Musical therapy benefits mums and bubs

For generations, mothers have sung lullabies to their babies. Now fresh research from the United States has revealed that singing to your baby positively effects their health, and fosters a stronger connection with you as a parent.

Musical therapy has gained popularity amongst parents over the last decade. The concept involves using any form of music to improve the health and wellbeing of children. Music can provide a focal point for children to improve their concentration, social engagement and behavioural development.

How does musical therapy improve the bond between mother and baby?

According to new research conducted by the University of Miami, singing to your baby can be just as important for their cognitive engagement as book reading or structured play. In fact, researchers observed that babies are highly engaged listening to their mother’s song, and will respond to changes in pitch, tempo or key.

“This research also has important applications for mothers with post-natal depression,” explains Dr Ryan Harvey from House Call Doctor, who is highly experienced in paediatric care. “Music can provide babies with sensory stimulus, whilst vocalised singing can offer mothers a distraction from the negative emotions associated with depression.”

What are the other benefits of musical therapy?

There are more benefits stemming from musical therapy than first meets the eye. In 2006, a project led by the University of Western Sydney found that musical therapy can help sick babies maintain normal behavioural development.

Throughout the project, hospitalised babies who received musical therapy sessions were less irritable or upset, and less likely to cry. In these sessions, musical therapists gently sang to each baby and only nursed the infants when this was necessary for their social needs.

“It’s the sensory nature of music that is most beneficial for infants,” explains Dr Harvey. “These studies show that music can provide babies with a focal point to improve their concentration, social engagement and behavioural development.”

“From a clinical perspective, babies who cry less because they are being guided with music, are more likely to conserve their energy,” adds Dr Harvey. “When babies are well-rested they are more likely to gain weight and grow, and these factors can help babies heal if they are unwell.”

About the expert: Dr Ryan Harvey

Dr Ryan Harvey is a General Practitioner providing after-hours medical care to children and families. Dr Harvey is experienced in paediatrics and has travelled extensively, administering medical care to children in remote overseas communities. He is also one of the few doctors in Queensland that has treated meningococcal occurring in toddlers, and incredibly all of the meningococcal patients that Dr Harvey has treated have gone to lead full and enriched lives. Dr Harvey is the Deputy Clinical Director at House Call Doctor, an organisation that provides urgent after-hours medical care to residents in Wide Bay, when their regular GP is closed.