Testimonials
B. and I feel that we wouldn’t have been as successful without taking your classes and you sharing your knowledge with us. B. was AWESOME all throughout labor and we were able to get through everything naturally with the exception of a small dose of pitocin… Thanks again for all your help! 
M.S., May 2013
B. and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every class of yours that we attended. We will definitely be back when it’s time for #2 and you’ll definitely be seeing me and Baby S. at some Mommy and Me yoga classes sometime this Summer. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge with us, we feel informed and ready to go!
~ M.S., April 2013
I really enjoyed your class (Breastfeeding Essentials) last night – you can totally tell that you love what you do and you are extremely good at it.
~ R. M., March 2013
I just want to thank you so much for the fertility (yoga) workshop you held last month. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and feel much more connected to my body now.
I also just found out, that after 2 years of trying, I am PREGNANT! For the first time! …
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really believe that you helped me open my heart and soul to accepting a baby. Obviously it is still early, but I plan to attend your prenatal classes soon.
~ E. C. March, 2013
I used horse lips breath for several hours at home through the contractions to keep from clenching and it worked great. I did it better than anytime in class. I successfully went without meds! I attribute that a lot to what I learned from you and reading the Birth Stories.
~ S.W. February 2013
My partner and I took the partner prenatal yoga class with Deena back in September of 2011, just before Shining Light became its own. That December we had a beautiful, natural delivery at The Midwife Center that blessed us with our first daughter. Three months later I became pregnant with our second daughter and just a few weeks ago I delivered her myself in the front seat of our car heading to The Midwife Center.
I wanted to let Deena know how beneficial her class was to the experience I had with my labors. Not only did my partner, Ryan, and I leave there feeling an overwhelming sense of love and care for each other, but it was the first time that I felt capable and strong enough to successfully have a natural delivery – the way I had envisioned my delivery since before I got pregnant...
So thank you for your time, your love, and your passion, Deena. You’ve made a difference in our pregnancies and labors, and I hope for the best future for you and your business.
~H. R. February 2013
“Thank you again for your continuous support through prenatal yoga at Shining Light. It made my pregnancy so much more manageable and peaceful. I look forward to trying postnatal yoga & mommy & me yoga soon. Much love and thanks!”
~E. T. February 2013
“Thank you – for doing what you do. You (Deena) are amazing and Pittsburgh is so fortunate to have you and Shinning Light! Congrats on your 1 year milestone.”
~E. F. January 2013
“Hi, I just wanted to recommend Shining Light if you are thinking of yoga classes. I went twice, once for prenatal yoga and once for a baby and I class and the instructor, Gallina, is very sweet, compassionate and patient (my toddler was super excited to see all those ‘toys’ and going all over the place, and she dealt with it in an admirable way).
I enjoyed both classes a lot, so if you are thinking of it be confident that the classes are very good. Plus when you buy a package the price is unbeatable.”
~C. E. November 2012
“I just wanted to thank you for the 2nd Time Around: Confident Birthing Refresher we took with you a few months ago. We were one of the two VBAC couples in the class, and we had a successful VBAC with a baby girl weighing 8 lb 15 oz!! She waited until 41.5 weeks before deciding to arrive, and I went into labor 24 hours before a scheduled induction.
I will say that your class was very helpful, especially the review of stages of labor, the advice to move around often, and the techniques with the exercise ball… Thank you again for sharing all your knowledge and advice. I’d be happy to recommend your class!”
~ A.L. September 2012
“By the way, if it were not for your class, I would have likely had a c section. I went 7 hours drug free to where my contractions were a minute apart and gut wrenching, and I was puking my guts out. And I was 5 cm. I fortunately opted for drugs then, (I couldn’t get an epidural for awhile as the anesthetist was in a c section-they gave me iv drugs to help me rest until I got an epidural) as I went another 7 hours.
First, knowing to listen to my body and to avoid exhaustion was such a help. Then, the baby was turned the wrong way for birth. His face was turned toward my thigh and his shoulders were stuck in my pelvis Although I couldn’t move much, my husband remembered class and manipulated my body and the baby moved into position!
Finally, your pushing training was great help. Once in position I popped him out in 5 contractions. The doc was very pleased! Thanks for preparing us so well. The lc also impressed with our breast feeding. He latched with no problems!”
~ E.R. September, 2012
“Passion and creativity seem to go hand-in-hand. When a teacher is passionate about their subject matter they are confident and free to convey the material in an authentic way that suits them and their students. Two teachers who had these qualities and impacted me were a college history professor, and local yoga teacher, Deena Blumenfeld… Deena is another teacher who has had a great impact on me. My husband and I first took her partner pre-natal yoga class early during the first trimester, then I routinely attended her pre-natal yoga class throughout my entire pregnancy. Through her passion, Deena inspired me to prepare my body and mind for birth through yoga as well as question the status quo of the standard hospital birth and empower me to set my own goals for how my baby’s birth would take place. Deena literally helped influence a major part of my life through the yoga preparation for birth and through the tools she equipped me with to be confident in gathering the support team I needed and wanted for a natural birth.”
~L.M. August 2012
“My husband and I just took your confident birthing class over the past two weekends. We really enjoyed and appreciated the class. It was highly informative and helpful and certainly achieved its intended purpose for us – we feel very confident about our ability to have the type of birth we want to.”
~A.P., August 2012
“A big thank you too for all the yoga classes and the birth class. They really came in helpful. I told my husband yesterday, one of my internal mantras during the experience was ‘strong and steady for ourselves, strong and steady for our baby.’ I know it helped.
I’ll miss the Thursday classes! But I’ll be back soon for Mommy & Me and hopefully some of the day-time meet up groups.”
~B.G., June 5, 2012
“Highly suggest this class! (2nd Time Around – Confident Birthing Refresher) Took it during my 2nd pregnancy for my first natural unmedicated childbirth. Learned so much and got a ton of information that really helped myself and husband. Had the baby yesterday completely drug free and full of confidence thanks to Deena!!!!!”
~ K.P. April 2, 2012
“We enjoyed your class so much this weekend. It was really informative and helped build our confidence going into this wonderful time. Though the classes were long we were never bored or tired- you have an incredibly engaging teaching style. Thank you again for everything and we will look forward to seeing you at your opening. Congratulations and keep up the wonderful work.”
~ P. December 2011
“Your class and private session at the house were priceless to our experience and we thank you for now becoming part of her story. We will be back for baby 2 and please let me know when your new studio is up and running.”
~ E. December 2011
“I just wanted to tell you that you really inspired me. My labor and delivery was not at all like I had planned or imagined in fact it was the exact opposite. But, I remembered your words that no decision that I make for me and my child can be wrong. I look back upon it as the most wonderful experience which gave us our most priced possession: a cute little boy, 6 lbs 13 oz.”
~ K. November 2011
“Thanks for your help during this process – I never really was into yoga before I was pregnant. I always liked working out at the gym or running – but found that your class was really great for me especially in late pregnancy. It really made me feel like I was taking time to breathe deeply and take care of myself physically and mentally, and I’m sure that I should continue doing that as a new mama!”
~J. November 2011
“I labored for two hours with these contractions, and the doctor and nurse constantly told me how rare it was to see someone with such calm and controlled breathing at 8 cm with such intense back labor – which I think was mostly due to all the pre-natal yoga with you, a little Lamaze and the massage technique Deena taught my husband at the partner yoga class… Thank you for all you did to help me prepare for his birth, and please wish everyone in the class good luck!”
~ C. November 2011
“Overall, it was a really beautiful birth and it was everything that I could have hoped for. The midwives at Magee and the labor nurses on duty were amazing. My husband was an absolutely phenomenal support person. He even remembered some tricks that I had told him from your class…like to coach me to do “horse lips breath” if whenever he saw my jaw tense up (I have TMJ dysfunction.) Between all of the yoga and my childbirth classes, I felt totally prepared and confident because I was educated about and understood what my body was trying to accomplish…I knew I could TRUST MY BODY AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WITHOUT FEAR…which was really my biggest goal above all else.
So that is about it! Thank you for all of your help and I’ll see you with #2 ”
~ C. October 2011
“Our labor experience was the best experience of my life. I felt so close to (my husband) and so supported! I think it’s the closest we have ever been and we used every technique we learned in your class. Also, when I was getting the epidural, the song that came up on our MP3 player right as he was doing it was ‘Long Time Sun’. I took that as a sign and was at peace with our decision for the epidural. Again, not what I expected, but I think the yoga and your class taught me to accept things and honor the process. I truly wouldn’t change a thing and it’s definitely the best experience of my life!!!
My take home message for anyone in the class is to just be open and that I just felt incredibly close to my husband and will cherish that experience. I miss your yoga class!”
~ E. October 2011
“Thank you so much for all your encouragement and wisdom. I learned so much from you and I was instilling tools within myself from yoga that I wasn’t even aware of. I kept reciting our opening meditation in between contractions. I was lion breathing-which my husband was wondering what on earth I was doing and if I was okay. And I kept telling myself that I could handle any contraction my body threw at me because I could manage my keep up exercises ; ). It’s funny how that came into play because boy oh boy did I want something to take that pain away… Thanks so much, Deena, for everything. You truly are a saving grace!”
~ S. October 2011
“Although I didn’t follow my exact Birth Plan, I had to do what was right for the baby. I am in NO way upset or disappointed in myself. I did a wonderful job carrying her, and a wonderful job bringing her into this world. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love her more than I ever thought I could love someone so small. Thank you so much for everything during Prenatal Yoga…I would not have been able to deal with most of the labor without it. Also, it helped me to know that no matter what, I should be proud of myself.”
~C. July 2011
“I am still thinking – what was to learn from all this. And I guess that would be – be flexible and accept that things don’t go like you planned – I still believe I would be able to give birth naturally, if my body was ready. I was induced at 35 weeks and that was a shock both for my mind and body. And the baby
probably too. We were just caught off guard – a woman is the strongest being on earth and we are lucky to take part in this miracle of creating life
– love to your own baby is empowering – for me the outcome counts and I don’t need to prove anything to anyone, including myself
…thanks for everything! Things didn’t turn out like I wanted but I learned so much at your classes and will not forget that.
All the best!”
~K., June 2011
“Thank you for all of your support from all the way back to week 7 when E. and I came to the Prenatal Partner Yoga class, for Lamaze, and all of the pre-natal yoga all the way through week 38. I could list all of the things that I learned that I was able to apply while in labor, but it would be so long. Mainly, being educated ahead of time and just being able to get into the right mindset and focus on breathing during the big event got me through it all to the perfect ending of our beautiful son and gave me the natural birth that I so wanted.
Take care, and I hope our paths will continue to cross!”
~L., June 2011
“I am thankful all the midwives and nurses who helped me and supported me during the labor. But I would like to thank you especially because your classes and your generous share of your knowledge and experience enabled me to choose the right place and method to deliver and prepared me mentally to give birth naturally. Without you I could not have this wonderful experience. Please accept my gratitude. Thank you, Deena!”
~N., April 2011
“First, I want to thank you for all the information and knowledge that you were able to pass on to Doug and I. We entered into this adventure with our eyes wide open and the confidence to be able to handle any situation that came up. As a result, we were able to roll with everything that came our way and make educated decisions as a team. Even though our birth plan went out the window, we were still able to have a WONDERFUL experience.”
~A. and D., March 2011
“Thank you for everything. I am so glad that I got to meet you. You are amazing. I have learned so much from you. The work you are doing is so important and your passion and dedication really shine.”
~M, February 2011
“Much love to you, Deena. You were a wonderful light during my pregnancy, and I hope we will see each other again soon.”
-M, November 2010
“M. and I wanted to send both of you a big “Thank You” for a great birth class over the past 2 weekends at Magee! We learned so much and had many of our questions answered. I think we both feel a little more confident now. Once our little girl arrives, I’ll be sure to let you know how it went and will send a picture. It was nice getting to know both of you. Thank you again!! Great class!”
-K, October 2010
“Just to let you know….we had a successful drug free birth of T. on Saturday October 24th at 5:56 AM. Breathing and yoga positions helped a ton! … Feeling good, now it’s time to focus on the baby! Thanks for all your help and wise words.”
-A, October 2010
“I feel really good about how I managed the first 13 hours of my labor and want to thank you for everything these past 25 weeks or so. The positions and breathing techniques that we did in class really made a difference for me. I learned that it is really important to acknowledge and accept that your birth plan may not go as planned. Mine didn’t, but I don’t have any regrets and we now have this amazing, healthy little girl. Feel free to share this with the class.”
-J, October 2010
“Please tell all the other girls that I wish them the best of luck, and I am truly grateful to have had the benefit of your knowledge and passion about childbirth. Please keep in touch, and if we’re lucky enough to have a second child, I’ll see you then!!”
-E, October 2010
“We had a natural birth, which was even better than we could have hoped for. My husband was more helpful than any doula could have been and caught the baby at the end. I know now how helpful the yoga and Lamaze class were for labor. Thanks for the great preparation!”
-S, October 2010
“I felt especially good after our last keep-up last Thursday – centered and ready. I wanted to let you know how I’ve loved the class – being around such a great group of women, and getting so much in the way of knowledge and body wisdom from you. Please feel free to share my experience – I’m glad we can connect here and hope our paths continue to cross!”
-M, September 2010
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