Hi. My name is Nicole Lloyd and I am SO excited about bringing Soundbirth into the world!
I believe every Mother and her baby would profoundly benefit from using sound as a tool to connect, soothe and revitalise before, during and after birth.
Before I go any further he’s a bit about me in a nutshell!
I live in the Perth hills in Western Australia with my husband and three beautiful daughters who were all born naturally at home.
Throughout my life I have been surrounded by family and friends who are passionate about NATURAL EVERYTHING including birth, health and education. This has definitely influenced me to also “go natural” in many ways.
I have also come from a family who sings, plays musical instruments and encouraged me to learn piano from the age of six, then the double bass when I was twelve. I gained a Bachelor of Music on this rather LARGE instrument and have played in a number of orchestras including the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. I have worked with the elderly as a music specialist and recently taught the amazing Simply Music piano method.
I have been reading books and attending workshops about music and sound therapy as well as collecting “sound makers” (including my beautiful crystal singing bowls) for the last twenty years …I now have quite a collection!
I am passionate about the effect SOUND and MUSIC has on an individual, the family, community, and the world!
This has all led me to creating Soundbirth which connects my two passions – the power of sound and empowering women to have birth and parenting experiences that bring them joy!
MY SOUNDBIRTH STORY
The name “Soundbirth” came to me when I was in labour with my third baby at home. My Mum started playing one of my crystal singing bowls while I was quietly groaning my way through a contraction in the early stages of labour. As soon as I heard the beautiful, resonant tones emanating from the crystal bowl, I immediately had a feeling of being held – as if the sound was an invisible hand of love holding and soothing me at the same time. It created a space that felt sacred and private…like a cave where nothing else existed…no people, no pain, no room…just me and the sound. I knew there and then that I wanted my support friend to play the bowl throughout each contraction thereafter.
The sounds also drew me into the present moment. I was in “the zone” and to my surprise actually enjoying the process. I remember in between contractions expressing how awesome the previous “sound contraction” was. I even felt abandoned a few times when my friend couldn’t be there to play the bowls so I demanded someone else to play it…NOW! That is how much I felt it was supporting me.This in itself was powerful as I could hear that someone in the room was connected to the rhythm of my contractions. I also found that I began to give myself permission to make more sounds with my voice (toning and groaning as I like to call it) which helped me to release the pain. Instead of focussing on the pain and going into my head thinking “’when is this going to end?”, “’I can’t do this” etc, I was transfixed by the sounds the bowl and I were co-creating.
Finally after a relatively short six hour labour our baby was born as her Daddy, Nonia and two big sisters welcomed her into the world.
Nicole in the birthing pool with her three children
Because this birth was so amazing to me I started researching why the crystal singing bowl and toning seemed to support me. Compared to my previous two labours, also at home (which were 26 and then 15 hours long) this one felt so easy and powerful and sacred. All of the information (most of it from sound and music therapists) confirmed to me why adding sound to my labour made a huge difference!
I then felt compelled to create “Soundbirth” with the intention to inform expectant couples and birth professionals how they too can use SOUND and MUSIC in a homebirth or hospital setting to:
- ease pain naturally
- stay focused and calm
- create sacred space …. and more!
Love, Light and Sound
Nicole Lloyd
