Maternal Humming during Kangaroo Care: Effects on Preterm Dyads' Physiological Parameters

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Physiology
• Maternal-Infant Bonding
• Music Therapy

Background:

• Preterm infants exhibit physiological instability.
• Maternal vocalizations, like humming, are explored for their calming effects.
• Kangaroo care enhances infant well-being, and vocalizations can complement this.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of maternal humming versus speech on preterm infants' physiological parameters.
• To assess the impact of maternal humming versus speech on mothers' physiological parameters.
• To investigate how humming's melodic contours and note lengthening affect infant physiology.

Main Methods:

• A single-group, repeated measures study design with 36 preterm dyads.
• Microanalytical methodology using ELAN software for audio-video analysis.
• Measurement of infants' and mothers' heart rate (HR) and O2 saturation during silent, speech, and humming protocols.

Main Results:

• Infants' mean heart rate was significantly lower during humming (p=0.028).
• A higher proportion of O2 saturation relative to HR was observed in infants (p=0.027) and mothers (p=0.029) during humming.
• Sinusoidal contour duration and final note lengthening predicted infants' O2 saturation/HR ratio.

Conclusions:

• Maternal humming appears more effective than speech for stabilizing preterm infants' cardiorespiratory function.
• Specific musical features of humming contribute to improved physiological stability.
• Humming during kangaroo care offers a promising non-pharmacological intervention for preterm infants.