April 13, 2007

White Nights

You've tried all the sleep experts' advice, from Ferber to Weissbluth to the Sleep Lady. But you still have a fussy, screaming baby who seems allergic to sleep – and certainly does not respond well to your tone-deaf version of "Rock-a-Bye Baby."

Singer/songwriter Carly Simon may have a secret weapon in her new album, Into White. A collection of tunes that have been made into lullabies, the melodic renditions of "Over the Rainbow," "Blackbird" and "Scarborough Fair" are sure to soothe the family.

Simon, who has been topping the charts for four decades, shares some tips on how music can pacify both parent and child:

Surround Sound: Parents can use lullabies to "drown out" the harsh sounds of the world (ambulance sirens, honking horns, the neighbor's blaring television set) to which babies are not yet accustomed. "It's not an easy segue from the quietness of the womb," notes Simon.

Slumberland Send-off: Gentle vocals can ease you into a dream where you're so content, you just don't feel like waking up. The Grammy and Oscar winner says this music "never really jars you. It never really does anything that's going to be like the brave new world of music coming in."

Breastfeeding: Calming songs have what Simon calls "lactating value." Relaxation helps the flow of milk. "The music soothes the mother who is there to soothe the child. So it's a trickle down effect, literally."

Labor and Delivery: If you haven't got time for the pain, rely on soothing songs during labor and delivery. "I certainly find that really calming music makes the pain so much easier to bear," Simon says.

A Carly original on the album is her 1992 classic, "Love of My Life." And who was the love of her life back then? Her two children – who had a hand in singing and writing on Into White.

A mother herself, Simon knows how to improvise – she jokes if Into White doesn't lead to some shut-eye, try the Rolling Stones.

Available online at amazon.com.

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