When I was due to give birth to my little girl, I – queen of organization and preparation that I was in my pre-child life – had made my other half make me a lovely playlist of songs to play during labour.
Now; as it happens, I didn’t actually end up having time to listen to anything when the time came, as my labour ended up being super-fast and I found myself going from 0 to 10 centimeters in what felt like 47 seconds. Meaning, rooting out the iPod was the furthest from my mind at that particular point. Something that my other half sulked a little over (God love him!), as he had – in his own words – seemingly spent aages choosing the perfect “giving birth music”.
Now, though, six years later, this is no longer an issue for mamas-to-be, as Spotify has recently released their new playlist – created specifically for mums in labor.
According to the press release for the “Birthing Playlist,” this kind of musical accompaniment is increasingly popular among today’s mums, and a common part of birth plans, as there are currently over 90,000 “push playlists” on Spotify.
To create the ideal “Birthing Playlist,” Spotify partnered with New York City-based OB-GYN, Dr. Jacques Mortiz, who has found that around 70 percent of his patients put together playlists in preparation for their labor and delivery.
“Music strongly influences our central nervous system’s limbic system which manages our memories, emotions, and how we deal with fear and pain. It makes sense that women would turn to music during childbirth as a source of comfort and strength,” Dr. Moritz states in the press release, adding that a good playlist can distract mothers in labor from their pain and fear and help drown out sometimes “disconcerting” hospital noises.
“The playlist mirrors the birthing experience, starting with songs that are slow and mellow, then transitioning into songs with a stronger beat for when it’s time to push, and concluding with Bach’s “Unaccompanied Cello Suite #1″ performed by the legendary Yo-Yo Ma for the moment women first meet their newborns,” states the press release.
Without further ado, here are the 30 songs Spotify recommends for mamas in labor:
1. Pearl Jam — “Just Breathe”
2. James Bay — “Let It Go”
3. Regina Spektor — “Don’t Leave Me”
4. Sigur Rós — “Festival”
5. Death Cab for Cutie — “Transatlanticism”
6. The Lumineers — “Ho Hey”
7. Norah Jones — “Sunrise”
8. Craft Spells — “After the Moment”
9. Xavier Rudd — “Follow the Sun”
10. Lucinda Williams — “Fruits of My Labor”
11. John Lennon — “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”
12. Colbie Caillat –” Capri”
13. D’Angelo — “Really Love”
14. Milton Nascimento — “Nos Bailes Da Vida”
15. Coldplay — “Don’t Panic”
16. Fleet Foxes — “Your Protector”
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — “Maps”
18. Kygo, Maty Noyes — “Stay”
19. P!nk – Try
20. Muse — “Starlight”
21. John Legend — “All of Me” (Tiesto’s Birthday Remix)
22. David Bowie, Queen — “Under Pressure”
23. U2 — “With or Without You”
24. Wilco — “Impossible Germany”
25. Arcade Fire — “Wake Up”
26. R.E.M. — “Nightswimming”
27. Patty Griffin — “Heavenly Day”
28. Iron & Wine — “Naked As We Came”
29. Beyoncé — “Blue”
30. Johann Sebastian Bach, Yo-Yo Ma — “Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1”
Tell us, did YOU listen to music while you were in labour? Did it – in your opinion – help you in any way? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @Herfamilydotie
