A happy one: What is/was on your playlist for childbirth?

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My first was born to the sounds of the Hives then when I had tea and toast and a cuddle Glenn Millar came on. I think music realy helped me through the pain.

What is on your list (if you have one, I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea)?

Did any particular song help you through?

My husband put on an 80's CD which was at the hospital. I always remember Spandau Ballet 'Gold' coming on. "Gold, always believe in your soul, you've got the power to know, you're indestructible, always believe in, because you are gold..." very motivating!

Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird. Nearly 5 minutes of amazing guitar solo which I'm hoping (desperately) will carry me through the transition phase. I've also got some Public Enemy (although apparently I'm "far too old" for that according to teenage DS). It gives me a sense of attitude when I most need it!

Galactica Rush by Jhelisa. I can't listen to that song anymore without feeling a bit funny.

I had a playlist of mellow songs, motivational songs, angry songs etc but in the end it was such a rush that DP left ipod in the car and we had the Mumford & Sons cd.

Love listening to it now!

Musical choice was the least of my worries last time - I vaguely remember watching the Strictly Final whilst being off my face on gas and air and on the oxytocine drip. In theatre when I was having the CS the only soundtrack were the morbid jokes my husband and I shared with the anaesthesist.

I'm not planning for a playlist for my ELCS either - I'd rather let the surgical team listen to whatever they want, if they want to than running the risk of dirstracting or irritating them with my musical choices.

I didn't have any music, but I had thought Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd would be perfect!

The midwife team with DD1 (in London) were more supportive of natural birth than with DS (in Cambridgeshire)

They seemed more supportive of the idea of having music, and i listened to various world music tracks, especially remembering the peaceful Guo brothers on Chinese flute. She was born in water pool too. Only minor thing along these lines is they wouldn't allow any aromatherapy oils in the water ( a bit daft and over cautious that I think )

Personally I think mothers in labour do need more pleasant distractions to take their minds off things ( basically help them/us cope with the pain!)

DS1 came along in more of a hurry, and you could argue there wasn't much time to think about music. Nevetheless I think I would have found it helpful.
No pool available in hospital for this second birth. Don't think music was really encouraged until after safe delivery of baby at this hospital.

I didnt plan anything for my last birth but the radio was on, both im my labour ward room and then the theatre. I remember being taken to theatre to get my waters broken (they were worried the cord would strangle DS so had to be in theatre), this went ok then because I wanted an epidural anyway they decided to do it then - only the first attempt wasnt successful and I suddenly tuned in to Leona Lewis singing "Bleeding Love", all I could think of was the line "keep bleeding" over and over again lol.

Later on I was rushed back to theatre for an Emergency CS, me and DH were terrified - and the first song we heard when I got wheeled in was Johnny Mathis "When a Child is Born", this really helped me actually. Not surprising it was on the radio at some point tho because this was just before Christmas 2007

I have a feeling that music would just piss me off in the pushing stage. Before though, it'll be my iPod on random, which could throw up the Glee soundtrack, Frank Sinatra, The Prodigy and many others in-between.

I just remembered the brochure for a CTG machine which also states "these advanced maternal/fetal monitors comprise a high-tech system that allows you to deliver a high-touch experience for every patient ? including the opportunity to celebrate the birth with a choice of 3 songs."

I actually want the Super Mario level completed fanfare...

Was all ready to want to listen to nice, relaxing music... ended up with guns n roses 'welcome to the jungle' in the car on way there. Was screaming along with Axl!

I had "happy" music

• herb alpert and tijuana brass
• the peanuts by whinton marsalis
• the prodigy (ok not so happy, but energetic)

Best of The Smiths
Chill out Classics
Opera Favourites

(bizarrely, DS was born to 'Canon in D Minor', which I had walked down the aisle to 53 weeks earlier....)

Had DD at home and had TV music channel on in the early stages (VH2 - sadly demised now!). It got forgotten about as things advanced and I ended up giving birth (according to DH) to 'The drugs don't work'.

Oddly appropriate considering the valve on the G&A was up the spout and made loud farting noises as I sucked on it!

I had planned to play Enya's 'Amarantine' album (and still can't listen to it without feeling horrifically broody!) and various other floaty relaxing things, but once things got interesting, music - any music - started getting on my nerves and I ended up without any.

I had the Radio 4 version of Flight of The Conchords when I first got in the delivery room in the hope that a comedy would take my mind off things. In the event, I found it a bit hard to concentrate properly (unsurprisingly). Def preferable to the cheesy stuff they were playing in the birth centre beforehand though.

The midwife was a bit !

I had a list of upbeat indie stuff but had no interest in playing it at the time - just wanted silence.

Ktay, that's made me think that I might enjoy a nice relaxing audiobook. Just to have some murmuring in the background.

Zero 7 brought my dd no 1 into this world.

Worth a try MrsChemist. Even if you can't focus on it properly at the time, you might find it brings all the memories back if you listen to it again afterwards.

William Orbit "Pieces In a Modern Style" over & over & over

DH downloaded a load of podcasts and put most of my favourite music on his iphone for my labour - when it came down to it, listening to the podcasts irritated the hell out of me. Music was the last thing on my mind: I just wanted silence and calm once I was in 'proper' labour.