Silent Birth and Scientology

The idea or practice of silent birth plans has been in the news recently much because of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. They're expecting a child (out of wedlock...), and Tom Cruise is pushing his Scientology business on Katie Holmes. Now rumor has it that she will partake in a "silent birth".

I don't really care that much about these celebrities. However, the birthing plan has caught my attention because it never seemed natural to me or in the best interest of the child. Not even for a second.

So when I read this article, I was pleased. It accurately describes my hesitations about the whole silent birth thing.

"The baby has been in a very noisy environment for a long time. They're
hearing the sounds of blood circulating, digestive noises, Mom's heartbeat, the
family dog barking, Mom and Dad talking, maybe even Mom and Dad yelling," she
says. "The decibel level inside the uterus has been found to be the equivalent
of a jet plane taking off. If all of a sudden the voices go away and things are
much more silent, I would think that might actually be very frightening to the
baby." (certified "doula" and perinatal educator Rachel Silber Korn)
Silber Korn notes that research has found that young infants who don't hear
sounds -- especially their parents' voices -- can become despondent. "It's
sensory deprivation, and they can shut down emotionally."

Can you honestly imagine not letting your baby hear your voice when he/she has for almost 10 months? It seems like a perfect way to ruin the bonding process before it even begins! Hopefully Ms. Katie Holmes can find her own head again and stop Tom from telling her what to do. And maybe even one day she will find her way back to her Catholic roots.