Hypnobirthing music: how to use sound in labour

Hypnobirthing teaches breathing, relaxation and visualisation for labour, and music is often part of it. I make long, slow tracks for this, and here's how I'd suggest using them, or any music you choose.

Practise with it before the day

The single most useful thing is to listen in pregnancy, not just in labour. Play the same track while you practise your breathing or relaxation each evening. Over the weeks it becomes a cue: the first few bars tell your body it's time to slow down. On the day, that familiarity is worth far more than any particular sound.

Choose sound that stays in the background

Good labour music doesn't demand attention. Look for:

• A slow, steady pace with no sudden changes or drops.
• Few words or none. My Hypnobirthing Music video shows its affirmations on screen rather than speaking them, so the audio stays calm.
• Long tracks. Labour takes time, and you don't want to be reaching for a phone every twenty minutes. My hypnobirthing tracks run from two to six hours.
• Familiar, comforting sounds. Some people love water, heartbeat or whale song; others want gentle music. Go with whatever relaxes you in practice.

Get it ready to go

• Download it. Hospital and birth-centre signal and Wi-Fi can be unreliable, and you don't want ads or a screen lighting up mid-contraction. Downloads play offline and loop for as long as you need.
• Pack headphones and a small speaker. Headphones help you shut out a busy room. A speaker lets your birth partner hear it too. Charge both, and bring a cable.
• Put it in your birth plan. Let your midwife know you'd like music playing, and keep the volume low enough that you can hear each other.
• Give your partner the job. Starting, pausing and adjusting the music is a simple, useful thing for them to own.

Use it in your own way

Some people have music on from early labour right through. Others only want it between contractions, or not at all once things get going. All of that is normal. Music is there to help you feel calm and in control, and you can switch it off the moment it isn't.

For relaxation, not a medical treatment. Always follow the advice of your midwife and medical team.