title: Experiences of pregnant women attending a lullaby programme in Limerick, Ireland: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to explore women's experience of singing lullabies in pregnancy and their understanding of possible benefits for themselves and their infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  over four group sessions with musicians, six pregnant women, all expecting their first baby, learnt to sing three lullabies. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted approximately three months after the birth to capture the women's experiences. Participants were recruited at antenatal classes at a metropolitan maternity hospital in Ireland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The women enjoyed participation in the lullaby project and all felt it benefited them and their babies. Themes uncovered included: (1) beyond words: music and the articulation of deep emotion; (2) a balm for the soul: the power and pleasure of beautiful music; and (3) music and the facilitation of infant development. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTISE: Singing lullabies in pregnancy had a soothing and calming effect and was a pleasant experience for participants. It was also an emotional experience and appeared to facilitate the expression of difficult emotion such as fear and anxiety. This effect is likely to have a significant and positive impact on well-being for pregnant women and as such warrants further exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick, Ireland. mary.carolan@ul.ie
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carolan
authors.forename: Maebh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mascareñas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D009146:Music; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult