Stress Relief Through Sound

"Experiencing pregnancy, regardless of outcome, can be accompanied by high levels of stress, fear, and uncertainties revolving around the well-being of the parents and the infant. Music therapy can decrease stress and anxiety, helping parents cope with emotions, feel stronger, and be distracted from stress, particularly during stays in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)."

"Throughout the study, music therapists offered services to all newly admitted parents in the maternity ward and NICU each week. Sessions involved an integration of developmentally appropriate relaxation-focused music for both parents in the maternity unit and the NICU. Common interventions used include parent psychoeducation, songwriting, music and feeding, music-assisted relaxation, and playlist creation."

Parenthood brings joy but also significant stress, fear, and uncertainty about infant and parental well-being. Music therapy offers a non-pharmacological intervention to address these challenges. Research demonstrates that music therapy decreases stress and anxiety in parents, particularly during NICU stays, helping them cope emotionally and feel stronger. A 2022 exploratory study evaluated music therapy's impact on perinatal parental stress by providing music therapists to newly admitted parents in maternity wards and NICUs. Interventions included relaxation-focused music, parent psychoeducation, songwriting, music-assisted feeding, music-assisted relaxation, and playlist creation. The study focused on parents' needs and experiences rather than infant development, exploring how music-based coping strategies can minimize parental stress during perinatal care.

Read at Psychology Today