Share some of your experiences with children of this age and level.

[Meredith Pizzi]

[Emily Baroody]

The last time I worked with babies as young as 0-9 months was during my internship which was in a pediatric hospital setting. The patients in this hospital were international. Because of this I had the opportunity to work with a small baby who was brought to the United States from another country and was not allowed to be accompanied by parents. This was this was the first time I had spent a significant amount of time with a little baby not only in my career, but also personally. Music was used to provide procedural and ot support, engagement in developmental activities and comfort and bonding with myself and the hospital staff as temporary caregivers. It was almost an exhilarating experience to be able to sing and sway and cuddle a little baby and to provide comfort in an otherwise uncomfortable setting. It was my favorite thing to allow the baby to just fall asleep and take a micro nap in my arms while I was singing. If this experience was so exciting for me not as a parent I can only imagine what a music group for babies can provide as far as bonding for the parents not only in the group but at home.

In my more personal experience with infants, one of my best friends has just had her first baby. She is the first of my friends to have a baby and so this little one gets a lot of attention. I have been able to witness the stress of being a first time parent. The uncertainty of fulfilling the babies needs and responding to her cries. I can see how overwhelming every cry is for my friend. And I also get to see those great moments of pride when she finds something that works to soothe her baby or does something that makes her smile. And how her confidence is increasing with each passing week. I think that providing a music group to my community for infants could help enhance the experience of first time and new parents.

[Kristina Rio]

I enjoyed reading your response Emily! What great experiences you’ve had!

[Cynthia Cross]

I absolutely love the idea of helping new parents with the stress of having a baby! I have never worked with infants as a music therapist but I did have 2 boys less than 2 years apart. I still remember much of the stress and especially feeling inadequate when I couldn’t do something with the baby. My observation is that really no one is quite prepared to have a baby – regardless of the experience! Having that little one 24/7 and completely dependent on you takes baby care to a whole different level. I can definitely see where a group such as Sprouting Melodies would benefit all.

I will share a couple infant stories from my experience…my oldest did not sleep through the night until 9 months. One of my best memories is of my husband holding him on his chest, after I had nursed in the middle of the night, and humming the lullaby song. Sometimes that was the only way Michael would quiet. Even though my husband was a little out of tune it soothed both the baby and me so we could all grab a little sleep.

Another story that speaks to the stress of having an infant…when my second son was about 3 months old I put him in his car seat on our table for a second. The next thing I knew the seat shifted and he went flying onto the floor face first. I was so freaked out I couldn’t even call the doctor – my hubby had to do it for me. He was completely fine but when accidents happen to your baby the natural instinct is to blame yourself. I think so many parents experience these types of moments and I feel good about being able to offer some relief and support for them!

[Corie Barkey]

Seldom work with children this young but I have and do sometimes. What I love about this age is the constant learning. These babies are usually experiencing everything for the first time. The amazement is usually so obvious in their eyes as they learn about the world. My own children are probably the best experience I have with this age range. The stress of being a new parent is sometimes so intense that it is terrifying. I can remember being a new mother and the intensity came from the biggest range of emotions I had ever experienced in my life. I was difficult to sort through because I was feeling everything and anything; Happy, scared, sad, tired, mad, blessed, physical pain, a new role for me, a new role for my husband, helpless, empowered and confused all at the same time. I can remember the lullaby time being so beneficial to not only my son but myself. I would sit and rock and sing a gazillion variations of typical lullabies as well as original improvisational ones I needed in the moment. I can only hope to give that musical comfort and the confidence to reproduce it at any time to new and seasoned parents.

The time is SOOOOOOO short and to validate all that is happening with the baby as well as the parents is crucial for continuing to develop the bond. When that baby looks to you as you sing your heart melts and strengthens at the same time. MUSIC MAGIC!!!

[Molly Moses]

I worked with children this age in the NICU of the children’s hospital while completing my internship. I love working with the age because you can see the changes on their faces and/or their movements as they absorb and adapt to what you are doing. I also really liked working with these parents, as they were typically so open to and appreciative of the support.

[Laura Silvestain]

I have not worked with children this age in music therapy, but I will get the chance to this fall, when my practicum is in the NICU. I have worked with children this age at the YMCA as a child care provider. Most of the time was spent observing the children and making sure they are happy, and when they weren’t figuring out the best ways to calm them down. Most of the time I would walk with them and sing, and they calmed down almost all of the time. In fact, it worked so often that my coworkers started calling me the “Baby Whisperer”. But to me, it was reassurance that music can make a difference in a young child’s life.

[Mary Kerrigan]

I have not had the opportunity yet to work as a music therapist with babies and I do not have any kids of my own. When my cousins and older sister started having babies I was unfortunately 6 hours away at college and really wasn’t around much during those baby and toddler years. But as I mentioned in one of my first posts my cousin had a little boy in December of 2013 so finally I was able to be around for all those wonderful baby moments. This pregnancy and birth weren’t like all the others though because he was born at 30 weeks and was in the NICU for the first 2 months of his life. This was a very overwhelming and hectic time especially for his parents but also for the whole family. They already had an almost 4 year old son at home and were stressed between spending time with him as well as the new baby fighting for his life in the hospital which was at least a 25 minute drive from where we all lived. We all took turns babysitting for the older one and helping run errands and do anything we could to take some of the burdens of regular life from my cousin and her husband to be able to spend more time with their kids. Finally in February he was able to come home at 5 1/2 lbs and I became obsessed with him. He was an extraordinarily happy baby that would literally smile the instant you talked to him. The last month while he was in the NICU the doctors told my cousin she was finally allowed to play music softly next to his crib, so she downloaded the Beatles lullabies and I bought her a slit drum and ocean drum to bring in an play for him. When he was about 7 months old and started to have a little more strength to sit comfortably in his bumbo I was babysitting and brought my guitar with me. Having worked with older adults basically since I started working professionally I have become a huge Beatles fan myself. I started playing “Yellow Submarine” and “Let it Be” for the boys and the baby couldn’t stop smiling and cooing. Today he is about 20 months old and now he wiggles his hips and stomps his foot (what he thinks is jumping though) and he laughs hearing those Beatles songs. All of my little cousins and nieces love music, but our whole family agrees that this special little guy definitely has the potential to become a musician himself some day. I think the music really gave him comfort when he was struggling as a innocent helpless little baby and music still continues to bring comfort to him as well as joy now that he can finally start making great music himself.

[Mary Carter]

The only clinical experience I’ve had with babies of this age was when I was doing my internship in pediatrics. We would go down to the burn unit (the largest one in Jersey) whenever they had babies going in for their debriding treatments where they would remove the dressings, wash the burns and redress them. This is a very painful and traumatic experience for the babies and parents are not allowed in the tank room where this would take place. We as music therapists would go in with our guitars and voices to sooth and calm the babies through this treatment. I learned the importance of where to place my pitch, how to really use my guitar to create a steady ostinato and the importance of taking big, long audible breaths. The burn technicians all agreed how helpful this was to the treatment as it helped to keep the babies as calm as was possible in this situation. I can not stress how helpful and important big breaths and sighs were in calming the babies and lowering their heart rates.

[Kristina Rio]

You all had such wonderful experiences to share. I enjoyed reading them!

[Mary Jane Dibble]

Most of the children I work with and have worked with are just older than this but there have been a few babies this age in my sessions. It is such an important time for the child to be able to bond with their caregiver and it is an importan time to help the child to feel safe and loved. It is important to not do anything too crazy and unpredictable in the music because children this age could easily become upset. It is fun to watch the children this age and to notice all that they are taking in even just by observing.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. It was a pleasure to read your submissions.

[Brianna McCulloch]

I had a great mommy and me group hosted in someone’s home. Most of the babies were about 4-6 months when we started–by the time I went on maternity leave almost a year later, the group looked VERY different! The music experiences I provided definitely evolved–I really appreciate the descriptors of a group like this (calm affect, touching, etc.) because that was exactly my experience. I am by nature a very enthusiastic (ok, ok, I’m kinda loud) person, and I remember walking into the house that first day, all the parents and babies were there early, and the parents were all just staring at me like deer in headlights. You could see the exhaustion and uncertainty on their faces. I started with a simple, gentle, quiet “hello” song, had them singing within a minute and a half, and you could literally see their posture relax, smiles on their faces and they were just really enjoying singing with their babies. They quickly grew to love many of our songs, and we changed them over time as the babies grew into the different developmental stages (once they were all crawling it was quite a riot–lots of exploration of instruments, babies going up to other parents), but honestly, as much as I loved working with the babies, I loved working with the parents. They were SO GRATEFUL for the chance to be cozy and silly and fun with their little ones.

[Kristina Rio]

Thanks for sharing Brianna. It sounds like you have had some great experiences already!

[Melaine Pohlman]

One of the most rewarding experiences I have had with parent and young child groups came early in my career when I had the chance to provide weekly sessions for women and children living in a Domestic Violence shelter. While this was several years ago, this training has brought that experience to mind a great deal. Looking back, I’m struck at the impact their time in music had. It was a sacred space for them; a safe space, a space filled with bonding, nurturing and joy, too. What an honor it was to see these mothers and children bond, connect and interact in the musical environment. In many ways I’ve reflected on how many aspects of Sprouting Melodies facilitation skills discussed in this training were at work during my time with this group. The women were thirsting for positive reinforcement and reassurance that they were doing the best they could given their situation. They looked to me for confirmation that their children were growing well and in a healthy manner. In many ways I wish I could go back to that clinical situation and take some of the skills I’ve gained in my time as a clinician and through this course. It would enhance what I did in so many ways. I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of a similar situation again! This training has made me think about our own local domestic violence shelter and homeless shelter. Wouldn’t it be great to make a connection there!

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