How Pre- and Postnatal Singing Support Secure Attachment
babies love music bonds consistent fetuses begin to form a connection with their mother’s voice around the 4th month of pregnancy how postnatal singing supports secure attachment how pre- and postnatal singing support secure attachment just sing kids love music lullabies maintains babies’ attention and stimulates emotional responses (like smiling) prenatal and postnatal singing is one of the easiest ways to jumpstart secure attachment. secure attachment series of positive and nurturing interactions singing dad singing helps grownups self-regulate singing is the best singing is the way singing mom singing parents utero May 17, 2024
BY KINDERMUSIK
How Pre- and Postnatal Singing Support Secure Attachment
The bond between caregiver and infant is one of the most critical factors in positive whole-child development, and the keyword is secure attachment.
Secure attachment doesn’t mean constant baby-wearing or helicopter parenting—it does mean a consistent series of positive and nurturing interactions between caregivers and infants that form the foundation for healthy social-emotional and cognitive growth.
So, how do you know if you’re making these connections happen? Singing can help.
It can all begin in utero. Prenatal and postnatal singing is one of the easiest ways to jumpstart secure attachment.
Let’s take a look at the facts.
How Prenatal Singing Supports Secure Attachment
Did you know fetuses begin to form a connection with their mother’s voice around the 4th month of pregnancy? Though it’s still subconscious at that stage, that is baby’s first introduction to outside stimuli, and it’s just the beginning.
By the third trimester, they can even pick up on singing patterns and may recognize the tunes after they’re born. So, start picking out those lullabies early to make bedtime routines easier later!
And for mothers, singing while pregnant is a fast-acting way to lower stress. Naturally, baby responds to that lower stress level, both by hearing mom’s voice and feeling her biological response to reduced anxiety.
All of these positive interactions create a safe environment for little ones even before they’re born, and let baby know they have someone to count on.
How Postnatal Singing Supports Secure Attachment
Once the baby is born, the road to secure attachment continues through the power of song.
Postnatal singing—especially lullabies and soothing tunes—maintains babies’ attention and stimulates emotional responses (like smiling) more than speaking. Plus, it keeps them calm for twice as long!
Singing helps grownups self-regulate, too, and we know that it’s critical for our social-emotional health to be in check first before we try to help little ones regulate their emotions.
We love “May There Always Be Sunshine” as a calming song for both grownup and baby. You can listen to it on our free app!
It’s all about reinforcing those short-term connections to shape long-term emotional bonds.
So, when baby is ready for their first day at a childcare center or an overnight with grandma, they’ll know—even if they cry when you leave (and they probably will!)—their special grownup(s) are coming back. When they throw their first major toddler meltdown, they’ll seek solace with you because you’re their safe space. And the same when they experience their first fail in sports or the arts. Their first heartbreak. The list goes on.
They know they can count on you. And it all started with singing.
Want to take it a step further? Find a Kindermusik class near you or check out our early learning kits to learn more about prenatal and postnatal bonding strategies.
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consistent cowbell crazy sounds: what the voice can do creativity skills in music education crucial pre-reading cut down on cell phone babbling dance in sync dancing dear students developing balance and coordination developing fine motor skills developing gross motor skills developing strong relationships develops inhibitory control devotion of activity diy beach in a bottle! do music? yep! you're probably smarter do your research. don’t be scared… don’t forget to play! don’t have preconceived notions about when “real speech” will occur don’t just sit there – move! draw what you hear. embrace your “baby voice” emotional intelligence emotional learning enhance phonemic awareness establish a daily routine for music. everyone can sing everything you needed to know about a kindermusik class explore the three b's expressing ideas expression feeling it fetuses begin to form a connection with their mother’s voice around the 4th month of pregnancy find a calm song find a family class that helps you grow find an affordable program and reduce student debt finding your place in the performing arts follow the child for children with unique learning styles for the love of musik: starting a kindermusik studio four on the 4th: four ways early music classes prepare your child for school… and for life four on the fourth: four reasons to sing the day away free music rituals album freeplay getting grounded giving gifts group communication skills growing up in kindermusik guiro hang back from the sales frenzy. have a dance party. head voice for kids head voice vs. chest voice hearing hearing it hearing system heavy traffic high-pitched kids hoping to nurture social-emotional wellness in your child? music helps. how can music class help my family regulate noise? how do babies bond? how kindermusik prepares your child for school how loud is too loud? how music affects your mood and your mind how music strengthens emotional development and bonding how music teaches kids to self-regulate how postnatal singing supports secure attachment how pre- and postnatal singing support secure attachment how the voice works how to keep the daily rhythms and routines that matter to your child imaginations impact: music and the differently abled improved happiness levels in your right brain: the mind’s response to music in-person or virtual music class help? incorporate themes. increases literacy and pre-reading skills infant music classes instrument exploration instrument exposure intentional pitch just sing keep learners engaged at home with songs that connect to each lesson. keep learning about creativity kid songs kids beats kids generation kids get it: music is magic kids love music kids need to be kids kids playing kids playlist kindermusik kindermusik and the music city: betsy flanagan speaks at the national head start conference and expo kindermusik blog kindermusik class for toddlers kindermusik classroom instruments and their big brothers kindermusik community kindermusik is the key kindermusik reviews: cutie sue and the darkness kindermusik reviews: the book with no pictures kindermusik reviews: the not so quiet library kindermusik reviews: what do you do with a problem? kindermusik's approach kindermusik’s gift guide lack of attention span needed language and literacy skills language and speech language skills lesson learned: how my son spent $1200 on itunes let kids create their own magic. letter sound let’s play: is it an instrument? listen to instrumental songs. look for a longer shelf life. love and music: a magical connection love for music is the answer lower stress - better health lullabies maintains babies’ attention and stimulates emotional responses (like smiling) master instruments math skills melody magic: music strengthens social bonds memorization motorcycle movement and music: hop moving and the mind music music affects the science of reading music and literacy are processed the same way…through sound! 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sing throughout the day singing and movement singing dad singing helps grownups self-regulate singing in choir makes you happier singing is the best singing is the way singing mom singing parents sirens and fireworks sleeping infant so social social skills social-emotional growth social-emotional learning soft music solving problems sound sound first – symbol second sound vocabulary sounds speak up. speech skill sports events square peg in a square hole: music in the preschool experience – a natural fit squirm steady beat steady beats for kids steady beats matters story time! reading to kids the right way storytime strengthens the vestibular system stretching them to their limits as we create strong relationship studio kindermusik classes study after study summer camp summer camp on a summer slide summer slide summer slide: what you should know sun’s out support divergent thinking through play support physical distancing and social-emotional development with seated or outdoor musical activities. talk teach creativity teaching kids to become creative the beginning of life is beautifully composed the best gifts are often not the most expensive the best kind of summer school the blues: music and mood the box vs. the toy that came in it: why the box wins the brain looks for patterns. the collaborative for academic the gift of health: music boosts the immune system the gift of love: a parent’s perspective of kindermusik the gift of time: holiday activities for the whole family the neurosciences and music vi: music the power of “i love you” rituals the science behind singing to your child the surprising connections between social-emotional skills and cognitive development the surprising reasons why grownups love kindermusik too toddlers and toys too loud: how to prevent early hearing loss in children tools tools for kids top 5 tips for buying the perfect simple gifts for kids triangle trudel music studio trust trust relevant experts. try to live by this rule of five unique brain patterns universal language: music therapy use a mirror to visualize phonemes using music to address challenging behaviors utero vacuum cleaner we have no earlids. we hear with our brains. we love our kindermusik educators what can i do to prevent early hearing loss? what does it take? becoming a kindermusik educator what kids need what kids want: quality time what kinds of activities should an infant music class include? what makes kindermusik so compelling to children what’s wrong with toddler music lessons? when it comes to your kids investing early pays off whisper white noise for babies who knew? kindermusik changes lives in jordan why barefoot is best why do children need a “music program”? why do you sing? why does music increase literacy development? why is newborn bonding important and when does it happen? why is unstructured play important? why music is better than white noise for babies why shared musical experiences with your child are so important (and ideas to implement!) why singing to your child every day is vital why songs stick in our heads why toddler music lessons aren’t the best idea wiggle will i gain confidence as a parent? with love woodblock worried about partying in college? a music major ain’t got time for that! 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