Labor/birth music

[meesh]

I think a part of the reason I was so worked up for M's birth (besides the fact that I was about to push out a human) was that I needed some outside, light music to help me focus. I'm all about focusing on my body and visualizing what it's doing-but I do love music.

If you had a playlist with you for your labor, what kind of music and songs did you choose? For a workout I'd have rap and dance type stuff, to help pump me up. But I feel like more soothing music would be better?

Also, whatever you chose-did it help or was it horrible? What would you change?
what did you have the music playing through? (Phone, iPod, iPad, etc)

[nanaosaki06]

I had planned on bringing my Jack Johnson CD's with me to the hospital. I love that type of sound when I relax.

[ABobLoblawLawBomb]

With A's labor, I made a really diverse playlist of music I like, and set them all into separate categories on the playlist. I think I had it on my laptop. It had a huge mix of music to pump me up, quiet music, whatever. I figured we could skip songs if they were stressing me out or not helping. Honestly, I don't remember the music having any impact at all on labor with her. Maybe it did, but it's not something that sticks out in my mind, although I know the music played the entire time I was there.

With R's labor, I just turned on the I Heart Radio channel that I listen to at home while I'm cleaning. I specifically remember several moments when the music was helping me because while I was getting through a contraction, I would sing along (either out loud in the beginning, or at the end just in my head).

[clldll]

I did something similar to ITK for G's birth. Several playlists, organized by genre. I ended up going so quickly that I only listened to one list...I ended up liking something similar to what i use for working out. I think I would have wanted something more soothing for the earlier part of labor had it been longer.

[TJ]

I made an expansive and very varied playlist. D put on one song, and I yelled at him to make the music stop! I only wanted silence.

[MapleMe]

DH made me a "power" mix and a "gentle" mix. Turned out that during labor I REALLY didn't care. I just wanted sleep (M was born at 4:45 am). But I greatly enjoyed listening to the music during the two days we were in the hospital after M was born. We used a Bluetooth speaker (the Shark) via DH's iphone.

[Deleted]

My husband had Spotify or Pandora on his phone and streamed music. I asked for Sting, but the service gives you Sting and then other music that's similar.
Our child was born while "Englishman in New York" was playing. Which was really cool, since my husband is from England (we don't live in New York though).

[zaraceligon]

I usually lisen to mantras, reiki, or piano music, but my favorites is enya, Lisa Gerard and adiemus. The vois of Lisa Gerard really help me to relax, I also love snatam Kaur and deva Prenal.

[unaveragejane]

I'm like TJ. I tried music and then couldn't focus. It never hurts to try, though. I just wouldn't go nuts over planning it out, ya know?