Developed in the 70s, prenatal singing makes it possible to come into contact with the baby in utero, not by touch but by very specific sound vibrations. Because it forces you to work your breath and the posture of your pelvis, it is also a precious ally for better coping with the bodily changes induced by pregnancy. Portrait.

Prenatal singing is a component of birth preparation. This practice is also most often provided by midwives, but singing teachers and musicians can also be trained. You will find a list of practitioners on the website of the French Association Chant Prénatal Musique & Petite Enfance. The sessions cost between € 15 and € 20. They are only reimbursed if they are included in a session of preparation for birth and parenthood led by a midwife.

The prenatal singing workshops begin with stretching, warm-ups and pelvic movements to learn how to position it well – pregnant women often tend to be too arched – and thus relieve her back. Then place the vocal exercises and the learning of specifically thought melodies.

A bit like haptonomy, prenatal singing aims to come into contact with the fetus, not by touch, but by very specific sound vibrations. These induce vibrations throughout the mother-to-be’s body which will be felt by her baby and will help to soothe him. They have indeed beneficial for its neurophysiological and emotional balance. And once born, he will experience a lot of well-being when he hears them again.

The first virtue of prenatal singing is undoubtedly learning to realize the importance of one’s breath. We know how good breathing will help manage the intensity of contractions and better control thrusts during childbirth. But the work of prenatal singing during the sessions also allows the D-day to better control various muscles playing an important role during labor and expulsion: the muscles of the abdominal belt, the diaphragm, the perineum … Finally, it would seem that the emission of serious sounds allow the mother-to-be to better express her sensations while promoting muscle relaxation and massaging her body from the inside.

Intuitively aware of the benefits of music and singing, pregnant women and new mothers have always whispered sweet rhymes in their baby’s ear. But the concept of prenatal singing was truly born in France in the 70s, under the impetus of the lyric singer Marie-Louise Aucher and the midwife Chantal Verdière. We already owe Marie-Louise Aucher the development of Psychophonie, a technique of self-knowledge and well-being based on the vibratory correspondences between sound and the human body. Prenatal singing is a direct result of this.