Push Through Labor Like a Boss With This Playlist from Spotify

Jul 21, 2016

Moms-to-be know — the busyness of parenting starts wayyyy before the baby is born. There’s staying fit during pregnancy, nailing maternity style and, of course, the babymoon. But now, you can cross making a birthing playlist off of your to-dos. After noticing that more than 90,000 Spotify users created their own “push playlist” to both relax and pump themselves up through labor, Spotify teamed up with renowned OB/GYN and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Jacques Moritz, to release a scientifically designed birthing playlist. Music loving moms-to-be, rejoice!

The playlist starts with songs that are slow and mellow, then transitions into songs with stronger beats for push time. Noticeably absent from the playlist is Salt N’ Pepa’s “Push It,” but the playlist does include songs from popular artists including John Legend, Pink and Arcade Fire.

In his more than 25 years as an OBGYN, Dr. Moritz has delivered over 3,000 babies, so he knows a thing or two about the labor process. Citing music’s strong influence over our limbic system, which manages how we deal with fear and pain, Dr. Moritz isn’t surprised that women turn to music as a source of comfort and strength during childbirth, and says 70 percent of his patients make a birthing playlist. “Hospitals, particularly delivery rooms, can be noisy and disconcerting,” he says. “A good playlist helps distract mothers from these sounds and better manage fear and pain, leading to a more positive delivery experience.” Amen.

Drawing on their expert experience, Spotify and Dr. Moritz worked together to curate the birthing playlist millennial moms have been dreaming of. The playlist has gained nearly 5,000 followers since its launch, and we’re guessing there will be more than a few little ones who enter the world to David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.”

Check out the full playlist here. For those who still want to create their own custom playlist, Dr. Moritz suggests five to 10 hours worth of songs that are comforting, familiar and feature strong instrumentals.

What song is a must-have for your birthing playlist? Tweet us @BritandCo.

(Photos via Getty)

10 Tips For Fake Drinking When You’re Secretly Pregnant

When you're often the life of the party and happen to be partnered up and in your 30s, you'll instantly turn heads when you say no to booze. I can personally attest to the difficulty of this. As someone who loves happy hour and has a particular affinity for lemon drop shotsin totally inappropriate settings, there was no way I could get away with *not* drinking without inviting questioning looks.

Before I give you the guide to fake drinking when you're secretly pregnant, let me take this moment to make a PSA. If you see that a female friend of yours isn't drinking and she usually does, try not to ask her if she's expecting in front of everyone. She might be secretly pregnant, taking fertility drugs that can't be combined with alcohol, just trying to lower her dosage of alcohol with the hope that it helps her get pregnant. There's also the chance she might just be…not drinking. Be as it may, no one wants to be bombarded with pregnancy questions.

Of course, not everyone is going to take my PSA seriously, so I've got some tips and tricks for all you pre-reveal preggos. These same tips apply to gals who are not drinking because they are trying to conceive. I was personally in this non-drinking camp for about five months before getting pregnant.

And how's this for proof? I organized and attended a bachelorette party for two of my very best friends with about eight of my other besties present — and no one had ANY idea I was pregnant. So, trust me — I'm a bona fide pro at fake drinking.

Rosee Canfield for Brit + Co