Rhythm For Birth or Labor?

[Rhythm House Drums]

So we're thinking of having a baby soon... and it's got me thinking... what's a nice birthing rhythm. I've heard a lot of rhythms for a lot of ceremonies, but I don't know of any for birth. I was thinking maybe an initiation or even a harvest rhythm, but wonder if there is something more specific. Are there specific ones? I have a great idea, not sure if it'll fly with the wife, but I gotta try!

[bubudi]

it's a very personal thing but i'd say save the drumming for after the birth. you want relaxing peace vibes for the labour process (makes the labour "easier"). djembe is too full-on for this. plus did you consider whether you want to be holding her hand, etc? traditionally the drumming is done at the naming ceremony when the child is 7 days old. yoleli is a good one. fura/soli lent is also a common one played for namings and easier to play than yoleli.

[Dugafola]

Balukulandjan with the song is perfect for a birth.

Nowadays, most of the popular rhythms are played for a birth and/or naming ceremony.

In Africa, music can be played based on what family the child is born into. Conde's get duwa, kourouma/Bangoura/doumbia get fakoly, Keita/soumahs get sundjata fassa, kouyates get lamban /sandiya/djelidon.

Same with caste and work. Ie: blacksmith, leatherworkers, harvesters, Jon etc.

[Rhythm House Drums]

it's a very personal thing but i'd say save the drumming for after the birth. you want relaxing peace vibes for the labour process (makes the labour "easier"). djembe is too full-on for this. plus did you consider whether you want to be holding her hand, etc? traditionally the drumming is done at the naming ceremony when the child is 7 days old. yoleli is a good one. fura/soli lent is also a common one played for namings and easier to play than yoleli.

I think you got the wrong idea. The birth plan is to be very much involved.. we are going for a water birth at home.. I'll be in the tub with her, so not wanting to play my drum at the moment.. my idea was more for pre-recording and playing it lightly in the background.

I appreciate the info though bubudi.

Wow, Duga. That's good info. Thanks. I'm pretty familiar with the Soli family, so I think Balukulandjan will be a good one, though I'm not familiar with the song.

[bops]

@ bubudi

My wife would have literally killed me if I played jembe music (recorded or otherwise) during our child's birth! She actually used a CD called hypnobirthing a bit and it soothed her quite a bit. We did a home birth too BTW. I held her hand... and she squeezed it like hell, but not like I could complain

Congrats man!!

[bubudi]

nice info, dugie.

dununba parties are common for namings in conakry. ngri/kirin is also played for namings in bamako along with others.

would be nice to make a list of traditional birth, naming, wedding and funeral. anyone care to help?

[bubudi]

I think you got the wrong idea. The birth plan is to be very much involved..

just checking, rhd

relaxing music is the way to go though. also, you never know how long the labour may turn out to be so have several cds worth ready if you can (one cd on repeat for 12 hours or more would drive anyone mad).

btw, balakulanjan = soli lent. there was a thread about this in this section, with the song that i posted.

[rachelnguyen]

I think I am the only one checking in so far who has actually given birth, LOL. (Natural both times... and lots of water involved. Jacuzzi at a birth center.)

I would say that for me, a nice slow dun dun track would have been great. Something rhythmic, sort of hypnotic, gentle...

And actually, a woman's mood changes quite a bit during labor, so a selection of different things would be great. In the beginning she is excited and maybe a little nervous. In the middle she is working very hard and can't have her concentration broken. During transition she is just hanging on for dear life. It is VERY hard. And finally, during the pushing stage, she goes through the whole thing again.

BTW, I am a childbirth teacher, too... and one suggestion I make to women is to practice relaxing ahead of time with the music they want to use in labor. I suggest they work on being able to completely relax, physically and emotionally. So whatever you decide on, try practicing with it while she is pregnant. If you get good at it, that will really help her during the labor itself because it will be an automatic response to the music. For a woman the MAIN way to have a good labor is to be fully relaxed.

Yeah for you guys!

[bubudi]

i was wondering when you'd get involved, rachel! solid advice. water birth at a birthing centre sounds like a good compromise in case things don't go as planned.

i reckon there could be a market for birth music - combination of relaxing sounds, distraction and music to give strength and courage to the mother. someone should create some african inspired birth music.

rhd, keep us posted.

[rachelnguyen]

Hi Bubudi,

Here in RI, home birth is actually illegal, believe it or not. It is outrageous. So yes, the birthing center was the next best thing. In my case, I didn't deliver in the water. Both times I labored there for the hardest part of the labor and then moved onto dry land for the actual deliveries.

The interesting thing about birth, for me, was that I totally expected it to be a big, spiritual, experience. In fact, it was really the opposite. Never in my life have I experienced myself as an animal the way I did during labor. The physicality of it was, in the end, the thing that was most overwhelming. In a strange way, that WAS the most spiritual aspect of it. That is why making the relaxation an automatic response is so helpful.

Love,
Rachel

[Rhythm House Drums]

Wow.. Thought I'd reopen this thread. My wife and I are actually expecting our first child in a few days. Given due date was Dec. 12.

Natural birth isn't illegal in NC, for the mom, but is for the midwife. As in we can have the baby at home if it's just us, but if a midwife helped out she could get in lots of trouble.. silly laws. We found a birthing center in SC just 30 min from us. Everything is going great and our baby gal is on her way. Adelaide..

You better believe there will be some Rhythm House Drums onesies on this kid She's already got more clothes than my wife and I combined...

We've decided not to drum at the birth... but I am going to bring a cajon type drum for any downtime that might happen. It's got a nice warm and soft sound, very natural sound with a wood head.
Keep us in your thoughts!

[bops]

Best of luck to you both, you'll do great. Enjoy your bundle of joy!

[bubudi]

great stuff rhd

sending lots of positive vibes your way.

keep us posted on how it all goes.

[rachelnguyen]

YEAH!!!! Congratulations to you both!

Prayers for a beautiful labor and birth. I had both of my kids in a birthing center and it was truly one of the highlights of my life.

All love,
Rachel

[Hilde]

Good luck to you!!