Your offline birth playlist checklist

A saved track and a downloaded track are not always the same thing. Before you rely on audio away from home, check that the recordings you want actually play without an internet connection.

You do not need a long playlist or new equipment. A few familiar recordings, a charged phone and a quick playback check can give you a simpler setup to reach for. Here is a practical checklist you can work through before packing your bag.

Choose a small starting selection

Start with audio you have already listened to. Choose a favourite guided session and, if you like, a quieter alternative with fewer spoken instructions. Keep the starting selection small enough that you or your birth partner can find the right track quickly.

There is no ideal playlist length. You can add more later, but you do not need to fill every possible hour. It is also fine to decide that you would prefer silence at some point.

If you are still choosing a voice, our guide to starting with hypnobirthing audio gives you a few things to notice during your first listen.

Check the download, then test it

While you have a reliable connection, use your audio app’s download or offline feature for the tracks you want. Wait until each download finishes. In BirthSound, prepare your offline labour pack before you expect to need it.

Then do a short, deliberate test:

1. At a convenient moment, briefly disconnect the phone from Wi-Fi and mobile data. Restore the connection when you finish the test so you can receive calls and messages normally.
2. Open the app and find each selected recording.
3. Start playback and check that you hear it. Try a later point in the track too, so you are not only hearing a previously buffered beginning.
4. Pause, close the player and reopen the recording once more.

If a track does not play, reconnect and check its download status and any access requirements in that app. Repeat the test after downloading it again. Streaming the free BirthSound web session is a way to try the audio; it is not a substitute for checking your in-app offline pack.

Test the sound setup you will bring

Try the headphones or speaker you intend to use with the actual phone. Check the connection, the volume controls and where sound comes from if headphones disconnect.

If you use Bluetooth accessories, charge them and make sure you know how to reconnect them. If you use wired headphones, check whether your phone needs an adapter. Pack the cables you used for the test so you are taking a setup you know works.

Ask your birth setting about using a speaker if that is your preference. Keep volume comfortable and be ready to pause the audio when you need to communicate.

Show your birth partner the shortest route

Ask your birth partner to find and start a chosen recording while you watch. This is a useful way to discover an unclear track name or a control you forgot to explain.

Agree when you would like them to help and when you would rather control the phone yourself. If you are preparing other ways they can support you, use the birth partner checklist to talk through words, preferences and practical tasks.

Do one final check after changes

If you change phones, reinstall an app, remove downloads to free space, or change subscription access, test your selected tracks again. Earlier playback is not proof that the same files are still available on the phone you will bring.

Keep a charger accessible and your favourite audio easy to find. Once the setup works, you can leave it ready and turn your attention to the rest of your preparation.