♦ Myth: A silent birth means that no one can make any noise, including the mother.
This is incorrect. A silent birth simply means that everyone in the room, including support persons, family and medical professionals are asked to refrain from speaking and instead help the mother through the birth in the way her body wishes. The mother can make as much noise as she wishes, including moaning or whatever feels comfortable, although she's requested to refrain from speaking if possible.
♦ Myth: Only Scientology believers have silent births.
Although Scientologists were the first to bring such furor and strict rules to the idea of having a silent birth, the idea is not new. Throughout history it hasn't been uncommon for women to labour on their own or with the help of a single attendant who does little more than offer a word or two of instruction at the most important moments. These days, women are much more likely to see a chain of midwives, nurses, doctors and support personnel during the birth, making it a more stressful and complicated experience than it needs to be.
♦ Myth: A silent birth means you cannot have any pain relief or medical interventions in the birth.
A silent birth is exactly the same as a normal birth when it comes to pain killers and medical interventions - the only difference is that talking is either stopped or reduced as much as possible.
