Becoming a mother is life-changing, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, beautiful and amazing—there’s no doubt about it.

But the labor and delivery part? That can be physically and emotionally taxing. So it’s good to be prepared and have a few tricks up your sleeve for the big day. Maybe you want to have an exercise ball to bounce on, maybe you’ve decided you’ll labor in the tub—or maybe you’ve decided that having Carole King and Tupac there just makes sense (trust us).

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Whatever your strategies are, consider adding a music playlist to your list.

A study from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario concluded that listening to music is helps you manage pain and stress during labor.

Remember Salt-N-Pepa’s words: “Push it real good!”

And our words—you’ve got this, mama. ?

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