Voice Problems After Childbirth

Hi,
Don't know much about it but I remember when "Anita Baker" the professional singer... had her baby, she lost her voice too. *** But she eventually got it back...
Ask the Doctor. they must know about that happening!

GOOD LUCK!
Keep Singing....
T....

C.,
I too have lost of my vocal ability since having children. I am not sure if it is the lack of training (I used to sing daily!) or because I find myself talking nearly all day because I am home with my children? Not sure what else to tell you, but am anxious to hear what some other singers have said...
S.

Hi C. - I am a professional singer in NY. One of my colleagues had the same problem after she had her baby. Her voice did eventually come back after she was diagnosed with Acid reflux and put on medication. If you live in NYC I have a FANTASTIC Otolaryngologist who can look at your vocal chords and give you a proper diagnosis. If you are interested email me directly at ____@____.com,
D.

Hi C.,

Have you kept up with your breathing exercises? Pregnancy stretches and loosens muscles, including the diaphram. My husband teaches voice, and I asked him about this. Without seeing you and how you speak and sing, his best guess going on what you've written is that you are not supporting your breathing properly, hence the reduction in range, and damage to your voice (the hoarseness). Another thought, echoed here, is that there could be an issue with reflux. One of the women I teach with is *always* losing her voice and hoarse. Her reflux is so bad, that it has caused scar tissue on her vocal cords. She's been told to completely cut out caffeine, carbonation, and some other things I can't recall at the moment. HTH! J.

Dear C. S,

You seems to be having a medical problem. However, do take into consideration that you use you voice quite a lot more since you became a mother.

Usuing your voice so much has a tremendous presure on your vocal cord. With your doctor's help first, I recommend that you use honey and lemmon mixed together, one tea-spoon perhaps three to four time a day to soothe your voical cord.

A.

I have a friend who sings and she's been very upset at losing her singing voice. She's currently 6 months pregnant and her doctor diagnosed her with acid reflux as the culprit. She's hoping it will come back soon after birth so she can sing to her new baby. Maybe that's whats happening to you. It can occur and not necessarily cause pain....the hoarsenes is a good indicator also.

Holy s@#%, I thought I was the only one. This is crazy, I thought I was crazy and it was all in my head. I'm so excited to hear this happened to someone else. I also was a singer; wedding singer, sang in a couple bands in college, karaoke queen, and in my car of course. Same symptoms, lose of range, voice cutting out, can't hit the high notes, can't sing as loud. I haven't gone to any doctors because I thought I was just out of practice and that's all it was. Then I started getting soar throats. I just gave up on singing. I wish I could tell you I knew what it was but I'm in the same boat you are. Please let me know if you find anything out. My girls are 2 and 10 months and it started right after my first daughter was born. My brother is getting married this September and I had to turn down singing at their wedding. I was so upset.

C. R

I had the same problem. It was depressing! I saw an ENT, and he diagnosed minor reflux, which is a very common thing in pregnancy. He told me that you can have very mild reflux that may not feel like heartburn, but there is just enough stomach acid in your throat to irritate your vocal chords and make you hoarse. The treatment is a change in diet and lifestyle (cut grease, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, don't eat within 2 hours of going to sleep, etc.). If that doesn't work, you can go on medication--zantac, pepcid, etc. He also told me that carbonated drinks are pretty bad for reflux which I didn't know, and he said that just cutting out carbonated drinks could do the trick! Hope that's helpful.

Did any of these ENT's look at your vocal cords? I am just asking because I am a teacher and a few years ago I had the same problem. I also had reflux pretty bad. It turned out that from the reflux and straining my voice for so long I developed nodules on my vocal cords. My ENT is the one who discovered it. Nodules are very common in teachers and singers. I had surgery to remove mine and I was fine. It is worth looking into.

i was a singer too - back in the day....
i also had voice problems for over a year. somebody finally diagnosed me with reflux (even though i never felt any stomach symptoms) and treated me with nexium. after a few months, i stopped the meds and was fine. it was an ENT that diagnosed me. worth a consideration - especially since so many of us suffer from reflux with pregnancy.

Are you sure it's not your thyroid?
Grandma to 11

Hi!
I've had similar issues, and was also told it was due to acid reflux damaging my vocal cords.
I've had bad acid reflux/gerd issues for years. But when I was pregnant, my general doctor wouldn't refill my prescription for it, so for a month or so I suffered really bad with reflux. I couldn't eat hardly anthing till I got to my OBGYN for a refill.
So I wasn't really surprised when the ENT said that was the cause. He said to double my Prilosec dose each day, and that within a couple/few months things should be alot better.
I don't actually lose my voice, but do get hoarse alot, and I have a constant feeling of a thick coating over the back of my throat that I can't get out.
Ask/suggest this all to your doctor, see what they think. AND it doesn't hurt to get a second oppinion from another ENT. The first one I went to wanted to do all kinds of surgeries, the second one saw no reason to.
Good luck.
--J.

Sometimes thyroid changes happen during pregnancy. Maybe this is the problem. Good Luck B.

I have not had your experience, but I've known singers whose voices changed after childbirth. I had a friend who went from a low soprano/high alto to low alto/tenor. It's amazing...all the different ways our bodies change after pregnancy - some explained, some not! Good luck and keep singing!