Music for Birth

DJ_WubWub · June 2005

My wife is about to give birth any time now to our first child. (She is due tomorrow) I have been pretty busy getting some music together for the big event. We are lucky to live in a very alternative area where the local hospital has a birthing center and we can have a water birth, play our music, light candles etc. What music would you like to have been born to and for those that have been at a birth what music did you use. We read also some research that if a child is played a certain song and is sung to everyday that song can have a very calming effect on the child during it's early years. It knows the song from within the womb.We know we are having a girl so my wife has been playing Chaka Khans "I'm every woman" every day to our baby.1 song i didn't include was Salt n Pepa "push it" but our birth music includesMiles Davis Silent wayJohn AbercrombieRavi ShankarDead can DanceFlora PurimFreezone Vol 1 (Ambient techno comp)Ash Ra templeThe NecksPatrice RushenNina SimoneMinne RippertonWhat's kinda funny is that my mum started to go into labour at a Sergio Mendez concert in 1970 but i have avoided his music for most of my life

Archaic · June 2005

My wife is about to give birth any time now to our first child. (She is due tomorrow) I have been pretty busy getting some music together for the big event. We are lucky to live in a very alternative area where the local hospital has a birthing center and we can have a water birth, play our music, light candles etc. What music would you like to have been born to and for those that have been at a birth what music did you use.
We read also some research that if a child is played a certain song and is sung to everyday that song can have a very calming effect on the child during it's early years. It knows the song from within the womb.We know we are having a girl so my wife has been playing Chaka Khans "I'm every woman" every day to our baby.

1 song i didn't include was Salt n Pepa "push it"
but our birth music includes

Miles Davis Silent way
John Abercrombie
Ravi Shankar
Dead can Dance
Flora Purim
Freezone Vol 1 (Ambient techno comp)
Ash Ra temple
The Necks
Patrice Rushen
Nina Simone
Minne Ripperton

What's kinda funny is that my mum started to go into labour at a Sergio Mendez concert in 1970 but i have avoided his music for most of my life

I was set to make a mixtape for my wife but then I couldn't find my tape deck which is still packed away in an unknown box (I hope). Had relaxing stuff from Stanley Clarke, Jan Hammer, Fishbone's Change, George Duke, etc. all set to record.

When the time came to pack for the hospital I grabbed some cd's...like Sade and Dub Syndicate.

But in the end we wound up listening to a couple of Cocteau Twins cd's that my wife's best friend brought with her....worked perfectly.

Now I play my almost-3-month daughter...Debussey, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Wonder, Ocote Soul Sounds, her theme song for now Tommy Roe's Sweet Pea, the Beatles, Blue Note jazz, creole folks songs, Allen Toussaint, and of course Nolia Clap.

ariel_calmer · June 2005

Depends on what you want your kid to be like.

Miles Davis Silent way

Dead can Dance

Freezone Vol 1 (Ambient techno comp)

Ash Ra temple

Bambouche · June 2005

Mikey Hart and his wife made Music To Be Born By. By description, it sounds a little new agey, but I remember reading an interview with him when it came out that seemed fairly interesting. He recorded the heartbeat of his child through his wife's belly and integrated it into the recording.

http://www.rykodisc.com/Catalog/dump/rykoalbums_253.asp

Align your chakras.

ariel_calmer · June 2005

Okay a serious suggestion:

http://raymondscott.com/SSFB.htm

Terribly weird early electronic music. Babies do indeed love it.

DJ_WubWub · June 2005

Okay a serious suggestion:

http://raymondscott.com/SSFB.htm

Terribly weird early electronic music. Babies do indeed love it.

That raymond scott compilation might be worth investing in. Who knows maybe our child will grow up to like country and western as an act of rebellion. thanks for the suggestions.

gruntgravel · June 2005

Roxy Music's Avolon was playing when my daughter was born.

wyzewayz · June 2005

that's pretty dope you get to do the candle thing at the hospital, the fluorescent lights are a real drag when you're in there..............I'd say, play what ever your wife likes/wants to hear cuz she's going to be going through labour (granted you'll be there with her) and she's gonna need something to calm her down if it's her first kid (try the facemask when the doctor's arent' looking----you get a 10 second buzz)

anyways bro, hope all goes well! and congrats!

Olski · June 2005

When my daughter was due the last thing I thought about was what record to play.

The birth of your child will be one of the most intense and heavy experiences. It's so complete you don't need music. Trust me.

Archaic · June 2005

When my daughter was due the last thing I thought about was what record to play.

The birth of your child will be one of the most intense and heavy experiences. It's so complete you don't need music. Trust me.

But music makes for a good distraction from pain for momma. Surely the worried smile on your face is only going to make her want to punch it. That's why music, aromatherapy, a photo to use as a focal point, etc. are suggested.

mrpek · June 2005

congrats

DJ_WubWub · June 2005

When my daughter was due the last thing I thought about was what record to play.

The birth of your child will be one of the most intense and heavy experiences. It's so complete you don't need music. Trust me.

I am sure that being at the birth of my child will surpass any experience i have had in my life and it could be done without music. Music can soothe but it is up to my wife maybe she will be to sensitive and won't want to listen to anything or maybe the mellow stuff will annoy her. We will wait and see.

igotthatbeat · June 2005

Melba Moore "You Stepped Into My Life"

Dj_Coma_Toast · June 2005

nwa - straight outta compton (possibly the one thats edited down to only the cussing). not saying its appropriate but develops instant street cred qualifications!

oh, and congrats!

ehuffman · June 2005

My wife is about to give birth any time now to our first child. (She is due tomorrow) I have been pretty busy getting some music together for the big event. We are lucky to live in a very alternative area where the local hospital has a birthing center and we can have a water birth, play our music, light candles etc. What music would you like to have been born to and for those that have been at a birth what music did you use.
We read also some research that if a child is played a certain song and is sung to everyday that song can have a very calming effect on the child during it's early years. It knows the song from within the womb.We know we are having a girl so my wife has been playing Chaka Khans "I'm every woman" every day to our baby.

1 song i didn't include was Salt n Pepa "push it"
but our birth music includes

Miles Davis Silent way
John Abercrombie
Ravi Shankar
Dead can Dance
Flora Purim
Freezone Vol 1 (Ambient techno comp)
Ash Ra temple
The Necks
Patrice Rushen
Nina Simone
Minne Ripperton

What's kinda funny is that my mum started to go into labour at a Sergio Mendez concert in 1970 but i have avoided his music for most of my life

When my son was born 3 years ago (and we have another coming in the middle of August), i drove back and forth from the hospital about 20 times to our house gathering shit, it was the middle of summer and Avalanches LP on constant rotation the entire time...special place for that LP now.

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Music for Birth

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