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Breastfeeding

Singing to Babies Boosts Their Mood and Improves Quality of Life

Singing to your infant can significantly boost the baby’s mood, according to a recent study. Around the world and across cultures, singing to babies seems to come instinctively to caregivers. Now, new findings support that singing is an easy, safe, and free way to help improve the mental well-being of infants. Because improved mood in infancy is associated with a greater quality of life for both parents and babies, this in turn has benefits for the health of the entire family, the researchers say. The study also helps explain why musical behaviors may have evolved in parents.
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1 year ago

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The study published in Child Development found that singing to infants can significantly boost their mood. This is according to researchers at Yale University’s Child Study Center, who conducted an experiment where parents were encouraged to sing more frequently to their babies. The results showed a measurable improvement in infants’ moods overall, compared to those in the control group.

The study included 110 parents and their babies, most of whom were under four months old. Parents were randomly assigned into two groups: one group received encouragement to sing more frequently by teaching them new songs, providing karaoke-style instructional videos, and sending weekly newsletters with ideas for incorporating music into daily routines. For four weeks, these parents received surveys on their smartphones at random times throughout the day.

The researchers found that parents were successfully able to increase the amount of time they spent singing to their babies. Not only did the parents sing more frequently, but they also chose to use music especially in one context: calming their infants when they were fussy.

“This simple practice can lead to real health benefits for babies,” said Eun Cho, postdoctoral researcher at the Yale Child Study Center and co-first author of the study. “We show that singing is something that anyone can do, and most families are already doing.”

The researchers believe that the benefits of singing may be even stronger than the current study shows, especially in a family that does not already rely on music as a way of soothing their infants.

A follow-up study, “Together We Grow,” will investigate the impact of infant-directed singing over an eight-month period. The Child Study Center researchers are currently enrolling parents and babies under four months old in this study to further explore the benefits of singing.

The findings have implications for alleviating stress or conditions such as postpartum depression in the long term, and may also show benefits beyond mood in infants, such as improved sleep.

As Samuel Mehr, an adjunct associate professor at the Child Study Center and director of The Music Lab, said, “Our understanding of the evolutionary functions of music points to a role of music in communication. Parents send babies a clear signal in their lullabies: I’m close by, I hear you, I’m looking out for you — so things can’t be all that bad.”

Source:Yale University
Original Link:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250530124123.htm
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Bone and Spine

The Hidden Cost of High-Support Bras: How Excessive Bounce Reduction May Affect Spinal Health

Researchers uncover how over-reducing breast motion in bras could increase back pain during exercise.
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2 years ago

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April 16, 2025

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The Hidden Cost of High-Support Bras: How Excessive Bounce Reduction May Affect Spinal Health

Research from the University of Portsmouth has revealed that high-support bras designed to reduce breast bounce during exercise may have an unintended consequence on spinal health. The study, published in the European Journal of Sport Science, suggests that achieving 100% bounce reduction could lead to increased loading on the spine, elevating the risk of lumbar back pain.

Dr. Chris Mills and his team from the University’s School of Psychology, Sport, and Health Sciences used advanced tools to investigate the effects of breast movement on spinal rotational forces. They employed a first-of-its-kind whole-body female-specific musculoskeletal model to examine how varying levels of breast support influenced torso motion, breast forces, and spinal moments during running.

The findings showed that while sports bras are essential for reducing breast pain during exercise, excessive bounce reduction may unintentionally increase loading on the spine. Simulated conditions revealed that bras eliminating breast movement led to higher spinal moments, which could elevate the risk of lumbar back pain.

According to Dr. Mills, “While a supportive sports bra is crucial for exercise comfort, excessive bounce reduction may place additional strain on spinal muscles, increasing the risk of back pain.” The study highlights the need for bra manufacturers to consider the unseen musculoskeletal impacts on the human body in their designs.

Professor Wakefield-Scurr, often referred to as the ‘Bra Professor,’ emphasized that striving for maximum bounce reduction may inadvertently pose challenges to spinal health during activities like running. “As sports bras evolve, this study challenges industry leaders to innovate designs that balance comfort, breast support, and holistic health, ensuring that bounce reduction doesn’t come at a cost to spinal health.”

The creation of a subject-specific female musculoskeletal model enabled researchers to gain a detailed understanding and approximation of changes in spinal moments, following simulated changes in breast motion during running. This model could become a useful tool in predicting appropriate and personalized rehabilitation recommendations, which could help ease the loading on the spine after breast surgeries.

In conclusion, the study suggests that finding an optimal balance between bounce reduction and spinal health is crucial for designing effective sports bras. As the bra industry continues to evolve, it’s essential to consider the musculoskeletal impacts of high-support bras on spinal health, ensuring that comfort and performance don’t come at a cost to overall well-being.

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