Music to Birth By....

So each time I have a baby, I make a mix tape... well a mix CD anyway...or a playlist...whatever, you catch my drift. I love music. I associate songs with different times in my life... I have always been a huge fan of movie soundtracks, so I suppose over time I have created my own soundtrack ... the soundtrack of my life. My kids love music, too, although they hate when I sing. I THINK I have a pretty decent voice, but sometimes there's just no accounting for taste.

Anyhow, when I was pregnant with G, I was all about Allison Krauss. I learned every word to the New Favorite CD, and her rendition of Baby Mine is still is at the top of my all time best baby song chart. I was well armed with my mix CD full of almost-bluegrass, but then ended up not bringing the music along to the hospital. Instead, the hospital had this really crazy new age TV channel that played psychedelic mood music and showed images of outer space that was on the entire time. Not entirely what I was planning, but worked out just fine as I sort of had the feeling I wasn't really all there during G's birth anyway. Endorphins can do crazazy things to you, including make you feel like you are totally having an out of body experience.

With Little Guy, I was much better prepared... instead of lugging 17 bags full of all the stuff that babycenter said I "needed" to the hospital and forgetting my music, I took exactly 1 bag with 1 outfit (a Just Had a Baby Shirt warm socks and, of course, yoga pants) some toiletries and my snazzy new mp3 Player complete with wireless FM transmitter and DH's clock radio. Little Guy's playlist included... Jack Johnson. That's all... every Jack Johnson song ever released up to that day was on that playlist. And a little ditty called "Under Pressure" by Queen... very fitting.

With Little Guy there was no out of body experience... I was definitely in body.. felt every pain, the entire time. He was a big baby, and was ill positioned, but we managed to get him out eventually. Thank goodness I was laboring and delivering in the water... that aquadural is a lifesaver.

Right now, I am working on my next birthing playlist. I have a feeling I won't need as many songs this time, which is good since I am superstitious and wouldn't use one of the songs from a previous playlist anyway. I will try to find all the titles on Playlist.com and put them on the blog after I finalize the list, but sometimes my tunes are hard to find.

Here is what I have so far. I am totally looking for more suggestions, so if there is a song you think would be appropriate, please let me know.

Colbie Caillat - Capri
Jack Johnson - Angel (Sleep through Static was released after Little Guy was born)
Allison Krauss - Get me through December
Jack Johnson - While we Wait
Eric McCarley - Pitter Pat
The Be Good Tanyas - I wish My Baby Was Born
Joe Purdy - Wash Away
Adele - Make You Feel My Love
Greg Laswell - What a Day (I listened to this song on the way to baby Eli's birth)
Dave Matthews - Steady As We Go
Dave Matthews - Oh
Ingrid Michaelson - Oh What A Day
Priscilla Ahn - Dream
Michelle Featherstone - Sweet Baby
Elizabeth Mitchell - Here Comes my Baby
Elvis Costello - Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash Cover)
Amerie - I'm Coming Out (Diana Ross Cover)
Yael Naim - New Soul
Fisher - Beautiful Life