Doctor helps create the ultimate labour playlist

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 Photo: Getty Images

It's a combination of tracks designed to aid women in labour - though depending on your taste, that could mean rushing the whole thing in a bid to turn the playlist off.

Spotify have teamed up with an American obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr Jacques Moritz, to create the perfect set for the birthing suite.

The list is made up of 30 tracks, including aptly named selections such as Pearl Jam's Just Breathe, Coldplay's Don't Panic and Iron & Wine's Naked As We CameListen to it on Spotify here.

"Music strongly influences our central nervous system's limbic system which manages our memories, emotions, and how we deal with fear and pain," said Moritz, revealing that 70 per cent of his patients use music to get through childbirth. 

"It makes sense that women would turn to music during childbirth as a source of comfort and strength.

"In addition, hospitals, particularly delivery rooms, can be noisy and disconcerting — a good playlist helps distract mothers from these sounds and better manage fear and pain, leading to a more positive delivery experience."

Spotify currently has more than 90,000 "pushing" playlists, the music streaming giant says, however this latest release gets the scientific thumbs up.

Keeping pace with a woman's increasing contractions, the musical collection starts off mellow before developing into stronger beats, and ending with a rousing but soothing Bach number for when baby is welcomed into its parents' arms.

However at around two hours' long, it's likely many mums-to-be would need to have this playlist on repeat - which ups the chances of your child being welcomed into the world to the grating beat of Tiesto's John Legend remix.

For those who want to create their own playlist, Moritz advises choosing "comforting and familiar music so that the woman is as relaxed as she can be".

Instrumentals, rather than distracting lyric-heavy tracks, are recommended, as are playlists that run to about 10 hours, particularly for first-time mothers. 

However we feel a concession on lyric levels should be made for this, the most fitting of maternity-room melodies:

THE PLAYLIST IN FULL

1. Pearl Jam - Just Breathe
2. James Bay - Let It Go
3. Regina Spektor - Don't Leave Me
4. Sigur Ros - Festival
5. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
6. The Lumineers - Ho Hey
7. Norah Jones - Sunrise
8. Craft Spells - After the Moment
9. Xavier Rudd - Follow the Sun
10. Lucinda Williams - Fruits of My Labour
11. John Lennon - Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
12. Colbie Caillat - Capri
13. D'Angelo - Really Love
14. Milton Nascimento - Nos Bailes Da Vida
15. Coldplay - Don't Panic
16. Fleet Foxes - Your Protector
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
18. Kygo Maty Noyes - Stay
19. P!nk - Try
20. Muse - Starlight
21. John Legend - All of Me (Tiesto's Birthday Remix)
22. David Bowie, Queen - Under Pressure
23. U2 - With or Without You
24. Wilco - Impossible Germany
25. Arcade Fire - Wake Up
26. R.E.M. - Nightswimming
27. Patty Griffin - Heavenly Day
28. Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came
29. Beyonce - Blue
30. Johann Sebastian Bach, Yo-Yo Ma - Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1

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