So I finally… FINALLY.. got my ipod shuffle loaded up with a few things and even signed up for itunes.
I know… I must the be the last person on earth to sign up and peruse the vast music library that is itunes (and the only person on earth that uses a little ipod shuffle because she doesn’t have an iphone to play them on!). But it’s a dangerous, dangerous temptation knowing that I can buy music that easily. Dangerous for my credit card and dangerous for our teeny weeny monthly download limit.
So far I’ve been very restrained. I’ve only bought one album. It’s been ages since I bought myself some music so I splashed out the $11 or so dollars at the end of last month and spent about 12 hours getting the darn thing to download while our net was shaped to 64.kbs. Yes, I am nothing but a glutton for punishment.
But ah… Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints playing on my PC, in my ears and even in my car for the first time since I owned it on tape!
So now that I have opened Pandora’s Music Box…. what shall I buy and download next?
I’m thinking my nice little ipod will be a fabulous little bit of technology to distract me (since, once again I am the only person on earth without an iphone, so I can’t live tweet labour, what a shame) and drown out the idiot comments of my beloved husband when I finally have this baby.
Yes… songs to labour and birth by… fabulous!
But what songs???
Help me out people.
I need a list of the best songs to listen to while giving birth.
You can be as serious or a ridiculous as you like (a bit of humour never goes astray in moments like birth). Share all your crazy ideas. I need the name of the song, why you chose it and if possible a link to youtube or somewhere that I can listen to a sample online.
Then I’ll compile a top ten list and blog them, because I am sure the world needs such a fabulous resource!
I laboured to Nick Cave, some Jefferson Airplane, The Doors (hmmm mebbe reread Spiritual Midwifery a few too many times pmsl), some Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Offspring, Nirvana etc last time. TBH I lost interest pretty quickly, but then it was a quickish labour and the car trip stuffed me in a lot of ways and I didn’t think to put on any music again once we were in the hospital.
This time I have plans to organise my playlist and dock the iPhone and let it run. Given diff environment this time, I’m thinking some of the above still along with some Portishead, Simon & Garfunkel for all the fam to enjoy, and some more joyful upbeat stuff too like the lighter Gotye stuff etc.
I appreciated the ‘darkness’ of my choices last time, this time I want to try and embrace the light a bit too :)
I can’t resist the funny ones, my humour playlist for labour included “Push It” by Salt ‘n Pepa and “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash. As it turned out I couldn’t bear noise of any kind this time with Stella!
Hmmmm, how about:
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Ray Charles & Betty Carter (because he/she will be a winter baby after all.
Or for the second stage…
Push it by Salt n Peppa
Lyrics include:
Ah, push it
Ah, push it
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Get up on this!
Ow! Baby!
Thinking, thinking still…
Oooh, Sarah, great minds :)
Ah, I KNOW you don’t want my answer to this, but here it is anyway, hahaha!
The one and only time I had music during a birth was for Luey’s birth (coming up to 9 year’s ago, on M’s birthday, as you know). For the 2.5 hours from when my membranes were ruptured, until he was born (only 30 minutes of which were labour), I sang and danced to George Michael songs ranging from the Wham days to the Freedom 90 days…
Three things I want to say about that – I’m not recommending George Michael, though Wake me up before you go-go will get you up and moving if you have been sitting for too long, but rather I LOVE GEORGE MICHAEL and I think having music you LOVE is more important than having the RIGHT mood music, yk?
Also, turns out Luey is very musical – maybe the music in labour helped develop those synapses???
Also, turns out I didn’t even know that I was labouring, and giving birth on George Michael’s birthday, hahaha!
Ok, enough from me and my questionable musical taste…
Nick Cave- Into My arms :)
Anything mellow- I totally made the mistake both tones of choosing rocking out music lol.
Were I do do it now, Nick Nick & more Nick, some PJ Harvey for transition angriness lol, The Audreys maybe, Mazzy Star, Cowboy Junkies, Dead can Dance…
We had a few cd’s in the ward – although I have nfi what was playing because it was sort of background by then.
(psst – you do know you can copy cd’s – that you already own, of course – through itunes to you pod…)
I had Bernard Fanning’s solo album and Missy Higgins first album when I had Willow :)
Gosh, I’m so behind. No ipod here! Just old fashioned CD’s. Sorry, I can’t think of anything that would have really improved the delivery.
For something calm try Nick Drake. Anything from Pink Moon!
If you want fun try rodrigo y gabriela 11:11. The baby will come out dancing!!!
U2’s all that you cant leave behind, album. Choose it because its my fav band and I felt relaxed instantly when I listened to it. So yeah, finding your favourite band, song, or something that brings back happy memories is the key I think :-)
Have you been downloading any podcasts? I cannot overstate how much I love podcasts for walking and housework, and it might be just the ticket for before things heat up too much :) I really love this american life and radio lab and planet money, very very entertaining on subjects you might not usually be interested in.
I wasn’t sure what I’d want to listen to in labour, so I took a wide variety; the Grates, Jeff Buckley, Regurgitator, some classical and some relaxationy type stuff that you usually hear in beauty salons. The relaxation stuff was all we had time for, Lil popped out too quickly. The midwives said that it was the best mood they had seen my obstetrician in though!
anything by the most wonderful Michael Franti. He is the epitomy of love :)
All my babes have been born to a particular CD. My littlest one was born to Antony and The Johnsons (Epilepsy is dancing is a favourite). He is an acquired taste (read my husband is not a huge fan!). Right now some stuff that I am listening to that might be good for labour are:
Sia – Breathe Me
The Duke and The King – If you ever get famous.
Kaiser Cartel – Okay
Vandaveer – Resurrection Mary
Looking forward to seeing your list!
Uh, maybe she had a CAFFEINE DEFICIENCY you don’t know about, you judgemental woman, you!
Or maybe her parents are “Taking Children Seriously” philosophy adherants and so, if she wants a latte, then she’ll get a latte GODDAMNIT! Needless to say, if confronted this father would probably have a perfectly REASONABLE justification for feeding his child an addictive stimulant…
Ooh I’m gonna add Ray of Light (Madonna) too, qucker than a Ray of light she’s flying…
Sounds appropriate lol.