Maternal singing of lullabies during pregnancy and after birth: Effects on mother-infant bonding and on newborns' behaviour. Concurrent Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
Mother-infant bonding is of great importance for the development and the well-being of the baby. The aim of this Concurrent Cohort Study was to investigate the effects of mothers singing lullabies on bonding, newborns' behaviour and maternal stress.


METHODS
Eighty-three (singing cohort) and 85 (concurrent cohort) women were recruited at antenatal classes at 24 weeks g.a. and followed up to 3 months after birth. The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) were used to assess maternal-foetal attachment and postnatal bonding.


RESULTS
No significant influence was found on Prenatal Attachment; by contrast, Postnatal Bonding was significantly greater (i.e. lower MIBS) in the singing group 3 months after birth (mean 1.28 vs 1.96; p=0.001). In the same singing group, the incidence of neonatal crying episodes in the first month was significantly lower (18.5% vs 28.2; p<0.0001) as were the infantile colic (64.7% vs 38.3%; p=0.003) and perceived maternal stress (29.6% vs 36.5%; p<0.05). Infantile colic was reduced in the singing group, even in the second month after birth (22.8% vs 36.5; p=0.002). At the same time, a reduction was observed in the neonatal nightly awakening (1.5% vs 4.7; p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Mothers singing lullabies could improve maternal-infant bonding. It could also have positive effects on neonatal behaviour and maternal stress.
School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppina.persico@unimib.it.
Giuseppina
G
Persico
Department of Health Sciences, Center of Biostatistics for Clinical Epidemiology, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy.
Laura
L
Antolini
School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy.
Patrizia
P
Vergani
Department of Clinical and Community Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
Walter
W
Costantini
Musicologist and Music Therapist, Via Vittorio Emanuele II 24, 20842 Besana Brianza (MB), Italy.
Maria Teresa
MT
Nardi
Maternal Neonatal Ward of San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
Lidia
L
Bellotti
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D011247:Pregnancy; D063346:Singing; D055815:Young Adult
Lullabies; Midwifery; Mother–infant bonding; Newborns’ behaviour; Singing mothers