For years I've been telling women of the psychic energy connection between the throat and jaw
and the cervix and vagina. Tension and unexpressed words or emotion can inhibit a woman's opening during labor and birth.
From Elizabeth Davis' book, Energetic Pregnancy, I've learned there is actually a neuro-muscular connection between
the throat and cervix.
My first experience of the benefits of sound in labor
came with my first VBAC. This was many years ago when nothing had been written about vaginal birth after cesarean yet and
even to attempt this in the hospital was very new. Meira's first baby had been a cesarean because he was in the breech
position.Our plan was that the mother would not push in second stage and would let the baby be born with the force of the
uterine contractions only. We had bought the myth of uterine rupture being a huge risk and we wanted the birth to be as non-traumatic
as possible. Full dilation came and the baby was still somewhat high. I could sense she was holding back and let her know
it was OK to make noise. With the next contraction, she made a long AAAHOOOUing sound and the baby moved down over an inch.
With the next AAAHOOOU we had crowning and her beautiful daughter was born.
From then
on I let people know in pregnancy the importance of sound and emotional expression in labor. At times it's neccessary
to give verbal acceptance of crying in labor or to facilitate talk between family members. I've found that issues not worked
out in pregnancy often surface to be dealt with in labor. Ideally we've had awareness and been able to start this process
during pregnancy but this is not always the case.
One year I was working with a blended
family. The mother and thirteen year old daughter had spent most of her growing up years by themselves. In the past five years,
the mother had become intimate with a friend of many years and they had married and created a stable family situation. The
daughter was not at all excited about the new baby coming. She verbalized her feelings of rejection and would have nothing
to do with us during prenatal visits. She was clear she did not want to participate in the birth and would have preferred
to be out of the house though her mother was determined she would at least remain home.
During labor, this attitude continued with her refusing to make eye contact or talk with her mother or the people involved
with the birth. At one point, she and her step-dad left briefly to pick up lunch. I asked the laboring woman how she was feeling
about her daughter's involvement and she opened up a lot. I encouraged her to express these feelings to her daughter and assured
her it would be valueable and help her labor progress (over 35 hours into it) regardless of her daughter's response. When
they returned, mom and daughter went off to talk and cry a bit.
At first it was the same
but within a half hour, the daughter started talking to us, making eye contact and staying in the room. Then she was sitting
with her mom and touching her too. Labor began to progress rapidly. Though she wasn't in the room for the hardest parts, she
mostly stayed right outside and would peek around the corner often. She did watch the birth. It took some encouraging for
her to hold her baby brother but by the time I left, a couple of hours after the birth, she was totally in love and family
life has been a warm, intimate experience for them all.
Once I was with a woman at the
peak of intense labor and she was quite vocal, making sounds familiar to most attendants of uninhibited birth. I remarked,"
Gee, it sounds like orgasm is just around the corner." At the time, the woman didn't respond and at home later i wondered
if that comment had seemed off-the-wall to her. So I asked her at the visit the next day. She agreed there was a similiarity
in the buildup of tension during a contraction and the sometimes exquisite relief when it ends. Recently, a woman was laboring
very actively in the tub. She herself said, "The neighbors must think I'm having the time of my life!"
Birth is a sensual, sexual, emotional part of life. As women and families feel free and uninhibited in their complete expression
during labor, birth is facilitated. It is also truly amazing to see the healing, transforming power of birth that touches
every aspect of people's lives and being.
