30 Apr 2016

The Secret Life of Birth Music

From The Secret Life Of, 4:05 pm on 30 April 2016

In the Secret Life Of Birth Music, Yadana Saw meets the mums and midwifes, doctors and dads who push play on the soundtrack that greets the newly arrived.

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

The experience of first time pregnancy is equal parts daunting, exciting and exhausting - and that's not just due to the baby swimming around inside you.  The well-meaning barrage of seemingly helpful advice, gentle suggestion and straight out missives can add to the existential concerns already swirling around soon-to-be parents' minds.

Now that it is medically proven that music can help mothers in labour, expecting parents can add playlist curation to the list of things to add to their birthing preparations.

Feeling the push to learn more, in the Secret Life of Birth Music, RNZ music producer Yadana Saw talks with the pregnant, their partners and the professionals about the playlists that help bring the new babies into the world. 

Related audio:
Music details:

Artist: Salt N Pepa
Song: Push It
Composer: Hurby Azor. Ray Davies
Album: Hot, Cool & Vicious
Label: London

Artist: Sarah Brightman
Song: Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)
Composer: L.Quarantotto, F. Sartori, F. Peterson
Album: Time To Say Goodbye
Label: Angel

Artist: Brian Eno
Song: Neroli
Composer: Brian Eno
Album: Neroli (Thinking Music Part IV)
Label: All Saints

Artist: Amiina
Song: Skaaka
Composer: Amiina
Album: AminaamiinA
Label: Smekkleysa

Artist: George Benson
Song: Give Me The Night
Composer: Temperton
Album: Give Me The Night
Label: Warner Bros

Artist: Pearl Jam
Song: Just Breathe
Composer: Pearl Jam
Album: Back Spacer
Label: Universal

Artist: John Legend
Song: All of Me (Tiesto Birthday Treatment Remix)
Composer: Toby Gad, John Stephens
Album: Single
Label: Private

Artist: David Bowie and Queen
Song: Under Pressure
Composer: Bowie, Deacon, May, Mercury, Taylor
Album: Hot Space
Label: EMI

Artist: Yo-Yo Ma
Song: Unaccompanied Cello Concerto #1
Composer: J.S. Bach
Album: The Cello Suites
Label: Sony

Artist: Beth Hardy
Song: Welcome To The World
Composer: Beth Hardy
Album: Single
Label: Private

Artist: Amiina
Song: Glamar
Composer: Amiina
Album: Kurr
Label: Ever

Artist: Bob Marley
Song: Three Little Birds
Composer: B.Marley
Album: Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers
Label: Island

Artist: Elizabeth Mitchell
Song: Sleep Eye
Composer: Woody Guthrie
Album: Little Seed - Songs for Children by Woodie Guthrie
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

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