[Ixcuina]

Ok, I am considering singing songs in the childbirth classes that I teach...here is what I want to know: does this sound like a good idea, would you want to participate in this activity or does it make you cringe?

I was thinking of ways to help get mamas to feel comfortable using their voice and making sounds so that come labor time if they want to vocalize they may feel less inhibited about it. I thought maybe one thing we could do is have a 'sing-along' during every class where we all sing 1 song (and only 1 song) accompanied by the original recording on CD (I would provide the lyrics). The song would have to be fun, loud and familar (ie. Yellow Submarine, Me and Bobby McGee, etc....maybe I am dating myself :LOL ) Each couple could contribute a song once during the series that we would all sing.

Ok...let me have it! Tell me the truth!! Is this a totally dopey idea

 

[HydeParkB]

I think it might be fun for some people, but I normally don't like to sing in public. When I was going to church, to only times I would sing was when the church was packed enough that I couldn't really hear myself.

But I think your point about using one's voice and making sounds is a good one. Maybe there are a couple different activities you could do related to this. But if I knew I was going to have to sing in a room of 12 people on a weekly basis, I might be finding another class.

 

[mehndi mama]

I voted other - I like to sing, but I know most people do not like to sing in front of others.

I *did* want to point out that singing was a main part of Dr. Grantly Dick-Read's childbirth preparation classes (He's the Childbirth Without Fear guy). It was done to help ease the couple into a more comfortable feeling of being in their birth environment with the people they would have around them. I guess the nurses would attend the classes, too. I always thought it was a kind of funny method....but I like your rationale! It's good to use your voice for good things, even if it doesn't always sound pretty.

 

[SamuraiEarthMama]

i had the pleasure to participate in a womens' circle led by suzanne arms some years ago. part of it was a cool vocal exercise, designed to help women lose some of their inhibitions about using their voice in labor and birth. she just started a freeform "aaaahhh" tone, and other women would pick it up, harmonize, change it... it just went around and around the room for a while, rising up and fading, different vowels and sounds coming from all corners of the room.

i do think men would have probably been uncomfortable, and i bet a few of the gals were a little nervous too. but we all eventually joined in, and it was a lot of fun.

i'm not sure vocalizing in a birthing class would help much. i think folks would be self-conscious and trying hard to sound good, both of which you don't want in labor! i'd encourage mamas to put on their fave cds while driving, or maybe just hanging out at home by themselves, and really let loose.

i do have to say that if a woman is otherwise in tune with what she wants in a birth, and comfortable with her body and the process, she'll naturally open her throat in labor, even if she's normally a very quiet person. it's like breathing... i don't think practicing breathing ahead of time will be anything like finding her own breath patterns in labor. just learning to trust her body and follow its cues is the big challenge.

just my 2 cents!

katje

 

[dharmama]

I teach prenatal yoga and often getting the women to vocalize is one of the hardest things to do.

Lately my classes have been pretty comfortable vocalizing but in the past I've had classes where I could barely get anyone to even let out a nice sigh.

I've not attempted chanting with my prenatal classes because I just think it's too much for a lot of people -- though I would love to because I know how releasing it is.

I think working with the vowel sounds....especially aaaaahhhhh and ooooohhhhh....would be very helpful. Or maybe the Biju (sp?) mantra (lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, aum) or something else that's very simple with MUCH explanation and encouragement about how important vocalization and opening the throat chakra is.

With some encouragement from me, I think I could get my DH to do some VERY basic vocalization but actual singing...I KNOW he would be really uncomfortable.

~Erin

 

[Dodo]

I would be terrified of a birth class that involved singing.

 

[LizaBear]

If I knew that a class required me to sing - I'd not sign up for it.

 

[Ixcuina]

Wow, you guys, I didn't realize how many folks are really not into singing in public

I don't know how to carry a tune myself, but that is why I said that I would play the music loud enough that no one would probably even hear anyone else be out of tune

It was the idea of simply singing (even out of tune) for the joy of it. Kind of like around the campfire?

Anyhow, sounds like it is not something most of you would be interested in.

Erin, I hear you about the difficulty in getting sounds out. Even during relaxation exercises if I ask for everyone to first take a deep breath, no one ever makes a peep!

I don't know, my classes are pretty casual and informal (and sometimes even fun). It is just 10 or 12 of us sitting around on the floor in my living room, eating snacks and talking about birth. There is usually a lot of chatting amongst the parents during class, during breaks, before and after class, etc...so it is not like sitting uncomfortably in a hospital classroom with a bunch of folks you don't know.

I think that movement and voice are useful tools for labor...and since the main part of my job is to help teach pain coping practices for labor I would like to find ways to incorporate voice and movement in practice rather than in theory. Why do we seem to have so many hangups about expressing ourselves with our voice and with our body? Information is useful and can help to alleviate fears, but is it left-brain and birth isn't about that.

Are you guys SURE that you don't want to sing?