‘Quiet birth’ stories put right

TOM Cruise has been practically shouting from the rooftops about his love for his pregnant fiancee, Katie Holmes. But when their much-anticipated baby is born, the superstar dad probably won’t say a word.

Holmes, introduced to Scientology by Cruise, is likely to follow the faith’s practice of quiet birth. Followers believe the absence of talk and other noise in the delivery room is better for mother and baby.

Tabloids and websites have been rife with chatter about silent birth, spawning much speculation about what it is and isn’t.

Some are sure it means the mother can’t make a peep during childbirth. Others claim silence must be maintained for a week after the baby is born.

According to the tenets of Scientology, words - even loving ones - spoken during birth and other painful times are recorded by the subconscious. Those memories, adherents feel, can eventually trigger problems for mother and child.

What the doctrine doesn’t say is that labouring mothers can’t make some noise during delivery.

“We’re not going for absolute silence,” said self-professed “Scientology mom” Michelle Seward. “If a sound is made, that’s OK.”

After years studying the faith, established in 1950 by fiction writer L Ron Hubbard, Ms Seward went the silent route for the birth of her son, Sage.

In the hospital delivery room, she used hand signals to communicate with her husband and mother. A nurse tapped her on the shoulder to tell her it was time to push. When a complication arose, the doctor whispered to her that she would need an epidural.

“I had a happy, calm baby. I know it’s because of the way I delivered him.”

Quiet birth “supplements whatever medical model the mother chooses”, said Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology International.

Obstetrician Stephen Rabin said he believes verbal communication is key during delivery.

“It’s almost impossible to do without words,” he said.

“You may talk to them in a calming fashion and the patient will gain comfort from hearing your voice.”

He said a doctor may also need to explain pain medication or unexpected problems with the birth.

But as long as the planned approach isn’t harmful, he said, parents should choose the delivery method best for them.