The C-Section Playlist I Wish I Had the First Time

I never thought about making a C-section playlist before I had my first baby. In fact, my sister suggested that I have music ready, and I didn't listen to her. My son had been head down my entire pregnancy, I was planning on a vaginal delivery, and having a C-section wasn't really on my radar.

Then, after 39 hours of labor, his heart rate started dropping and his head was tilted in a way that was making delivery difficult. We ultimately made the decision to have a C-section, and suddenly I was being wheeled into an operating room completely unprepared for what the experience would actually feel like.

Two and a half years later, I had my second C-section under very different circumstances. This time, I had a playlist ready. It sounds like such a small thing, but it completely changed the experience for me.

If you're pregnant, my advice now is simple: make a C-section playlist even if you aren't planning to have a C-section. Hopefully you never need it. But if your birth plan changes unexpectedly, you'll be glad it's there.

Why I Wish I Had Made a C-Section Playlist the First Time

My first C-section was not planned. After laboring for 39 hours, I went from trying to deliver vaginally to suddenly preparing for surgery. There wasn't much time to think about how I wanted the operating room to feel because, quite frankly, I was scared.

And a C-section operating room can feel intimidating if you've never experienced one before. My memory of it is exactly what you picture from the movies: stark, white, incredibly clinical and filled with bright lights.

I was wheeled into the OR before my husband while he changed and waited for someone to tell him he could come in. I remember lying there worrying that somehow they were going to forget to call him. Obviously that's not a particularly rational fear, but when you're scared and about to have surgery, your brain goes places.

Once my husband came in, we talked about putting on music. He quickly pulled up a country singer we both liked and started playing it. There was nothing wrong with the music itself, but it wasn't what I needed in that moment. It felt impulsive and last-minute because it was.

Looking back, I wish I had spent five minutes before giving birth thinking about what I would want to hear if I ended up in an operating room.

My Second C-Section Was Completely Different

My second C-section wasn't exactly planned either.

At 33 weeks pregnant, I was admitted to the hospital with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. It became clear that I was probably going to deliver my daughter seven weeks early. I had hoped I might have the option of a VBAC, but given the emergency circumstances, another C-section was the safest option for me.

This was an incredibly scary situation in its own way. I knew more about what to expect from the actual surgery because I had done it before, but I was also delivering a premature baby and, at one point, I even thought I might have to be put under for the delivery.

While I was in the hospital, my sister suggested music again. This time, I listened to her.

She shared an acoustic playlist she had been listening to that included Kina Grannis, and I made sure my husband had it ready to play during the C-section.

The difference was incredible.

The Music Made the Operating Room Feel Peaceful

The operating room itself hadn't changed. It was still an operating room with bright lights, doctors, nurses and everything happening around me.

But I felt different.

My husband played the playlist directly from his iPhone next to my head. There was no elaborate speaker setup or special equipment. We simply had music that we had chosen ahead of time ready to go.

Once it started playing, I remember completely relaxing. Instead of focusing entirely on everything happening around me, I could listen to the music. There was something incredibly peaceful about it.

The playlist was emotional, but in a beautiful way. I remember “Here Comes the Sun” playing around the time my daughter was born, although I couldn't tell you now exactly which version was playing or exactly when it came on. I also remember listening to Kina Grannis, whose acoustic music was exactly the kind of sound I needed in that moment.

The music continued playing through essentially the entire surgery. My husband eventually left while I was still being finished up, and I believe that's when the music stopped.

I didn't expect a playlist to make such a difference, but it did.

What Kind of Music Is Best for a C-Section?

I don't think there is one perfect genre or C-section playlist that everyone should use. The best music for a C-section is whatever makes you feel calm, comfortable and like yourself.

For me, that was soft, emotional acoustic music. Kina Grannis was perfect because the music was beautiful and relaxing without feeling like generic meditation music. Songs like “Can't Help Falling in Love” fit the atmosphere I wanted, and “Here Comes the Sun” is now intertwined with my memory of my daughter's birth.

But your playlist doesn't have to sound anything like mine. If Taylor Swift relaxes you, play Taylor Swift. If you love country music, make a country playlist. If classical music makes you feel calm, choose that. You could even choose upbeat music if that's what makes you happy and helps you feel like yourself.

I wouldn't focus too much on finding songs that are supposedly perfect for giving birth. Instead, ask yourself: If I were scared or overwhelmed, what would I want to hear?

That's your playlist.

How to Make a C-Section Playlist

You don't need to overthink this. I actually think the biggest benefit comes simply from having something selected ahead of time so that you or your partner aren't frantically scrolling through Spotify while you're about to have surgery.

Choose enough music to cover the entire C-section rather than selecting only one or two special songs for the moment your baby is born. There is preparation before the delivery and time afterward while your surgical team finishes the procedure, so having a longer playlist means you can simply press play and forget about it.

I would also download the playlist to your phone rather than relying on hospital Wi-Fi or cell service. Make sure your partner knows where it is and can access it easily because you probably won't be the person handling your phone once you're in the operating room.

And don't feel like you need to bring a speaker. In my case, my husband simply played the playlist through his iPhone next to my head, and that was enough. Hospital policies and individual medical circumstances can vary, so ask your care team whether you can play music in the OR.

My Biggest C-Section Playlist Advice: Make One Even If You're Planning a Vaginal Birth

This is the part I wish I had listened to the first time.

My sister had encouraged me to think about music before I had my son. I didn't because I wasn't planning on having a C-section. My baby was head down, I expected to deliver vaginally, and creating music for an operating room seemed completely unnecessary.

Then I ended up needing an unplanned C-section after 39 hours of labor.

Birth plans change. Making a C-section playlist doesn't mean you're expecting your delivery to go differently than you hope. It's simply one tiny thing you can prepare ahead of time just in case.

You probably have a hospital bag packed with things you may or may not use. Think of your playlist the same way. It takes a few minutes to make, costs nothing and can sit untouched on your phone if you never need it.

And if you do suddenly find yourself being wheeled into an operating room, you won't have to figure out what you want to listen to while you're scared and overwhelmed.

What I'd Put on My C-Section Playlist

If I were making my playlist again today, I would start with Kina Grannis and build from there. I loved the acoustic sound and how peaceful it made the room feel, and I would absolutely choose that style of music again.

I wouldn't worry about creating the perfect list of “C-section songs,” though. I'd choose songs that make me feel safe, relaxed and happy. Some might be emotional. Some might remind me of people I love. Some might simply be songs I've heard a hundred times and find comforting.

The goal isn't to create the soundtrack to the perfect birth. It's to have something familiar to come back to when everything around you feels unfamiliar.

Can You Play Music During a C-Section?

In my experience, yes. My husband played music directly from his phone next to my head during my second C-section, and we were able to keep it playing through essentially the entire surgery.

That doesn't mean every hospital or every C-section will be the same. Operating room policies can vary, and there may be medical situations where your care team needs something different. If having music matters to you, ask your OB or hospital ahead of time whether it's allowed and how they recommend playing it.

Do You Need a Special C-Section Playlist?

No. Your C-section playlist doesn't need to be specifically designed for birth or surgery. Choose music that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed.

For me, an acoustic playlist featuring Kina Grannis was exactly right. For someone else, the perfect playlist might be completely different. What matters is that you choose it ahead of time instead of trying to decide what you want while you're already in the operating room.

Is a C-Section Playlist Worth Making?

For me, absolutely.

I've had two C-sections, and the music is one of the details that stands out when I think about how different those experiences felt. It obviously didn't change the medical circumstances surrounding either birth, and it didn't make the second situation less serious. But it changed the atmosphere for me and gave me something peaceful to focus on during an incredibly emotional experience.

It's such a small thing. But sometimes the smallest things are the ones you remember.

So even if a C-section isn't anywhere in your birth plan, make the playlist anyway.

I really wish I had listened to my sister the first time.

More C-Section Resources

If you're preparing for a C-section, or simply want to feel prepared in case your birth plan changes, I have plenty more firsthand advice from my two C-section experiences.

You can also read my C-Section Recovery Week by Week, C-Section Recovery Essentials, What to Wear After a C-Section, and C-Section Scar Care guides for more of what I wish I had known before my first delivery.