Wow, has it really been April since I last posted? I guess that makes sense, given that a couple of weeks after my last post I found out I was pregnant (feeling sick doesn't exactly motivate you to write) and a week after that I took a nasty fall down my front steps, which laid me up for a while. Through all of that, I tried to keep track of how it felt to sing during the stages of pregnancy - I've looked but have never found much clinical research about how the voice might change or feel different during such a time of transition in the body. I have found several personal accounts, so I'll add mine to the mix in hopes that it will help some other gals out there. Here are the observations I've made so far:
Week 5
No noticeable change in singing but a huge change in appetite. Sang at concerts May 7, 8 and 16 with no problems, although looking back my cords were a bit swollen. I just chalked it up to allergies.
Weeks 6-7
Fell down the front steps and bruised back ribs and part of my diaphragm, so couldn't sing for 2 1/2 weeks. Nothing is more irritating than wanting to sing and not being able to. Also, nothing is scarier than finding out you're pregnant and then falling down the stairs a week later! Swore off Dansko clogs (the culprit, along with my own clumsiness) and any kind of unstable heels for the rest of the pregnancy.
Weeks 8-10
Easily the worst three weeks singing-wise and in general. Felt totally junky all the time. I was out of commission the two weeks before so getting my breath support back was a slog. Adding to the annoyance was the inconsistency in my voice - one day it would feel great and the next you would think I'd never sung a note in my life. My voice would feel raspy and weak, and unusually thin in the upper register. General fatigue meant that my support was pretty lazy, which didn't help matters. A very frustrating few weeks.
Week 11-12
Much the same as the previous few weeks only slightly less problematic. In week 12 morning sickness came back with a vengeance making it hard to do anything - singing became an afterthought. Oh, and did I mention the morning acid reflux? Pregnancy is so glamorous. Toward the end of week 12 I was able to start singing again with more regularity, though my voice was much more cooperative with Puccini than Mozart. In general vocal agility is becoming much trickier. Thickening of the cords perhaps? There's some research to support my theory, but I'd like to read a more detailed investigation. One other issue that may be affecting things is that I've experienced some edema in my feet - if I'm having swelling there I can imagine other tissues in my body are swelling too...like the vocal cords. BOO.
Week 13
Was running a music camp for kids all week so didn't do much singing of my own, but singing with the kids was fun and I started to feel like I was getting my voice back. Breathlessness is a general issue as the baby starts to grow and crowd out other organs, but other than that things felt pretty good.
Week 14
Am beginning to sing more of my arias and have real, productive practice sessions again. Hooray! We'll sing how long it lasts, but I'll enjoy it while it does.
Stay tuned for more news from the front lines...
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