Healing Sound

Prevalence of Postnatal Depression

17% of new mothers suffer from symptoms of PND in the first four years after they have given birth. These symptoms can appear alongside the positive aspects of being a new parent.

Challenges with Access to Support

Finding support within the health care system can be difficult as there are long waiting lists and some fear the stigma of mental health issues. Hence there is a need for providing support in other ways.

Music and Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

Based on 46 studies, Rosie and her team have distilled four pathways along which music supports mental and emotional wellbeing: managing emotions, self-development, respite and connection with others.

Music Supporting Parents

Research shows that music can reduce anxiety, pain during birth, strengthen the mother-infant bond, encourage emotional expression and increase self-esteem.

Singing and Songwriting for Postnatal Wellbeing

Rosie gives a detailed overview of a randomised controlled trial with a group of new mothers participating in a 10 week singing and songwriting group. The trial results show that women with medium to severe symptoms of PND benefit most from this kind of intervention.

Specific Outcomes
Specifically with music, participants experienced a sense of authenticity in the way the groups were facilitated, me-time for the mums, the activity was immersive, participants had a sense of achievement and felt a deeper bonding with their child. A measured decrease of cortisol levels was one of the outcomes. 

Songs from Home Project

Rosie describes this online songwriting trial designed to alleviate both depression and loneliness. Participants would write lyrics around daily experiences and create tunes, all of which was recorded at the end of the project. This group experienced a significant reduction of symptoms in loneliness and PND as well as an increase in social connectedness

Music at Home

Music can be integrated into daily life to support parents. Activities such as singing, listening to music, dancing etc. can provide continued benefits.