Experiences of pregnant women attending a lullaby programme in Limerick, Ireland: A qualitative study

Objective: to explore women's experience of singing lullabies in pregnancy and their understanding of possible benefits for themselves and their infants. Design and participants: 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. Findings: 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.