Music in labour and childbirth

[eToTheiPi]

Am 41 weeks now and twiddling my thumbs! Had emcs with dd1. Did you take any music into the hospital with you? Trying for a vbac and wondered a) are you able to play any music you want? and b) what did you listen to? I like most music and am really struggling for inspiration!

I listened to some heavy rock music while in labour at home, on iPod (Glassjaw, Deftones), turning it up really loud along with the TENS whenever a contraction came.
I took some CDs to hospital (Jeff Buckley and Coheed and Cambria, randomly). They had some sort of cd player in the birthing room and midwife was happy to put my CDs on but once labour was a bit more advanced I just found the music irritating.

I've had special play lists for my labour, basically not disimilar to the music I run to so anything I can sing along with - I like being able to focus on the words, seems to kill time if you will.

Kings of Leon, killers, girls aloud pink, avril levigne. Up tempo pop really.

I wasn't in the slightest bothered about music, but in fact once I was in the birthing pool in hospital there was a radio in the room and my DH put on Radio 3. It was so lovely and peaceful, labouring in the early hours of the morning with classical music on. Becuase it was the pool room, there were no plug sockets so the radio had an extension cord which had to go across the doorway of the room next door. At one stage a midwife came in to say they'd have to unplug it, but when she could see we were using it she said oh don't worry, we'll use a different room! I wasn't even that bothered!

ended up in theatre - as DS was born, my DH says Elton John's Rocket Man was playing on the radio [hhmm]

They had local radio on in the theatre as dd1 was born and I remember thinking, "Please don't be born to Lily Allen!" She came out to Rod Stewart and Baby Jane. (Not called Jane btw)

Hi, I'm studying Psychology at the mo+ specialising in music psychology. There have been studies into how music can "distract" us when we feel pain. The key thing seems to be listening to self-chosen music that we like not necessarily "relaxing" or classical music (unless that's your thing).
Only thing is studies have been done for relatively short bursts of time.....not labour! Anything that might help tho : ) I'm getting together some playlists for 5 wks time, the hospital I'm giving birth in has iPod docks!

I'm smiling because my lovely dh made me a lovely tape (old technology and only 7.5 years ago!) to play in labour first time round.

How were we to know that I'd want dim light and no noise? By the third time I wanted to write a birthing plan with just the words "don't talk to me, don't touch me!"...so music definitely not wanted here!

My DH was born to the sounds of George Michael singing 'Faith'.