Om chanting during childbirth is not “esoteric” or relaxing the pelvic floor and massage for the vagus nerve
You often hear statements such as "90% of childbirth is in the mind." As someone who has long been fascinated by the holistic connection between our physiology and nervous system, I would add that "what is in the mind is also in the body, and what is in the body is also in the mind." Through working with the body, we can influence the mind, which then influences the body in return, and vice versa, and often both at the same time😊. In this article, I would therefore like to take a closer look at how and why we can use our voice, a tool that is always readily available to us, to support the birth process and its management, and why there is nothing "esoteric" about it at all.
Let's start broadly, with childbirth itself. It is typically divided into three stages – the first, second, and third stages of labor, which differ in terms of their progression, dynamics, and hormonal background. While the difference between the third stage of labor (the period from the birth of the baby to the delivery of the placenta) is obvious, not many people distinguish between the first and second stages of labor, even though they also differ significantly. When most people hear the term "childbirth," they primarily imagine the second stage of labor (the so-called expulsion phase), when the baby passes through the birth canal, i.e., "the baby is coming out." However, the most time-consuming phase (on average about 90% of the total time of the first and second stages of labor) is the "opening" phase, the first stage of labor. In order for the baby to begin its descent through the birth canal, the cervix and the entrance to the birth canal must first be fully opened with the help of contractions. In order for the contractions to do their job ideally and for the birth to be as manageable as possible for the woman, the entire process (in this case, the first stage of labor) is controlled by a complex cascade of hormones, primarily oxytocin (triggers and regulates contractions, emotional connection, trust), prostaglandins (prepare the cervix and increase the sensitivity of the uterus to oxytocin), and endorphins (pain relief, change in consciousness). High levels of adrenaline are undesirable at this stage of labor and lead to its inhibition. It is important to have a calm and safe environment in which the woman can relax optimally. Under ideal conditions, the brain switches to alpha or even theta waves, entering a state of deep meditation or altered consciousness.
There are many techniques that can be used at this stage to help manage contractions and the entire process as such. My personal favorite is vocalization—that is, "humming," something like "Omm," making a spontaneous sound from a relaxed throat and jaw with each contraction. We can grandly call this vocalization😉 Personally, I consciously "hummed" throughout the first stage of my second and third births, with my husband during the second birth and mostly on my own during the third. Thanks to this, I was able to go through the entire process smoothly, staying focused and in the zone, and all it takes is your own voice or your partner's voice, but we'll talk more about that later.
Many people are not used to speaking in public or singing in front of others, and for many, the idea of making loud, inarticulate sounds in public evokes feelings of anxiety, shame, and embarrassment. But let's take a look at what happens in our bodies when we allow our voices to resonate, and how such "humming" can support us in the birthing process, especially in the first stage of labor.
1) Fascial connection between the pelvic floor and the neck and jaw area
The purpose of the first stage of labor, unlike the active, alert expulsion phase of the second stage of labor, is primarily relaxation and opening. The greater the tension in the pelvic floor area at that moment, the more difficult it is for the cervix to open. The pelvic floor area is connected through the so-called deep front line (a myofascial line connecting the deep muscles of the body from the feet to the hyoid bone) to the neck, hyoid bone, floor of the mouth, and jaw. Changes in tension in the pelvic floor thus directly affect tension in the head and neck area, and vice versa, the relaxation of the jaw, mouth, and neck that occurs during vocalization leads directly to relaxation in the pelvic floor area. You can easily try this yourself, for example, while sitting on the toilet, but also at any other time. Try tensing your pelvic floor muscles and observe what happens in your jaw. Now do the opposite. Tense your jaw and observe what happens in your pelvis. Do you feel any feedback?
2) Stimulation of the vagus nerve and the feeling of perceived safety
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in our body, the tenth cranial nerve, and one of the most important nerves of the autonomic (vegetative) nervous system, specifically its parasympathetic part. It originates in the medulla oblongata and descends through the neck and chest to the abdominal cavity, where it innervates a wide range of organs. The topic of the vagus nerve and its role in the autonomic nervous system is extremely complex and fascinating (I recommend the work of Steven Porges, founder of the so-called "Polyvagal Theory"). At this point, we can say in very simple terms that one of the main functions of the vagus nerve is to inform the brain about the perception of (un)safety, which then triggers the corresponding branches of the nervous system (sympathetic/parasympathetic) and the corresponding responses such as flight/fight, freeze, rest and digestion, etc. Deep breathing and deep vibrations of the vocal cords and the entire body, which occur during vocalization, strongly stimulate the vagus nerve, resulting in stronger involvement of the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. Thanks to parasympathetic dominance, there is a greater release of oxytocin and endorphins and a suppression of the release of stress hormones, which is necessary for the first stage of labor. The woman is more relaxed and calmer, and her sense of security increases.
3) Mechanical relaxation through vibration
Deep vocalization creates low-frequency vibrations that are mechanically transmitted through the body's tissues from the vocal cords through the rib cage, diaphragm, pelvis, and spine to the pelvic area and pelvic floor. In addition to stimulating the vagus nerve and other nerves, vibrations also help to relieve minor muscle tension, increase body awareness, and promote neuromuscular relaxation. You can also involve your partner in the "humming" and let their voice support you. I spent most of my second labor with my partner this way, and I felt how the deep vibrations of his voice physically relieved the pain of contractions—I felt a really significant difference in the intensity of the pain depending on whether his voice was audible or not.
4) Focusing and directing attention
Working with directing attention is also very helpful for managing contractions and "riding the wave" – whatever we pay attention to intensifies. If we make a sound during a contraction, we can use our attention to focus on that sound, "laying into it" like an anchor that helps us stay in the present moment, standing firmly on the surfboard even as we ride the wave.
Working with your voice during childbirth is simple, free, always at hand, and you can easily involve your partner. You don't have to wait until childbirth, play, sing, make sounds anytime, anywhere, and watch your body, how you feel, what is happening inside you, and how you feel afterwards. I wish everyone a blessed birth!
P.S. Photo "between the two vocalizations":-)
