More than just a lullaby say researchers

A STUDY by researchers at the University of Limerick of pregnant women attending antenatal classes at Limerick’s Regional Maternity Hospital is exploring the benefits of mothers singing lullabies during their pregnancy.

The Lullaby Research team at UL is a collaboration between the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Graduate Entry Medical School, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
A spokeswoman for the study said that pregnancy and birth can be difficult periods in a woman’s life and many women suffer from stress and worries. “Medical treatment is not always suitable because of concerns that taking medication may harm the baby. For that reason, doctors and midwives are interested in finding other ways to reduce pregnancy stress, such as singing. The aim of this study is to look at the effect of different strategies in relieving stress in pregnancy,” she explained.
Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance said that the intersection of performing arts research and medical research is a rich area of exploration. “This study is a good example of the increasingly creative relationship between arts research at the Irish World Academy and the rapidly growing Medical School at UL.”
The study is looking at the calming effect of music, which may be attributable to the fact that the normal tempo of music falls somewhere between 60 and 80, when measured on the metronome. “The average measure is approximately 72, which corresponds with the average adult human heartbeat. There is additionally considerable evidence to suggest that listening to music and singing benefits both mother and infant,” the spokeswoman added.
The lullabies were taught by Kathleen Turner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Oscar Mascarenes, director of the BA Voice and Dance, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. “This study was quite compelling for me for personal reasons. I remember my mother telling me that my father used to play the piano when she was expecting me. And incredibly enough, whenever I hear the pieces, played by my father on the piano, I feel a strange connection to my origins. Some of the pieces I have never studied myself (from the notation), but, strangely enough once more, I am able to sing them/play them on the violin and piano with ease. I do believe that music has a powerful effect on the babies, which influences through their whole life,” Mr Mascarenes commented.
The lullabies taught included traditional Irish and international songs which have been serenading young children for centuries, as well as more recent compositions including Close your eyes sweet love, The Meadow and Go to Sleep My Little Baby.
Deirdre Morrisey from Limerick, a participant in the study who recently gave birth to baby Bowker, said; “When I was giving birth there were two birch trees swaying in the wind right outside the window and I could hear the melody of one of the lullabies I had learnt, Lovely Birch in the Meadow in my head. This brought me to think about all the other women in the study who were giving birth and it helped me stay focused and calm. The songs have had a big effect. Bowker is now seven weeks old and my husband and I continue to use the lullabies when rocking him to sleep,” she explained.
Participants are asked to fill in a questionnaire that measures stress. They are then assigned to one of two groups and some asked to learn to sing some lullabies. Six weeks after birth the women will be asked to fill in the same questionnaire to see if there are any differences in their levels of stress. Data analysis is ongoing at present and the findings will be presented in the near future.
Professor Paul Finucane, foundation head, Graduate Entry Medical School said that the benefits of the study so far reflect the truly collaborative nature of the project. “A sense of community support and engagement is built up through the research team and the expectant mothers. We look forward to continuing the collaboration between mothers, musicians, midwives and medics in the future,” he commented.