The word
lullaby means
to sing to sleep, and the tempo of these tunes is
usually one beat per second—approximately the same as a heartbeat.
The slow, rhythmic pace of lullabies is perfect
for your baby after he has
been fed and is drifting into the land of Winken, Blinken, and Nod.
However, these tranquil songs are usually powerless to stop babies in
the midst of a crying frenzy.
By that point, they’re so lost in screams
they can’t hear you, even though you may be singing their favorite song.
Just as adults can be “blind
with rage,” babies can become “deaf with
distress.”
Fortunately, you can rescue your baby from crying by switching to a
tune with a zippy rhythm of two to three beats per second. These fast
songs work especially well after your baby is swaddled. They’re the
original “Wrap” music! If you’re
a Beatles fan, try calming your baby
with a fast jiggle like “It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night.” As he begins to
settle, slow down to “We Can Work It Out” or “All You Need Is Love.”
And when he’s
putty in your hands, shift to a slow song like “Golden
Slumbers” or the number-one favorite of all new parents, “I’m So Tired.”
Lullabies work better and better with repetition,
as your baby
gradually learns to associate the music with the sweet cuddling you give
him every time you sing.
Lullabies Help Parents Too!
Lullabies calm babies—and parents. These songs gently soothe
our
jangled nerves and lull us into a more peaceful state of mind.
Lullabies also often contain a dash of
black humor to help sleep-
deprived parents vent their feelings and laugh a little. Consider, for
example, the lyrics of the classic lullaby, “Rock-a-Bye Baby”:
Rock-a-bye baby on the treetop,
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