How group singing is helping new mums with postnatal depression

A large three-year study found that specially designed singing lessons were clinically effective in treating mothers with postpartum depression. The authors say they could also be cost-effective for the NHS at a time when mental health services are under pressure.

At the children’s center on a housing estate in south London, a group of 12 young mothers sit in a circle on the floor, their babies crying, crawling and sleeping on cushions in front of them.

But in this music lesson, there are no cymbals or tambourines, no Wheels on the Bus or Baby Shark.

Instead, the group works on a mix of lullabies, folk music and gospel, switching from Spanish to Congolese to Swahili in four-part harmony tours.

From the choice of music to the size of the group to the layout of the room, the entire session was carefully designed to treat symptoms of postpartum depression.

“I can’t stress enough what a huge change this has been for me,” says Holly, 30, who started the course earlier this year after being recommended by her care co-ordinator.

She says she started feeling unwell after “my hormones or something went a little bit wrong” during her pregnancy.

Although these symptoms began to improve after she gave birth to her daughter, Ettie, she still felt “vulnerable and very anxious.”

“Being a new mother is one of the loneliest times because you’re kind of in this insular bubble,” she says.

“And the first session here, I walked in and said, ‘oh, this is my safe place.’ Like, I’m safe here.”

Postpartum depression is a common problem, affecting more than one in 10 women within a year after giving birth. According to NHS.

Symptoms are wide-ranging but can include persistent sadness or low mood, problems taking care of yourself, insomnia, and withdrawal from other people.

Melodies for Mums started as a free weekly class in Southwark, south London, in 2017, based on previous research suggesting group singing could reduce stress and anxiety.

It has expanded rapidly and now delivers face-to-face sessions to 400 women a year in five London boroughs and online classes across the UK.

“We know that women experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression can struggle to connect with their peers,” says Yvonne Farquharson, founder of Breathe Arts Health Research, the nonprofit organization behind the idea.

“So by singing we get them to really look at each other and have that kind of connection and social connection.”

New mothers often join the program after being recommended by their midwife, family doctor or local authority, or after finding it through social media or word of mouth.

There is a screening process to check whether they would benefit before starting the 10-week course.

In 2019 the sessions became part of a study funded by a £2.6 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to investigate how local arts projects can improve physical and mental health on a larger scale.

The results, published this week in the British Journal of Psychiatry, examined nearly 200 mothers with postpartum depression for eight months.

The women were divided into two groups; one group was offered a singing lesson, while the other group was offered more typical support such as community play classes.

All mothers reported a reduction in their symptoms by week 10, but in the singing group this improvement continued for another six months after the sessions ended.

Dr D., a research fellow at Kings College London and one of the study’s lead authors. “This is really important because it shows that singing intervention is not only effective in the immediate setting of depression, but also has a long-lasting effect,” says Rebecca Bind.

Women in the singing group also had a much lower dropout rate and were more likely to say they found it suitable for their needs and easy to use.

The published article did not specifically examine why singing has a beneficial effect. But researchers have their own theories.

Dr. “I think part of it is because women are around other mothers who are going through the same kinds of experiences, even though they don’t necessarily have to talk about it,” Bind says.

“And on top of that, the act of singing itself can have a very relaxing effect.”

In the second stage of the analysis, saliva samples were taken from the women to measure levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Preliminary results show that mothers in the singing group saw a “steady decline in these levels over the intervention period,” according to Carmine Pariante, professor of biological psychiatry at Kings College London.

Music lessons also helped mothers bond with their babies, and this bond continued with songs and music at home after the course was completed.

Holding her young son Ezra at the children’s center, Jay describes postpartum depression as “feeling bad when I know I should be at the happiest point in my life.”

“Although that’s not the focus of the session, just being able to be with people who are struggling [is important]” he says.

“You’re there, you’re having a great time and you’re singing, but you know these people are going through what you’re going through.”

Organizers emphasize that singing lessons do not need to replace speech therapies or medications.

But at a time when NHS mental health services are long awaited, for some women they may be a free or quicker and more accessible alternative.

Some mothers may wait up to six months for evaluation and up to a year for in-person treatment. Maternal Mental Health Alliance’s 2024 report.

Kings College London research found the cost of a music course was between £126 and £539 per mother and baby, depending on how it was measured, comparable to alternatives such as educational programmes, and significantly less than the cost of group therapy or home visits.

Breathe’s Yvonne Farquharson says the arts organization has now launched its first singing sessions for young dads.

He was also assigned by the World Health Organization to train teams to expand the classes in Denmark, Italy, Romania and other countries.

At the children’s center in south London, the group talks not only about the friendships they have made, but also about the skills they have gained over the 10 weeks.

“I have two very young children, so things can get very stressful at home,” Stella says as she holds on tightly to wriggling baby Evie.

“I’m bringing singing back into the house, so now when things get stressful I start humming and I don’t even think about it, it just happens and I can deal with it.”

Melodies for Mothers sample tracks:

• Arrorró mi niño – Spanish lullaby
• Simama Kaa – Swahili folk song
• Bele Mama – Cameroonian folk song
• Yani Yoni Ya Hu Wey Hey – Native American birth song

• A list of UK organizations offering support and information about some of the topics in this story is available at: BBC Action Line