How to Sing Lullabies to Babies

One secret most people will not share is they enjoy late night feedings. The loss of sleep is difficult, but it is eased by something irreplaceable; a special bonding experience with baby. This bond is because the focus is on baby and helping them drift back to sleep. One of the easiest ways to get a baby to sleep is by singing a lullaby.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Prepare the baby for sleep. The purpose of a lullaby is to help babies drift gently into sleep. Before you sing, make sure that the baby is ready to go back to sleep. The baby should be dry, fed and warm to help ease the transition to sleep.

2. Learn the words to lullabies. Although babies are too young to know the words to lullabies, many people do not sing to their babies because they don't know the words. The National Institute of Health website has a wide range of songs. This will help refresh your memory on many children's songs.

3. Gain confidence in yourself. Many people are anxious about singing a lullaby to a baby because they believe they don't sing well. Babies really do not have a concept of pitch, so they do not care if you are tone deaf. It is the gentle sound of the voice most familiar to them that helps them relax and fall asleep.

4. Swing the baby slightly while you sing the lullaby. It does not have to be a great motion, just a small swing while you sing. This slight motion helps comfort the baby.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't allow late night wake-ups to become a chore. Babies are only small for a short period of time, so even at your most sleep deprived state, cherish these moments. Soon your baby will not need you to comfort her in the middle of the night and you will want these moments again.

Resources

• The National Institutes of Health has a directory of many children's songs.