My taste in music is broad, and I didn’t want to put my Pandora on shuffle in fear of some crazy Dub music or banjo strummin band started playing, throwing off my birth breathing mojo. Don’t get me started on the advertisements. I’m going to give you a few tips on how to start your playlist, what kind of music would best suit yours, and the app I use on my phone to listen.
At the bottom of the page I have my personal birth playlist I created through YouTube, allowing you to test out the songs and see if any inspire you.
The Playlist
Before you start picking your songs, you need to have a spot you are saving them to.
Some considerations:
- Will shuffle be on, not allowing you complete control over what songs are playing?
- Are there advertisements (Pandora, YouTube, Spotify)
- Is the playlist easily accessible to add new songs? (On phone or computer?)
I can not always find the songs I like in iTunes Store or from a site I can download them. Most of my songs I first here on pandora and can usually only find the song on YouTube. This is why Spotify and creating a playlist through my iTunes is out of the picture. But if that works for you perfect. Just make sure you have them available the big day on your phone to easily play at hospital or birth center. (Unless having a home birth then whatever works for you)
I refuse to pay for Pandora for the millionth time and do not want to be interrupted by some advertisement for a nearby health care center, with a woman exclaiming how after giving birth to her son couldn’t stop bleeding and had to goto the OR. THAT’s REALLY POSITIVE FOLKS. (This is really an advertisement I listen to all the time)
So Pandora is out. YouTube has adds as well and doesn’t have continuous play if you close out of the app, so thats out as well.
Introducing MUSI
This is an app I use on my iPhone. It has no ads that interrupt songs, just the annoying ones you have to click out of, but does not stop the music from playing.
It allows you to search for songs and videos through YouTube and individually add them to your MUSI library or playlist you created. You can create multiple playlists too. Not sure if you will want something more relaxing or up beat during labor? Just create two birth playlists and then choose when the time is right.
Choosing the Songs
Start off by adding songs you KNOW you want on your birth playlist. I chose songs with more of an ambient chill relaxing sound. Some might disagree though. I actually added quite a bit of songs that have a repetitive beat kind of house sound because I was considering breathing to the rhythm while having contractions.
What kind of Music do You want?
- Songs that will Empower You
- Instrumental
- Relaxing
- Songs you can Dance to (Some women do this in labor, look it up its cute)
- Favorite Songs
- Songs that tell you to do something labor related (Push It by Salt-N-Pepa)
- Religious Songs
- You and your Partners “songs”
It is your playlist so put on there whatever fits you. If you want to listen to Heavy Metal while you birth that baby DO IT, you wouldn’t be the first.
I started planning my birth playlist pretty much as soon as I found out I was pregnant. Anytime a song came on Pandora that I liked I would ScreenShot it, and then go back later and add all the songs I took pictures of into my MUSI playlist.
Thats it. Have fun creating your Birth Playlist and don’t forget your charger and portable speaker in your hospital bag! Feel free to suggest your favorite Birth songs below in the comments.
Happy Listening 🙂
Isabella
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Many thanks!