He’s an OBGYN. He’s a DJ. And he’s dropping the beats while you push out a baby.
That’s right – you don’t have to create your own playlist – Dr Sush has done it for you. And he’s absolutely nailed it with his collection of Birth Beats.
If anyone knows how intense labour can be, it’s Doctor Sushen Naidoo, or, Dr Sush. He’s a Melbourne OBGYN with a mission to bring the joy back into labour, one song at a time.
Baby Got Beats
Dr Sush is known for his open-minded, progressiveness when it comes to the pregnancy and labour journey. And one of the ways he’s helping mums find the zen is by offering them the perfect playlist to get them through every stage of labour.
From contractions to crowning, Dr Sush’s Birth Beats are designed to help mums remain calm, inspired and motivated. He also plays them in the operating theatre during c-sections.
“I started putting these songs together myself and when I started playing them for people having a baby, the response was amazingly positive,” he told radio 3AW.
The only criteria, he says, is that they must be songs a mum REALLY wants to hear during labour and delivery – one that’s “worthy of a song to be born to”.
“It’s not a new idea, (but) this particular set of songs have been curated really well so the songs sound really good,” Dr Sush says.
And it seems the Doc has hit the mark, with his patients loving his musical beats, with Elton John’s Your Song one of the favourites.
“People were having a really emotional response to the song as their baby was born. Part of the inspiration was that parents can then tell their child as they grow up ‘well this is the song you were born to.”
The playlist includes hits from today as well as classics, all of which are designed to “help connect you and your family to JOY”. Some of the songs are suited just for labour, like Under Pressure, Just Breathe and Comfortably Numb while others are designed to complement the waves of the contractions. Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, R.E.M, U2, Outkast, The Beatles, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Queen – they are all here, rocking out in the birthing suite.
And they are all ready for you to download via iTunes.
Unlike some of the other birth playlists out there which are usually around the one hour mark, Birth Beats includes 145+ songs and goes for NINE hours. This is a doctor who knows that babies often like to take their time!
So which tunes does Dr Sush reckon will help rock labour? Take a look…
Birth Beats by Dr Sush
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) Stevie Wonder
- Perfect Day Lou Reed
- God Only Knows The Beach Boys
- Born this Way Lady Gaga
- A Day in the Life The Beatles
- Nightswimming R.E.M.
- Under Pressure (featuring David Bowie) Queen
- Wake Up Arcade Fire
- Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) John Lennon
- Born Slippy (Nuxx) Underworld
- Over the Rainbow Isreal Kamakawiwo
- I’ve Been High R.E.M.
- At My Most Beautiful R.E.M.
- Exit Music (For a Firm) Radiohead
- One U2
- Don’t Panic Coldplay
- Lust for Life Iggy Pop
- Cryin’ Aerosmith
- Heroes David Bowie
- My Girl Michael Jackson
- Somebody to Love Queen
- Beautiful Boy Ben Harper
- Real Love Regina Spektor
- Mother (featuring BigElf) Christina Aguilera
- Hold Tight Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
- Don’t Stop Me Now Queen
- Your Song Elton John
- Be My Baby The Ronettes
- Big Poppa The Notorious B.I.G.
- Ready or Not Fugees
- Is This Love Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Prototype Outkast
- Don’t Worry Baby The Beach Boys
- Born to Run Bruce Springsteen
- For Once in the My Life Stevie Wonder
- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin
- Tiny Dancer Elton John
- About a Girl Nirvana
- Come as You Are Nirvana
- Kids MGMT
- Bad U2
- Today Smashing Pumpkins
- Here Comes the Sun George Harrison
- Ho Hey The Lumineers
- Cats in the Cradle Ugly Kid Joe
- Take Me Out Franz Ferdinand
- Where’s Your Head At Basement Jaxx
- Do Your Thing Basement Jaxx
- Romeo (Acoustic Version) Basement Jaxx
- Just The Way You Are Bruno Mars
- I Want to Break Free Queen
- Instant Karma U2
- Imagine Avril Lavigne
- Imagine Jack Johnson
- Stand By Me Florence + The Machine
- Stand By Me John Lennon
- Dog Days Are Over Florence + The Machine
- When You Come Crowded House
- It’s Only Natural Crowded House
- The Greatest View Silverchair
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You Lauryn Hill
- Unchained Melody The Righteous Brothers
- Unchained Melody U2
- What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
- What a Wonderful World Joey Ramone
- Happiness Is A Warm Gun The Beatles
- My Happiness Powderfinger
- (Baby, I’ve Got You) On My Mind Powderfinger
- These Days (Two Hands version) Powderfinger
- After All These Years Silverchair
- Life on Mars? David Bowie
- Just The Two Of Us Will Smith
- Wild Horses The Rolling Stones
- A Little Ray of Sunshine Axiom
- Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd
- Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
- Don’t Dream It’s Over Sarah Blasko
- Don’t Dream It’s Over Neil Finn & Paul Kelly
- Message To My Girl Neil Finn & Paul Kelly
- Private Universe Neil Finn & Paul Kelly
- Throw Your Arms Around Me Eddie Vedder & Neil Finn
- Better Be Home Soon Neil Finn & Paul Kelly
- Fruits of My Labor Lucinda Williams
- Just Breathe Pearl Jam
- New Slang The Shins
- Caring is Creepy The Shins
- Australia The Shins
- All That She Wants Ace of Base
- I Wanna Be Sedated Ramones
- Hallelujah Jeff Buckley
- Leaps and Bounds Neil Finn & Paul Kelly
- Haven’t Met You Yet Michael Buble
- Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns n’ Roses
- Crimson and Clover Tommy James & The Shondells
- Three Little Birds Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Could You Be Loved Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Redemption Song Bob Marley & The Wailers
- I Like The Way Bodyrockers
- Purple Rain Prince & The Revolution
- Glory Box Portishead
- I Want You Back Jackson 5
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
- O-o-h Child The Five Stairsteps
- I’m Not In Love 10cc
- My Sweet Lord George Harrison
- Blackbird Sarah McLachlan
- Two of Us Aimee Mann & Michael Penn
- Across the Universe Rufus Wainwright
- Strawberry Fields Forever Ben Harper
- Mother Nature’s Son Sheryl Crow
- Surrender Cheap Trick
- Beautiful Girl INXS
- Never Tear Us Apart INXS
- I’m So Tired The Beatles
- Hitchin’ a Ride Green Day
- Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) Green Day
- Thank You Dido
- Baby I’m Amazed Paul McCartney
- Wuthering Heights Kate Bush
- The Woman’s Work Maxwell
- Golden Slumbers Ben Folds
- One Angry Drawf and 200 Solemn Faces Ben Folds Five
- No Sleep Till Brooklyn Beastie Boys
- Body Movin’ (Fatboy Slim Remix) Beastie Boys
- Cosmic Dancer T. Rex
- All These Things That I’ve Done The Killers
- Turn My Head LIVE
- Easy Sky Ferreira
- Baby Driver Simon & Garfunkel
- Little Lion Man Mumford & Sons
- Bizarre Love Triangle New Order
- Take Your Mama Scissor Sisters
- Father Figure George Michael
- All You Need Is Love Lynden David Hall
- Drive My Car Glee Cast
- Here Comes The Sun Glee Cast
- Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon Urge Overkill
- Stevie Spiderbait
- Here Comes Your Man Pixies
- Where Is My Mind? Pixies
- If I Ain’t Got You Alicia Keys
- Children of the Revolution Mickey Finn’s T-Rex
- Miss Sarajevo Passengers
- Sometimes You Can’t Make It U2
- Somebody’s Baby Johnny O’Keefe
- Father of Mine Everclear
- It’s Oh So Quiet Bjork
You can download Dr Sush’s Birth Beats from the iTunes store or find out more about it on his website. While we’re on the topic of musical obstetricians, have a look at this doctor who shimmies his patients through labour. Woah, he certainly has the moves!
