Meet a Scientologist-One Mother's Battle with the Unexpected Consequences of Premature Birth

Last updated on: October 24, 2017 at 5:14 am by scientologyb

Meet a Scientologist-One Mother's Battle with the Unexpected Consequences of Premature Birth 2017-10-24T05:14:20-07:00 scientologyb

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month. Scientologist Cindy Gainsforth knew nothing about the issue until she had to live with the consequences herself, following the premature birth of her son Orion in 2009.

Scientologist Cindy Gainsforth learned about the problems of premature birth the hard way.

“It was Saturday, September 5, 2009, at 6:05 p.m.,” she recalls. “When my water broke, I was 35 1/2 weeks along. My hospital bags were not even packed-nothing was prepared.”

To make matters worse, the bridge was closed between her home and her hospital on the other side of San Francisco Bay. Trying not to panic, she called her husband, who threw what she needed into a suitcase, and prevailed on a friend to drive her all the way around the Bay, braving heavy Saturday night traffic on, ironically, Labor Day weekend.

Less than six hours after she was admitted, her son Orion was born. Gainsforth was ecstatic. But she was not prepared for what happened next.

“I hardly had five minutes with him before he was whisked off for observation. The next thing I knew he was admitted to the NICU-the Neonatal (Newborn) Intensive Care Unit,” she says. “Although only 10 days shy of full term, he was diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome from immature lung development.”

Gainsforth learned that this syndrome can cause damage to the brain and other organs due to insufficient oxygen. She was shocked to learn that complications from prematurity can result in lifelong disabilities and prematurity is the number one cause of newborn infant deaths in America, where 500,000 infants are born premature each year.

“Orion spent 10 days in the NICU, the first three of which were the most heartbreaking. He had wires and tubes everywhere. He was on morphine and other drugs,” she says.

Finally able to bring Orion home, Gainsforth hoped to resume a normal life. But not so. For months she couldn’t sleep. And not because of Orion’s crying. The opposite.

“I would wake up every time it got quiet, terrified Orion had stopped breathing. Silence was my greatest fear. I was flooded with irrational waves of guilt, haunted by the question ‘Why?’-I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t take drugs, I ate well, I took care of myself for me and the baby. So, why did it happen to me?”

A Scientology auditing program helped Gainsforth quiet these questions and come to grips with what had occurred.

“The program included Dianetics techniques to address every aspect of my emotional suffering and irrational behavior, the fears, the grief, the anger, the reactions and especially the illogical things I felt compelled to do,” says the 33-year-old mother. “All that haunted me I voiced, analyzed and deconstructed. Through the Scientology auditing program, I was able to separate out the pain from the memory and remove its negative influence over me. I removed the hidden mechanisms in my mind that were driving me crazy.With Dianetics I was able to regain my sanity and overcome these unfounded fears. I finally slept through the night for the first time since delivery. I started to enjoy each moment with Orion rather than worry. I found peace.”

Orion turned 2 in September 2011. He is doing so well, no one ever suspects he had such a rough beginning, says Gainsforth. And because of this experience, she has become an advocate of prematurity prevention, urging expectant mothers to seek medical care early and aim for a healthy pregnancy through 39 weeks.

A Scientologist for more than 16 years, Gainsforth juggles family and two careers: She is executive vice president of a California-based software firm and a staff member at the Church of Scientology of San Francisco.

Watch the Cindy Gainsforth “Meet a Scientologist” video at www.Scientology.org.

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own YouTube Video Channel. The Official Scientology YouTube Channel has now been viewed by millions of visitors.

Previous Post

October 27, 2011

Red Ribbon Week

Next Post

November 3, 2011 Question: Who wears the pants?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category anti-Scientology hate Church of Scientology Citizens Commission on Human Rights Community activities conflict Coronavirus critics David Miscavige Dianetics Discrimination Documentary Showcase Drug Prevention fake news families Florida Foundation for a Drug-Free World Freewinds religious retreat holidays Hollywood Village homeschooling kids during the coronavirus lockdown How I Became a Scientologist human rights I Am a Scientologist Ideal Scientology Organizations Interfaith L. Ron Hubbard media Meet a Scientologist Neighborhood Cleanups Psychiatry Religion Religious Freedom Religious Studies Scientologist Scientologists Scientology Scientology Beliefs Scientology cathedral Scientology celebration Scientology Humanitarian Campaigns Scientology Media Productions Scientology Mission Scientology Network Scientology Parent Scientology TV Scientology Volunteer Ministers STAND Stay Well The Way to Happiness tolerance Truth About Scientology Uncategorized Voices for Humanity What is Scientology? What Scientology is all a out Youth for Human Rights

Select a Month March 2025 October 2024 July 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 September 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 February 2016 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 December 2013 August 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Psalm is entirely focused on God's word, using each letter of the Hebrew alphabet?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalm 119 Psalm 51 Psalm 24 Psalm 23