Bumpdate: Third Trimester + Spotify's Birthing Playlist

It's been a while since I've done a little bumpdate. I am officially in my third trimester and I can't believe I only have 8 weeks left to go before I pop. It feels like yesterday, really. I've been cleaning our room for like thrice a day and I’ve been spending time organizing and hunting for just the right nursery decor and crib for our baby boy. I think the nesting has begun. Oh, and I just realized I have my own built-in table for my cup of milk. Winning.

Side sleeping is my nemesis. Yes, he makes it a little hard to sleep at night but no, I'm not complaining. I do have swollen fingers and cramps but that's okay. When I wake up in the morning (read: middle of the night), I sometimes stretch my legs by pointing my toes and this triggers a very painful spasm in the calf muscles. But then again, I know I have a lot of reasons to be thankful for and here's my short thank you list;

Today, I thank you, Lord God, because I woke up from my baby's full on kicks, jabs and rolls. I felt the first flutters around 16 weeks and now they are getting stronger each day. It’s a wonderful feeling and it's the best part of pregnancy so far.

Thank you...

• for our new stash of meds 
• for my pretty and caring OB-GYN Dra. Ivy Jean Mercado 
• for this little gift from Maia ( she made ‪‎loom band‬ bracelets for me and baby) I especially love it when she puts her head on my belly to feel the baby kick. It’s the sweetest. I bet she’s going to be a wonderful big sister.
• for blessing us with the best husband and daddy who takes good care of us. (Thank you bi for always providing for us the best way you know how.)
• for the blessings. You are an amazing God and I will always, always be grateful. ☝ I am officially in my ‪third trimester‬ and I gained a lot of strength from this verse Philippians 4:13.
• good health and strong body.  No, I'm not summer body ready.  Well, I've finally gotten big enough that I have a round, very pregnant belly and I think it's beautiful and pretty amazing.
• I have GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) but I'm glad it is well controlled with the help of proper diet and lots of self-control in resisting all my cravings. Basically.

• I just had my third trimester ultrasound and I'm glad to know that my baby's BPP/BPS (Biophysical Profile Score) is 8/8 plus, he has turned from breech to cephalic. I think listening to Spotify using my Belly Buds really helps. 

Also, I added a Birthing playlist from Spotify as a part of my birth plan. There are over 90,000 “Push Playlists” on Spotify and renowned New York OB-GYN Dr. Jacques Moritz reports that 70% of his patients prepare playlists specifically for going into labor.

Spotify has partnered with Dr. Moritz to create an ideal Birthing Playlist that is scientifically designed (and delivery room tested and approved) to accompany women through childbirth. The playlist mirrors the birthing experience, starting with songs that are slow and mellow, then transitioning into songs with a stronger beat for when it’s time to push, and concluding with Bach’s ‘Unaccompanied Cello Suite #1’performed by the legendary Yo-Yo Ma.

“Music strongly influences our central nervous system’s limbic system which manages our memories, emotions, and how we deal with fear and pain,” Dr. Moritz explained. “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.”

For those who want to forgo Dr. Moritz’s playlist and create their own, Dr. Moritz recommends the following tips:

• Comforting and Familiar: Music listened to while giving birth should be comforting and familiar (not to be confused with relaxing) in order to put expectant mothers at ease. The delivery room is not the pace to experiment with a new musician or genre, but a place to return to old and familiar favorites. Dr. Moritz in particular recommends women select favorite songs from their adolescence, which our minds remember over many years like a warm, worn sweater for the soul.

• Strong Instrumentals: Songs for labor and pushing should emphasize instrumentals, which the mind intuitively processes. Music with lyrics, on the other hand, can be distracting. If you absolutely want songs with lyrics, selecting ones with lyrics in a language you don’t understand can have the same effect as listening to an instrumental.

• Length and Variety: While labor time varies, expectant mothers should create long playlists with a wide variety of artists. Dr. Moritz recommends at minimum five hours of music, then ten hours ideal especially for first time moms.

• Beautiful: Last but certainly not least, songs for the delivery playlist should be beautiful and make a woman feel beautiful. The moment a child is born is highly emotional and memorable and the music you recall from that day should maintain that sense of beauty and emotion. Research has also shown that songs the fetus hears in the womb can be remembered, so make those memories beautiful too.


Dr. Moritz’ birthing playlist can be found below:

Birthing Playlist
1. Pearl Jam - Just Breathe
2. James Bay - Let It Go
3. Regina Spektor - Don’t Leave Me
4. SigurRós - 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 Labor
11. John Lennon - Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
12. ColbieCaillat - 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 YeahYeahs - Maps
18. KygoMaty 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. Beyoncé - Blue
30. Johann Sebastian Bach, Yo-Yo Ma - Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1

This playlist is perfect for the moment women first meet their newborns. As an expectant mom, I'm not particularly worried about giving birth soon, but prayers would be appreciated. :)