plan. We made some tweaks to it and felt confident going into the birth. I had a wonderful birth experience -- the one I had envisioned -- partly due to Rachel's class ensuring that we thought through areas that we hadn't considered. We felt more educated about the process and what we could do leading up to and during birth. Now we have a thriving baby girl, and she's our bundle of joy. Thank you, Rachel! read more

Really wanted to like Rachel's hypnobirthing class - all of my friends have done it, some even had her as a doula, back when she still did that - but the reality of it was that she was just so self-centered and biased, that it made it very hard to drink the cool aid. In my experience of giving birth, the "technique" is appropriate for absolutely everyone, but this particular class is on the far end of the gullible granola spectrum. This is what so many service providers in this city (this country?) get wrong - they make too big a deal out of natural, vilifying hospitals and doctors, and planting anxiety in their participants - just the opposite of what you think you'd need for a successful hypnobirthing experience (and what an awful name for what essentially is deep relaxation!). For those looking for deep relaxation and wanting to practice it - Rachel's restorative yoga workshop is pretty great and I highly recommend it. She does have the most comforting and soothing voice and the workshop (the one I went to was taught jointly with Britt Fohrman) was the most helpful. read more

Took this class with my husband based on my doula's recommendation. Can't say enough good things about the one-day intensive workshop. If you are feeling fearful or anxious about giving birth, you've got to take this class! I am having my first child and wasn't sure what to expect when we showed up for class with Rachel. She was not only warm and caring but extremely knowledgeable about the subject of hypnobirthing and how to ensure that you have a natural birth, free from unnecessary medical intervention. She covered a lot of material during the one day workshop but everything was well organized and she is a fantastic instructor. Class was small so she had the opportunity to engage everyone in discussions rather than just talking at us for the whole time. I had a tremendous amount of anxiety about the birthing process prior to class and within the first 20min of Rachel's introduction, she said something that clicked and shifted my energy towards the positive. Rachel emphasized how the energy you bring to the birth is the energy you welcome your baby into this world with. This statement resonated so much with me and has given me the foundation to feel confident that I can welcome my baby into the world with love and joy rather than let it be overshadowed by my own fear and anxiety. The workshop was also designed to give maximum bonding time for you and your birthing partner. My husband and I have grown so much closer since the workshop and are both eager to welcome our baby into our family. Thank you Rachel for this wonderful experience! read more

My husband and I send our biggest thanks to Rachel for her wonderful guidance in our childbirth classes. Her candid way of sharing information and the atmosphere she established in class really put us both at ease about the prospect of childbirth (with hopefully as few interventions as possible), while also helping us to connect deeply during a time of year - mid-December - that can be notoriously hectic for most people. We left the course both feeling excited about birth and more confident about our respective roles in the process. read more

In a word: fabulous. The class really helped us to take the time to learn about labor and birth from a perspective that's less well-known in our culture. If you're _thinking_ that this class could be right for you, my guess would be that it is. If you have a sense that you, your partner, and your baby want to be _together_ and strong during this (amazing) experience, then this class really can give you the support that you want. Just a note: whether you're planning a hospital or home or X birth, or you're just not sure, this class will help you come to a confident choice, and _absolutely_ support your choice, %100. Part of an email I sent to Rachel after our class: "...thank you so much for your wonderful class. It is/was so helpful, informative, and inspiring, and just resonated very deeply with both of us. On a more individual note, for me, the dad-to-be, I can say that your teaching catalyzed a change that was profound and surprisingly strong and quick. I really felt and acted like a different person after the first day of your class. I can't quite put into words how welcome and needed this change was, and I'm just very, deeply grateful that we found you and your class. We think that what you are doing is so important and necessary. Thank you!!" read more

Hi Rachel, Thank you again for all you taught us in your Nov class. Our sweet baby girl was born 12/11 & she's doing great! So for her birth, I got to 8cm & called for an epidural but I used all my breathing techniques like a champ until then. One really important thing I remember from your class was that I wasn't to feel defeated for calling for one when I actually did. I did great & just accepted that was the best decision for me at the time. And from there it was smooth sailing! I slept & rested for a few hours & pushed for 29 mins & along came our little girl! So thank you again for all you taught us. Now I'm onto your audio tracks for parents so I can quickly fall asleep when she does. Thanks again! read more

I would highly recommend Rachel's hypnobirthing class whether you're considering a natural/low intervention birth or even if you're still not sure what type of birth plan you desire. We learned breathing techniques but also spent a great deal of time learning about the various stages of labor and debunking the 'pain and fear' that society depicts child birth. Rachel is very knowledgable about all stages of labor - the positive aspects but also the unexpected situations that can arise. We learned about the normal protocols at hospitals and the various options/rights that you have as a patient, a lot that I wasn't aware of! The classes ultimately made me feel confident about the birth experience I wanted. I honestly felt like I was well prepared for fulfilling my desire to have a non medicated child birth. I listened to Rachel's hypnobirthing tracks weeks leading up to my labor, I would fall asleep listening to the CD most nights. I think the philosophy that your body naturally takes over and knows what to do really stands true. Also, I gave birth at St. Luke's in SF. I would also highly recommend this hospital especially if you're concerning a natural childbirth. The staff was calm, encouraging and honored my birth plan. read more

My husband and I took Rachel's hypno centered birth class 2 years ago before the birth of our son. I was a bit averse to group settings at the time, and having a challenging third trimester, but Rachel's presence put me at ease and I ended up looking forward to the classes. She is a great teacher and non-judgemental in her guidance toward natural childbirth methods. She is funny and charming, and I felt she was able to speak to a diverse group with varying levels of knowledge on the subject, and keep us all interested. She is also a lovely balance of spiritual, and silly and real. Attending this class with my husband was great for us, and created a space for us to really talk about plans for the birth, in a way that had been previously challenging. I feel like the exercises in class softened us and opened us up toward each other more, at a time that was fairly stressful otherwise. It got is in the right frame of mind toward each other for such a profound and vulnerable event. Part of the class is the cd of guided meditations that Rachel has prepared with her voice -- this was invaluable for me. I did practice with it ahead of time, though not as much as I should have. But more importantly, when my labor started, for the first few hours of frequent contractions before my doula arrived, I had Rachel's cd on repeat. It really relaxed me and kept me focused and prevented me from getting into my head. It set the tone for the rest of my labor, and I did succeed in having a natural birth without pain medication. Along with the indispensable support of my doula, I think the encouragement I got from Rachel really helped my confidence level, and helped me stay with it and have the birth I had hoped for. read more

Rachel's hypno-centered birthing cd helped me get through my drug free labor and delivery! I couldn't have possibly done it without having taken her course at the JCC or listening to the cd she provided. I'm so thankful my coworker recommended her class to me. After reading Hypnobirthing by Marie Mongan and learning about the principles behind this method, I was so excited! My pregnancy was smooth, but I had so much apprehension behind actually giving birth. Like everyone else around me, I bought into society's stereotypes that labor is, well, laborious and PAINFUL. I was dreading it. Thankfully, the book and Rachel helped me understand that through breath work and meditation, you can work through the pain. It made sense to me, having a yoga background. My husband and I looked forward to every single class with Rachel. In fact, we would have paid double the price for twice as many classes. We would go home from class totally relaxed from practicing the techniques. Rachel presents the information in such an easy to understand format and brings a wealth of experience to her teachings, having been a doula herself. Her class really involves the partner, which my husband and I both really appreciated. By taking her class, you'll be armed with knowledge of your options during labor. I think this is the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby. It's definitely good to have a birth plan in place, but be open and flexible to whatever happens, which is where having taken Rachel's class will prepare you. I went into class wanting a natural, vaginal, drug free experience. I also imagined that my husband would catch the baby. My baby boy was born in the backseat of our doula's car, right as we pulled into the parking lot of St. Luke's hospital. Our doula was driving and my husband was next to me, catching the baby. This wasn't what I had in mind, but my baby boy was born healthy and safe, which is all that matters. I truly credit Rachel's cd and class for helping me get through the contractions/surges. It was all I listened to while in bed at home, before my water broke. I hope every mama to be gets to take her class and have the birth they desire. read more

I took Rachel's hypno centered birth class at the JCC and am thrilled I did. My husband and I will always remember how it brought us together during a stressful but important time in our life and I truly attribute Rachel's gentle teaching style and relaxing class atmosphere to this. From the first 5 minutes of our first class I knew I would look forward to attending every week. She provided us with great resources to learn from, an open view of what types of things we could prepare for and a confidence that renewed our faith that we could, in fact, do this. Her techniques provided us with honest tools to help us create a positive birthing experience. In addition to what Rachel taught each class, we also found great pleasure in getting to know our classmates. It was a diverse crowd with mixed experiences/expectations that created an open environment in which to share in. Rachel encouraged this sharing throughout and it really helped us to gain strength throughout the experience. We have already discussed how we would approach our second birthing experience and strongly agree that refreshing ourselves through Rachel's teachings would be at the top of our list. We highly recommend this class for anyone looking to break free from convention and into a positive birthing experience. read more

Rachel is amazing and at this point (after our amazing birth) I am currently recommending her class to all of our friends and family that are expecting. First of all, I am writing from the perspective of a birth partner and now a father. When we first came to Rachel's class I thought I was prepared for the birth of our son and maybe I was, but AFTER Rachel's class I was 100% ready no-questions asked. Her teachings helped me to guide my discussions with the hospital staff who eventually helped me to coach my wife through the later parts of a beautiful and natural birth. Not only that, but I acted as my wife's coach during the early and middle parts of labor and I was totally prepared for that as well. Rachel is an expert, a kind soul, and we are truly blessed to have her in the Bay Area. I couldn't recommend this class more read more

I took Rachel Yellin's childbirth preparation class as a doula and found it to be wonderful! I gained so many great tools that I can use with my clients. I would certainly advise my fellow doulas to attend this course. You'll walk away with lots of juicy information, resources and tactics to consider when supporting expecting families. I would also highly recommend that expecting parents take this class to help them remain present to the birth experience, change their perspectives of "pain" sensations, be so much more prepared for all of the things they'll be exposed to during the birth process and for the intimacy and connectedness they'll gain with each other! read more

Like you need to read another five star review of Rachel to know she's THE ONE to help you through your education of labor and delivery. Well, she is. If you are expecting, you and your partner should sign up for her birthing class today. My husband and I let Yelp lead us to Rachel, and we had an incredible experience in her class learning about the birthing process (both home and hospital) and techniques to labor naturally. Rachel's personality really resonates with me: she is fiercely passionate about birth, calmly reassuring, and maintains a personal vulnerability that allows space for pregnant couples to breathe into their own vulnerability in order to optimize their experience in something so delicate and sometimes emotional as a birthing class. I really could go on and on about her as a teacher and guide. I'll finish with this -- once I was well into 20 hours of laboring, my doula put on one of Rachel's tapes. Her voice! I didn't care and don't remember what hypnosis she put on, I rested my mind and body to Rachel's voice and it truly gave me the strength to keep going (through 36 hours). read more

I took Rachel's hypnobirth childbirth education class, in preparation for the birth of my first child. We really wanted a natural birth, and the hypnobirthing approach made a lot of sense to my husband and me. We really enjoyed Rachel's class. Her experience as a doula made her very credible as an instructor. She teaches using examples and stories, as well as practice sessions using the hypnobirth techniques. read more

Rachel had a profound impact in helping us recognize the birth we wanted for our baby. She provided the tools, knowledge and wisdom we sought to feel assured that our abilities, strengths, courage and love were all we needed to follow through with a home birth without any interventions. Her words and guidance supported us through the entire journey of bringing our baby girl into this world. We are lucky and thankful to Rachel for being the champion for all the expecting mama's and papa's. We send forth our deepest love and gratitude. read more

The Bay Area provides a plethora of resources for new parents, especially in the area of childbirth education. As a parent, doula and educator, I have had the joy of sitting in on many fabulous classes designed for natural birth. However, none have compared to Rachel Yellin's hypno-birthing class. The usefulness of tools, from relaxation techniques to forging a deeper relationship between partners, was evident on the first day of class. Rachel has a straightforward and witty approach to birth that was deeply appreciated by the pregnant women and their partners. Her experience as a birth doula and educator have equipped her with insights, anecdotes, and research that validated the core tenet of hypno-birthing philosophy: birth can and should be calm, safe, fear-free and something to anticipate with joyful excitement. She is well connected to the birth community, and this enables her to review regional hospitals, encourage the use of the many talented midwives in the Bay Area, and connect parents with acupuncturists, doulas and other professionals that are committed to enhancing their birth experience. This class is quality. It is centered on the woman, partner and baby. Rachel teaches hypno-birthing, but what you leave with are easily applicable life skills that you will use over and over again as a parent and partner. If you are looking at birth as a momentous rite of passage, an experience fertile with opportunity for transformation, and a chance to become empowered, or simply how to surrender into the birth of your beautiful child, this is the class for you. read more

Rachel's birthing classes were a game changer for us. She taught us so much about what to expect and how to navigate pregnancy and birth in a holistic and natural way, embracing the experience instead of fearing it. Even though we ended up with an induction, her breathing and meditation instructions from class as well as her audio tapes were invaluable for us. Highly recommend her. read more

I met Rachel through my prenatal yoga classes while pregnant and knew that I was very interested in her hypnobirthing classes.. I was hoping for a drug free/low intervention birth and Ioved Rachel's approach. I was looking for a class that would help me feel empowered to have the wonderful birth experience, whatever it may be. Most of these reviews are from women who had exactly the birth they were hoping for thanks to Rachel's knowledge and guidance. From the start, mine quickly turned into the exact experience that I was hoping to avoid. But it was unavoidable. Baby was super comfortable where she was and wasn't budging. Unfortunately, my baby was in distress and needed to come out, NOW. I used all of the breathing techniques that Rachel taught to keep myself calm and focused so that I would not panic when things got scary. Her voice was in my head the entire time. In the end, I delivered a healthy baby girl and I'd like to thank Rachel for helping to make it a positive experience. read more

I had my TWIN babies naturally. No pain meds. They were 40 weeks and each over 6 pounds. I credit SO much of this to Rachel. Not only did the hypnobirthing CD, classes, and the discussions with other couples immensely help, the power she gives you to help fight the system for what you want is really what I am most happy with. With twins, the hospital considers you 'high risk'. They have you get ultrasounds frequently, get you a 37 week date to C-section or induction. I didn't want any of that. With the knowledge and confidence my husband and I received from the class, we fought our way to give our children the birth WE wanted for them, not what the hospital wanted as to cover their asses. Of course, the hypnobirthing portion was mind blowing. During my 50 hour labor (baby A was sunnyside up so it took awhile), that coincided with a fever (I was silly and walked in the rain to try to get labor going), I was calm, listening to her relaxation CD on my ipod. I was smiling, calm, walking around, put a little make up on, joked around during my labor. Apparently the staff at UCSF had coined me 'The Birthing Ninja'. I actually ENJOYED labor. I'm ready to do it again! Now, how many mothers can say that?! Thank you Rachel!! 'The Birthing Ninja' read more

This review is long overdue! I consider Rachel to be an invaluable member of my birth team. She is incredibly positive, insightful, and helpful. I've exhausted her stellar list of recommendations for other healthcare practitioners. Through Rachel, I found my midwife (for a homebirth) and chiropractor. I have attended Rachel's prenatal yoga classes at JCCSF and I felt so good during and afterwards. I felt calmer, more confident, and less achy after each class. I lived how she incorporates breathing and giving birth techniques. She also shares positive stories and examples that helps remove fear of birth. We took her hypnobirthing class too. It was really good and focuses on removing the fear of labor and delivery. The exercises and reading material are so helpful. I listened to her cd every day/night and it helped me sleep and prepare for the big moment. My labor was long, but I hardly felt the pain. I was able to remain so calm during contractions that my doula and midwife thought I had a long way to go before it was time to push. Though, when my midwife checked, I was fully dilated! Her Baby and Me yoga classes are amazing too. I can't say how much I love and appreciate Rachel. read more

Rachel's childbirth class is wonderful! She has great insights on how to reduce interventions so you may have a natural childbirth. This class is great for couples. Rachel encourages intimacy and communication with your partner. read more

Rachel's classes are great! At the beginning of my pregnancy I had zero idea about how I wanted the birth of my child to be. Being from a foreign country. I had no idea about hospital procedures, relaxation techniques, baby vaccines, etc here in the US. I enjoyed every single topic of Rachel's classes and I learned so much from her classes and her textbook. The hypnobirthing CD helped me get through the first contractions but overall the classes helped me and my husband to be confident and relaxed through the entire pregnancy and the birth. Our baby is very happy and chill! read more

I learned about Hypnobirthing after reading the book by Marie F. Mongan and decided to look for a class in my area. I found Rachel Yellin's class by doing a quick Google search and signed up immediately. After the first class, I was very happy with my decision to take Rachel's class. Rachel is upbeat, witty, knowledgeable, experienced, passionate but most of all genuine. Her relaxation techniques were impressive and very effective. Some of the exercises we did in class brought out many positive emotions, helping my husband and I bond on a much deeper level. Rachel also put together an informative packet of information that helped us organize our birth plan and answered many questions. Overall, the class provided invaluable information, support, guidance and an opportunity to connect with other expectant parents. The greatest thing I learned in class was to trust my instincts. I highly recommend this class to any expecting parents who seek a gentle natural birth. read more

I must thank Rachael!!! Her labor soundtrack, and classes got me through it! I can't imagine going through that experience without Rachael, seriously I don't think I could have. The breath work was the single thing I could focus on and it made ALL the difference. Im forever grateful that I could bring my baby into the world naturally, he was bright and clear and I owe that to you Rachael. I would recommend every woman in labour listening to her coach you through it. read more

Honestly, what is there to say about Rachel that hasn't already been stated by the countless 5 star reviews? She rocks! I met her through prenatal yoga at the JCC and quickly signed up for her hypnobirthing class. Even though the sessions were numerous and long, the time flew by and the information and education we received can't be beat! Being fearful of birth before the class, I now know that I am going to ROCK THIS BIRTH, which I can honestly say wouldn't be possible without Rachel. Rachel - thank you so much! My husband ,Kevin, and I are forever grateful for your wisdom, knowledge, and humor! read more

Without question, Rachel teaches the birth class you want, and need, to take. We decided to do a natural, unmedicated birth, and Rachel's hypnosis-based breathing techniques were the key to our success. Even if you aren't opting for an unmedicated birth, there are several hours of surges (aka contractions) to experience before the epidural and learning how to ride these waves and stay in the right mind set is essential. Rachel has a wealth of information that she shares over the course of her classes. We took the 4 class session and also heard good reviews from the 1-day intensive. I am someone who really appreciates understanding and visualizing everything so I am glad we took the longer 4-class session. It may seem expensive compared to other options but I promise that once labor begins the experience will be largely improved by having learned her methods. She taught me how to use breathing and mindset to control how I experienced the surges. And the other plus, her audio that comes with the class includes other hypnosis tracks that we found are amazing ways to fall asleep fast. Her sleep hypnosis works so well we often don't make it past the first minute before we're both asleep! Lastly, I'll also recommend Rachel's personal one-on-one sessions. She offers a discount to people who take her class and I took her up on this. Its known that subconscious thoughts can slow, or even totally block, a baby's passage during labor. Being able to move past personal mental blocks to allow smooth passage of the baby seems like fiction but its totally true. If you have emotional tension then you aren't totally relaxing your muscles and you're holding the baby in -- outcome: the labor takes much longer. Honestly, I didn't feel I had a lot to unearth from my subconscious, but I did want to have what I considered the ideal active labor time (6-8 hours, per my research on *first-time* labor and how fast you want baby to arrive versus how painful it could be to "open" your bones ... fast for baby but slow for bones = 6-8 hours). I did her hypnosis session and managed to uncover personal fears that were stumbling blocks to me releasing during the labor -- things that on the surface had nothing to do with labor. Because of this session I was much more emotionally at ease and once labor started I had made peace with some of my deep-seated fears. My active labor lasted, if you can believe this, exactly 7 hours. Our natural birth happened exactly as we'd planned and hoped for. This is not always the case and certainly not something people can or should count on. But I will attest time and again to the power of proper preparation. Physical, mental, emotional --- all of it was necessary. Rachel's class, and her private session, were integral parts of the success of our first baby's birth. We plan to use her methods again when we're ready for number 2! Right now though we're still basking in the glow of the healthy arrival of our little baby girl. read more

My husband and I took Rachel's birth class 5+ years ago for our first child. We deeply appreciated the class at the time. As we got ready to welcome our second during COVID, I had one key lingering question about my first birth experience. I reconnected with Rachel and we worked through that question together. It was so empowering. I credit her support and our work together on an amazing second birth experience. Thank you Rachel! read more