Sing To Your Baby

Mothers around the world sing to their infants in remarkably similar ways, and infants prefer these specialised songs.

- G.V. Joshi

A recent study carried out by Dr Shannon de l’Etoile, professor of music therapy, University of Miami Frost School of Music, USA, has suggested that the act of a mother singing to her baby, one of the universal forms of care giving, is as beneficial to the mothers, as it is to the child.

While singing to their baby, mothers, new or old go through a much needed distraction from the negative emotions and thoughts associated with depression. Mothers around the world sing to their infants in remarkably similar ways, and infants prefer these specialised songs.

The tempo and key certainly do not need to be perfect or professional for mothers and infants to interact through song. The voice need not be very melodious nor the singing in perfect tune.

A relationship between a mother and her baby is divine and words fail to express the amount of love shared by them. A baby may not speak in the early stages, but a mother always understands her baby. Mothers often use hand gestures, recreational activities and lullabies to communicate with the baby.