Vocalization During Labor: How Sound Can Support Your Birth
- Courtney
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
By: Courtney Ferguson
Let us set the stage. You are in a hospital room, swaying with you contractions. You might be starting to feel pretty uncomfortable, having to move around with each surge happening in your body. Suddenly, you hear a pregnant person being raced down the hallway, bellowing and grunting, making sounds you may have never heard from a person. What do you think is your first thought.?
What are you thinking?
Oh my god, is that gonna happen to me?
What kind of pain is she feeling?
...... Whaaaaaat???
Mind Blank, Wide eyed stare.
I will let you in on a secret. Sound can also be one of your most powerful tools in labor. You may be thinking "why is it not talked about more or avoided until we are in labor and our body doesn't give us a choice?". Well lets explore why that might be.
Much of what this comes down to is being nervous about how we present ourselves to people and not burdening others. It is EXTREMELY common that I have pregnant people apologize for doing want they need to to get through labor. This could be cursing (you are not going to offend your labor team, we have heard it all), groaning, moaning, yelling, and sometime screaming. Almost always is the noise produced by a laboring person followed up by " I'm so sorry".
If I am getting an apology, that usually tells me that the laboring person is still concerned about everyone around them versus focusing on the amazing (and overwhelming) process that is happening in their body. If there is ever a time that the whole focus should be on you, it is labor. Worrying about not making others uncomfortable can pull you from a space of working with your body to a headspace of consistent overthinking. This has a potential of creating more discomfort and even stalling of your labor.
Laboring is hard and having a tool like vocalization can help you release energy that is happening in your body (I like to think of a teapot that has to let of steam to reduce pressure in your body). It allows a release of tense, such as if you are holding your jaw tight through the discomfort but you release that tension to open you jaw to groan. The sound can also help initiate movement in a lot of cases. It also can create a rhythmn for your labor.
Vocalization can look like many different things. If you are wanting some tips on things that can help, here are a few:
Try to keep a lower register in your vocal range. Your vocal cords become very tight, along with some musculature around to create a higher pitched sound. Creating that tension in labor translates to tension in other parts of your body which could work against you when it comes to discomfort.
Practice: You may feel weird making weird noises but if you can become comfortable with it now, it will be much easier to settle into that head space in labor.
Partners can help you with this. Just like if you are in a choir and are trying to match pitch, if you are becoming higher pitch, your partner can jump in and help bring your pitch lower by vocalizing with you. (added benefit, If you both are doing it, it feels less embarassing for some)
Add some pizzazz on it by creating something Rhythmic, not only is it releasing tension but also creates something for you to focus on.
While this comfort technique can feel uncomfortable, especially when others that you may not know well are in your space, using your voice can be empowering throughout labor. You may be someone you labors quietly and that feels better for you. My hope for you is that you are not quiet because of your concern for others. If roaring your baby into this world is what you need, go for it. This is your labor and the time that everyone else gets to create the space for you.
Love,
Courtney
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This is educational information from a childbirth educator but not medical advice. Please discuss any medical concerns with your medical provider
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