Thread: Music During Birth

Ok, this is just a random curiosity for me since I will probably have a c-section.

The Internet seems to be chock full of women who want people using soft voices and they want to listen to soft rock during birth. But then I also hear how vaginal birth is the toughest workout you'll ever go through. I guess I just don't see how those two mix. During a tough workout, I need to be yelled at firmly by a coach and, if I'm listening to music, I want loud rap or similar.

So why the discrepancy? If you want quiet music or people speaking softly ... why?

I actually prefer no music during labour. For me it's a pain thing. If I am in pain and focusing on the intensity of it all, loud music would be incredibly annoying. Too distracting. But then I hate loud music in any respect! I am not really a music person, but when I do listen to it, I like it low and in the background, not loud at all.

Originally Posted by Panonim

I actually prefer no music during labour. For me it's a pain thing. If I am in pain and focusing on the intensity of it all, loud music would be incredibly annoying. Too distracting. But then I hate loud music in any respect! I am not really a music person, but when I do listen to it, I like it low and in the background, not loud at all.

That makes a lot of sense to me, Nicole. I can for sure imagine being annoyed with too many different noises or instructions going on at once and just needing focus.

I have never had music playing when I'm in labor. I think I would find it distracting, or would get mad and yell at someone to turn it off lol! That being said, I know a lot of ladies like the whole "tranquil atmosphere" and soft voices, but that doesn't make the pain (nor the screams) go away once baby is crowning LMAO! I don't mind having the TV on though, I find it passes the time, although most of the time I keep it muted.

*Lurker from January*

I think a lot of it depends on the person -- each person and each birth is so different. Yes, it's an intense workout, but many women (me included) find themselves in a meditative-like state in labor. A lot of books (Ina May, etc) recommend making low tones / moaning during labor, which for me goes more along with quiet music and dimmed lights. I never screamed during either labor -- although I was moaning plenty loud with DD! The nurse actually got mad! Loud music would make me tense up, I think, which is the opposite of what you want, which is to be open! So, I've always chosen softer, more melodic music.

Different people have different ways of dealing with labor. For some, a lot of movement is helpful, so for them it might be like a workout. For a lot of women, myself included, whatever helps them relax really well is what helps them. We have no control over the actions of our uteruses. If a woman tenses up in response to contractions, her body will be working against itself and she will have more pain. If a woman feels safe, supported, and really relaxed, she will have less pain. I used Hypnobabies for my DS's birth, and labor was not at all like a "workout" with him. I listened mostly to the CDs from the program, which have soft music and a voice speaking the relaxation cues I had been practicing with every day and guiding me to produce natural anesthesia (endorphins) and direct it where to go. Most of the time I didn't think of what I was experiencing as "pain" and I didn't scream during crowing, either. I didn't even feel it as "burning" just as a really big stretching feeling. I didn't have a completely pain-free birth, and I did get loud at one point, but hypnosis for childbirth totally works.

My sister had a birth cd of music. I wouldn't consider all of her choices as soft rock. But they all meant something to her and her pregnancy. She had the song that she and her husband danced to at the wedding, our dad's fav song etc. I remember watching my nephew crown and be born while "What a wonderful world" was on. It was to me magical.

Me personally I doubt I'll have music. Only because it fits with my marriage lol. My husband forgot our music for the wedding! So I'm sure we'll forget this disk too lol.