Toning in Pregnancy and Labor

Though many birth classes teach breathing techniques intended to be
performed silently, women often cope with the energy, sensation and effort of labor by vocalizing. This normal
response to labor can be explored and understood in pregnancy through a practice of toning, i.e., voicing the
exhalation of breath on a single pitch, using a vowel sound or a hum. Women and men, primarily in the author’s
childbirth education classes, were taught the practice of toning. Postpartum, they described their experiences
with tone, pointing to a variety of effects such as physical and emotional release, self-listening and selfconfidence, bodily vibration, increased ability to cope with pain, useful forms of focus, positive connection with a
partner, and a sense of relatedness with nature, origins or spirit.