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Music for Homebirth

5K views 26 replies 23 participants last post by  mom2tatum 
#1 ·
Anyone have any music suggestions for homebirth? Did you not want music or do you wish you'd had it when you were in labor? Thanks!
 
#2 ·
During my second labor I listened to L'Epopee Tzigani- Road of the Gypsies, a double disk set with various artists. Even though none of it is in English, I like that the music conveys a powerful sense of emotion - strength in the face of hardship, is what is "says" to me... which is just about right for birthin'. I wouldn't want anything too too mellow, relaxation is fine but I need some rhythm and power, too!

 
#4 ·
I wanted music and opted for reggae, like Bob Marley, etc. It was my own mix I made on my Mac thru itunes. But at one point, I just wanted it OFF. I think next time I will pick more "spa" like music, like Enya, Jim Brickman, Loreena McKennitt. Maybe some Paul McCartney. It just kind of depends on the mood I think. I do wish I had made a more upbeat/dance mix, because I sure could of used it when I was started to lose my momentum.
 
#5 ·
I used Gabriel Roth, Loreena McKennit. Yes, spa-yoga type ambience creating music that is ritualistic and repeative goes well with the rythmn of labor. Unless you need to get your energy back with a good boogie around the house, when reggae or something sunny, or anything that inspires you to move it is good.

I wish people could share labor mix tapes. At the end of pregnancy I loved the Sinead O'Connor pegnancy songs on A little 5 track demo she did "I am enough for myself', and 'this is to mother you', and such...Her album Faith and Courage is good labor music too, there is a birth song called emmas song that is great. And right now in pregnancy I am loving Ani difrancos' 'red letter year' that has her pegnancy birthy songs on it.
 
#6 ·
Thanks so much!

Sinead O'Connor is a great suggestion. So is the reggae music. I forgot about a couple of old dub reggae albums that I have, so I'll pull them out.

My friends are planning a shower and wanted a list of what we need. I asked for mix CDs of music that might be good for labor or for the baby to listen to. Hopefully I'll have a nice little collection come January!
 
#7 ·
I made a few playlists on my iPod- I made them pretty varied so that I would be able to change genres quickly if I wanted something different. I listened to the Velvet Underground for a bit earlier on in labor. But once things got hard, I wanted silence. I felt like the music was breaking my concentration.
 
#8 ·
I listened to reggae in early labor. It's great because it keeps your spirits up and makes you want to bounce, which feels good during those early contractions. When things got more intense I got out a CD I had made specifically for the birth, which had soothing songs from Bjork, Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Elliot Smith, Wilco, Beck, and Jack Johnson on it along with a few others.
 
#10 ·
I can see myself getting really irritated with any music but I do have an iTunes playlist lined up with artists like Mariee Sioux, Le Loup, múm, and some others just in case I want to space out with some interesting background music going.

I also got a bunch of one-hour nature sounds tracks--ocean waves, rainstorms, a trickling stream, a roaring river, etc. I don't know if those will help but I've been feeling very aquatic this pregnancy so maybe they'll keep me focused on moving through labor, especially when I'm in the birthing pool.
 
#11 ·
barefootpoetry, I think you and I have very similar music tastes! I've already picked out some songs by Bjork and Elliot Smith that I know would be soothing. I like Wilco and Beck too, though I wouldn't have thought of them as good birthing music. I'll have to revisit my library!
 
#12 ·
iTunes mixes are totally the way to go, if you've got it ... I've already made several just for the birth and also for post-birth with baby, all with different "moods"... for the birth I have a mellower mix and one with no vocals/ more intense rhythmic world music. For babytime I have also one with lullabyes and mellow singalong music, another with more "bouncy" rhythm - reggae/Jamaican music is great. My babies were often danced/bounced to sleep to music or were just soothed by it. Also Roy Orbison, who I don't listen to that often, for some reason is perfect baby-soothing music.
Now I just have to teach my husband how to use my iPod/iTunes because I'm the only one who knows how to use it and I want to be able to order him to change it during birth if I don't like it!

If you don't have iTunes or an iPod but can make a mix CD or three or four or five that would be good, too...
 
#13 ·
Music was very important to me in both of my births. I listened to music I normally listen to, and generally upbeat stuff. the typical slow stuff, enya type stuff that one often thinks of for labour or birth would drive me freaking batty in labour.
 
#14 ·
DH made a great mix last time on iTunes. My midwife liked it so much she asked for a copy.

It has a little bit of every thing. Glen ******, Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Flaming Lips, Brian Eno, Raffi.... and some kids world lullaby music and relaxation music (like massage music). Everything was very relaxing and non-distracting. I think that was the important thing for me.
 
#15 ·
I think I'd love belly dancing type music. There is a CD they sell at a yoga training center one of my colleagues got trained at that sells a CD called "drum sex" that I thought sounds (I've never heard it- just by the description) very interesting. I'd also have some Josh Groban type music ready if I wanted something a little softer.
 
#17 ·
I listened to Over the Rhine "Drunkards Prayer" over and over. I found it so relaxing. I had planned to listen to all sorts of music, but that cd just felt right and I didn't want to ever stop listening to it.
 
#18 ·
I'm not due til June but I already have a playlist I'm working on. Mostly full of those songs that u just loved from jr. high- just stuff I remember loving. Oh- and anything by the Cranberries. Makes me very calm and happy. Who knows if i'll wanna hear it in labor though. We shall see I guess :)
 
#20 ·
Here's my options:

Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Donovan Frankenreiter, Michael Franti, Ani DiFranco, Sarah McLaughlin, Snatam Kaur, Donna DeLory, Mike Doughty, DMB, Mason Jennings...basically my usual suspects that I listen to on a daily basis. (I have heard from some mamas that too much "estrogen" music during labor tends to drive them crazy...)
 
#23 ·
I am one who, once I enter active labor, cannot stand to have anything going with too intense a beat, high notes, etc. It pulls me out of my "zone" and I find it distracting and un-helpful. I had several cds lined up to use during my first labor, but once I entered active labor, all I wanted was the same cd looping - Liquid Mind V: Serenity Actually, now I would say any Liquid Mind cd would work; it's just that Serenity was the only one I had at the time.

Liquid Mind cds are very, very, very mellow and were written/performed by a musician who was learning to self-treat his anxiety disorder with music therapy. They just sort of flow, and I think they help me to flow with my labor. Many of my students and doula clients have loved these cds in labor as well.
 
#24 ·
There's this one song on the Putumayo Native American Odyssey CD that is completely perfect for labor for me. Listening to it makes me feel like so calm and strong and powerful.

I looked up the artist, Tudjaat, and it appears that they haven't really made an album. I haven't been able to find anything similar. But you can listen to the song here:
http://www.last.fm/listen/artist/Tudjaat/similarartists

I might have to just put it on repeat.
 
#25 ·
Does anyone listen to Deva Premal (The Essance is my favorite CD)? I listen to her a lot and imagine listening to her at my birth... Im curious if I will still want to during that time..
 
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