Childbirth , labor and music

Reflecting upon  the many births I have been to  along with my own I realize the importance that  music  plays in labor. While teaching my classes I always play a variety of different music while practicing our relaxation techniques, the purpose of this is to realilze that all music in labor does not have to be “relaxation music”  Now don’t get me wrong I enjoy Enya as much as the next, and it certainly has it place in labor, but not 24 hours ( or more).  Music should be used to bring you to a place of comfort, and  calm and also  to make you smile ,and even uplifted.Perhaps remembering the concert you were at when you first heard that songwriter, or that drive to a vacation when that song was being played on the radio.  It is a perfect relaxation technique. while I was  in labor I was brought back to the time  that I was in the movies  with good friends asI heard the soundtrack, it was perfect it took my mind off the labor  . I remember smiling as I heard Bob Marley a song my 3 yearold chose as I labored with my second.  I was  able to relax  that is what music is supposed to do for you in labor.

some woman chose not to have music it does not relax them,,perhaps reading to them might be a good tool.. hey that wil be another post!

Don’t worry about playing  a CD over and over if  that it brings her  back to feeling  good each time it is working.

 Some tips  have a party and have your friends bring music and burn it onto your labor  play list..  You will smile when you hear it it will bring you back to who you are and why you are doing that hard work!

Some favorite tunes at births were James Taylor , Jack Johnson, Michael Franti, Etta James, Grateful Dead, Nickel Creek  and of course…Enya