Category Archive: Soothing Baby

Creating a Relationship with Music

Categories:

Babies, Connection, music, Soothing Baby

January 14, 2013

by soundbir

I recently bought a new CD for my Birthday present to me…I listened to a few of the songs and wondered if it was worth spending that $32.  I didn’t FEEL anything.

I realised that this isn’t anything new.  It has always taken time for a new piece of music to “grow on me”. Why is this?

Well, I believe that we create a relationship with music just as we do with people.  When you meet someone for the very first time you look, listen, feel into them, work out whether or not you resonate with each other…then decided whether or not you want to pursue the relationship any further.  From here you may call the person again, see them again, talk, go out..basically get to know each other on a deeper level each time.

It is the same with hearing a piece of music for the first time.  You may listen to it in the car, as you go for a walk, you may dance to it with your lover, you may use it to soothe your baby to sleep and the list could go on and on.  In both situations you will be deepening the relationship and creating new memories connected to the music or person each time.

Then, in twenty years time when you bump into the person or now friend again, your whole being remembers what you had together as if it happened yesturday.  This is the same as if you hear that piece of music again…the memories you created together come flooding back and you experience the same feelings as what you did twenty years earlier.

For example, the other day I was showing my kids who Kylie Minogue is on utube and I heard “I Should Be So Lucky” for the first time in 20 + years!  In those days (I find it hard to admit) I went through a Kylie Minogue phase, so hearing this music again bought tears to my eyes… It bought me straight back into my family home with those young teenager feelings… No wonder elderly people light up when they hear songs they used to dance to with their friends and lovers in the “good old days”.  Music takes us straight back.

So remember this as you sing or listen to the same song over and over and over again as you put your baby to sleep or keep your toddler happy in the car… One day you will hear this music again and all the lovely memories and feelings will come flooding back…and you may also shed a few tears.

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A Musical “Routine”

Categories:

Babies, music, Sing, Soothing Baby

October 23, 2011

by soundbir

Types of Routines

I have always cringed when people used to ask me after I’d had a baby, “Have you found a routine yet?”  I used to wonder, “Are you talking about a routine that I have imposed on the baby or a natural routine where I am following the baby’s rhythm?”  Hmm… I was never one for rigid bedtime or feeding routines for a number of reasons but mainly because it just didn’t feel right.  I believe and I have experienced for myself three times that baby’s find their own natural rhythm just like any baby animal does.  I learnt to let go and trust that my babies would let me know when they were hungry or tired and as they let me know I learnt to meet their needs quickly and from a loving space.  Every family finds their own way through parenting and uses “routine” in different ways to different degrees.  Whatever works for both parents and baby is the best.  By the way, you know if it is best for baby  if the s/he is content, peaceful, happy most of the time.  If the baby is crying it is an indication that you, the parent needs to try something different or the baby is experiencing physical discomfort.

Musical Magic!

So how does music fit into all of this?  Like I said, I never forced my kids to go to sleep or feed at certain times or play happily on their tummies for 20 mins a day…but I did use music as a tool to help them move into sleep or stay playing for longer periods so I could make dinner or wash the dishes.  Every time they heard the “sleep” music they would associate this with mummy, boobies, warm, cozy, rocking, feeling relaxed…sleep!   Whenever we did a nappy change I sang “Der Glumph went the little green frog one day” and they would smile and most importantly let me change their nappy without screaming their head off!.  When they were playing on the mat I would put on “Mozart for Babies” by Don Campbell and they would play contently for a much longer period than if there was no music.  The best example was when my last daughter screamed in the car I would put on her “sleeping” music and she would stop crying immediately and sometimes fall asleep!  I wasn’t holding her and she couldn’t see me but the familiar music was enough to trigger those feelings of being safe and secure and sleepy…and she would settle down. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sing to Soothe Your Baby to Sleep

Categories:

Soothing Baby

January 31, 2011

by soundbir

When I was ten years old I used to walk around the lounge room with my baby sister in my arms chanting an old Sanscript chant “Om Namah Shivaya” (Yes, my parents were into meditation which at the time was pretty “weird”).  I loved the feeling of satisfaction when her tired eyes finally closed and I could feel her body completely relax into a deep sleep.

When my three children were all babies I did the same thing every time they showed signs of needing to go to sleep.  I would either walk around the room or bounce gently on a fit-ball with my baby in my arms and sing.  Yes, my back would ache a little and maybe thoughts such as “I wish I could just go to sleep” or “I wish I could just lie down and watch my favourite movie..” would cross my mind…but then I would put myself in my baby’s shoes and realise that I was giving her three beautiful gifts – my voice, my body and my movements. All of these are familiar to her from being in my womb and therefore soothing and comforting to her when she is in my arms.  So, I let go of those thoughts knowing that I didn’t HAVE to walk and sing her to sleep…I actually WANTED to walk and sing her to sleep!

I strongly feel that those hours I spent walking and singing created the strong connections I now have with my children (and boy do you need that as they grow older!).  The more connected you feel towards your baby the more responsive you are to their needs.  When you respond quickly to their needs they learn that the world is a safe and loving place and are therefore content and happy babies and eventually happy adults! Read the rest of this entry »

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