Singing lullabies to premature babies helps them leave hospital sooner

Listening to lullabies can help premature babies feed and sleep better, according to new research.

Playing soothing music to the newborns can also help to slow their heart rates.

The researchers found that slowing a premature baby’s heart rate and improving their sleep and feeding behaviours, helps them to gain weight which means they may be able to leave hospital sooner.

However, the study authors at New York-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Centre for Children's Health also discovered that different types of music have different effects.

They found that lullabies sung by a parent can influence a baby’s cardiac and respiratory function, while melodies have a positive effect upon a preterm baby’s feeding.

ABC News reports that a previous study, by researchers at Florida State University, also found that babies who receive music therapy leave hospital earlier than those who do not.

Another previous study, by researchers at Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York, revealed that when babies are played lullabies that are chosen by their parents this promotes bonding between the child and its parents.

Research has also revealed that when music is played in a neonatal intensive care unit the parents’ levels of stress also fall dramatically.

More than 24 hospitals in the U.S. now offer music therapy as treatment in their neonatal intensive care units and the popularity of the treatment is increasing rapidly.

When you are pregnant, stay away from Rock Music, you don't want your kids acting strange; shaking their heads, jumping up and breaking things.

This could also be a great time for mothers-to-be to learn how to sing; now I meant. A bad voice could do a lot of harm. You never can tell. Haha