A soundtrack for Sasha 3.0

I am aware that a blog post about compiling playlists to listen to during labor is not going to be everyone's thing. But I wrote one of these last time around and ended up adding Now We Are Free from Gladiator as a result (on the recommendation of Crys) and that pretty much was the playlist. I listened to it over and over again and to this day, when I hear it, I am reminded of Magdalena's birth and feeling the strongest I ever have.

There's no predicting what The Song will be for me this time, but I have a much more extensive list of possibilities. In contrast to my Sasha 2.0 playlist, I am allowing for songs with lyrics this time. We'll see if I go there during labor or not.

Finally, before I get to the actual songs, I want to explain why I do this. I love music. It's an important part of my life. I may not be up on the latest bands or songs or trends, and I may have a tendency to stick with what I like for years and years without branching out, but again, I really do love music. I tried listening to music during labor last time as a means of relaxation and, yes, pain reduction, and it worked. Music has a powerful emotional effect on me, and that's just what I need when I'm in a lot of pain during what is ostensibly (and eventually and hopefully) a beautiful and formative experience.

First, the songs without lyrics. Can you tell I love to poach soundtracks from movies, often British ones? I'm not necessarily including the entire soundtrack on the playlist - I went through and picked out the songs that I love the most, or the ones that are better suited to be on a labor playlist (no huge, quiet gaps in the music and it has movement and momentum in general).

Dear Frankie (soundtrack)
The Painted Veil (soundtrack)
The Man From Snowy River (soundtrack)
Downton Abbey (soundtrack)
Pride & Prejudice (2005 version; soundtrack)
Now We Are Free (Gladiator)
North & South (soundtrack)
The Virgin Queen (soundtrack)
Lost (soundtrack, just LAX and Moving On)
The Last of the Mohicans (soundtrack)
Emma (2009 version; soundtrack - Martin Phipps is my soundtrack hero)
She Walks in Beauty (from the Vanity Fair soundtrack)
The Piano Guys (selections from - Peponi and Titanium, among others)

As for music with lyrics:

Titanium (a few covers. I cannot resist that song in pretty much any incarnation)
Prettiest Eyes (Beautiful South)
Reign of Love (Coldplay; I'm considering adding Paradise)
The Corrs (a bunch of songs - love them!)
My Immortal (Evanescence - I have wonderful associations with this song; don't judge)
Songbird (Fleetwood Mac)
Jewel (a few songs)
Paper Moon (a few songs, some in German - that will be interesting)
Sarah Brightman (Dust in the Wind and some others)
Smashing Pumpkins (The Tale of Dusty & Pistol Pete and Galapagos)
Fields of Gold (live acoustic, by Sting)
Yanni (mostly Truth of Touch stuff)

There you have it: a soundtrack for Sasha 3.0.