Natural Birth: Vocal Toning For An Easier Labour
This was the most valuable tool I took from my pregnancy yoga class and I would love to share it with you.
I started pregnancy yoga when I was 5 months pregnant. It was great to learn some moves that would help limber me up for the birth. I hoped to use the yoga positions during birthing my baby. But when it came down to crunch time, the vocal toning technique was the one thing that helped me the most.
Toning helps you ride out contractions and even ease pain during labour. The body's initial response to pain is to contract, which works against you in labour. Creating a low, sustained sound in the open throat relaxes the birth canal and lower belly, allowing the cervix to dilate more easily and with less pain.
My labour started at 4am with pretty strong contractions. I sat on a birthing ball leaning against my bed and struggled to handle the sensations. Then I remembered the toning technique. It was so simple and effective that I could easily manage my contractions if I repeated the vowels throughout each one.
By 10am my waters had broken and the contractions became more intense. However, I felt totally at peace and calm within myself. I was able to surrender to my primal instincts. The toning sounds easing the waves of discomfort, opening my cervix and bringing my baby closer to me.
By 11am I was in the birthing pool, I retreated into myself....I was ready to welcome my baby into the world. Here's a short video of me at this stage.
Just a few minutes later I caught my beautiful baby girl in my arms.
I was so pleased to have this knowledge, which enabled me to feel empowered throughout the birth.
Technique:
Keeping your mouth as wide open and your chin as relaxed as possible, inhale and make the “A” sound (as in “ahh”) in a low tone. Let the sound last for as long as you exhale, then repeat using the other vowels.
A – E – I – O – U
Don't worry if you get the vowels muddled up or repeat them. You can just use one vowel if it resonates with you more.
BIG love,
Star xxx
I was there and I saw just how effective this technique was for creating a beautiful and easier birth. It was amazing!
This is beautiful! I've been working with mantra and sound healing for some time now, and I've experienced such deep inner peace from chanting and toning the vowel sounds. So to see this technique used in natural birthing is simply amazing! I can definitely see how this would help ease tension and create relaxation, especially with the low sounds targeting the womb and lower chakras and thus birthing canal. So awesome! I am so happy you shared this, and so happy you had this amazing method with you during your labor. Thank you!
Thanks @rainbowrachel for your beautiful comment xx it was such a profound difference to my first labour, I just had to share it so other mums to be could benefit. Xx
Beautiful share, so happy to know you and Sam are conscious bringing these young masters in. Sing it momma's, whatever is good for you and baby, I'm happy to learn more from you all every day. It's the most exciting, nerve-racking, healing, magical and miraculous song I ever heard and the finale duet with new life is just such an honor to witness. Deeply humbled by you all ❤️💯
What a beautiful comment! Thanks Keni xx
Wow @startreat it is so beautiful to have a water birth. I think I would really like to try it for my next one. Here in Malaysia, it is really expensive and I don't have the guts to do it at home by myself! Thanks for sharing this, haven't heard about vocal toning before. We learn something new everyday! #steemitmamas
I had an amazing independent midwife but I know people here who free birth too (without any assistance) and have had amazing births. This toning technique can be used wherever you are and helps calm you down and put you in the zone! Thanks for stopping by to comment xx
beautiful birthing story and yes to using nouns, so important to keep your mouth relaxed and opened, I mooed a lot during my births, it worked really well for me. thank you for sharing your birth with us xx
Gosh the open mouth and relaxed chin thing helps so much doesn't it? Amazing stuff xx
Oooh wonderful!!!
How good if I know earlier.
Never too late to try 😉
Oppss lol... I don't want to produce anymore.
This vocal technique also helped me more than anything during the birth of my baby boy! I had just read a little about it while I was pregnant, but used it the whole time while I was giving birth! Oh and this helped me incredibly much during those 29 hours!
Fantastic to know others have been seeing its benefits. I even started humming the vowel sounds to get my baby to sleep the weeks after she was born and I swear it helped! Xx
Oh yea, I have also always been singing and humming to my baby since his birth, he loves it!
💗
Wonderful tip! I loved hearing your story! Such a powerful experience! I don't think I made any specific sound, more like loud growling animal sounds lol. Next time I think I'll definitely try more control over my sounds though I was so in the zone I don't think I could have done that. We shall see. Thanx again! Lots of love to you!
Whatever works best for you I believe. I guess 2nd time round you are a little more prepared for what's in store so can try something a little different. The vowel sounds were a surprising help I didn't think I would use them but I started and didn't stop the entire way through! Much love mama xx .
That's awesome! After talking to my partner about the sounds I made he informed me that the growling I was doing apparently was a deep AAAAAAA! I was so in the zone I had no idea! Lol! Instinct too me right to those vowels! So cool!
Amazing! Those deep sounds really made all the difference for me and how less intense the labour was from my previous where I was just screaming!
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Beautiful. I wasnt very aware when i had my son. I just screamed FUUUUUUCCCK until they gave me more gas. Mum was mortified. My darling boy is an amazing being who miraculously turned out okay. Damn i wish I had been a bit more conscious though... a lovely post @startreat!!!
Haha! Yes that's what I was like with my first. Also when I was on the loo with this baby I went into transition and the vowel toning just wouldn't do and a few "fucking hells" slipped in!!
Oh phew, glad I wasn't the only one. My Mum said 'K., if you put as much energy into actually having this baby as you do swearing, you might get somewhere'.... LOL!! My throat was so sore I had jelly and icecream afterwards ... he he
😘