Korean-Inspired HUG Lullaby Helps Fathers Calm a Fussy Baby

Click HERE to see and hear this Korean-inspired HUG Lullaby! 

This lullaby, written in the spirit of a Korean folk song, emphasizes the role of fathers in calming a fussy baby. 



This is the latest offering in the HUGs Around the World: International Lullabies to Calm Babies and Empower Parents, a project that combines HUG Your Baby content with the musical traditions of countries visited during the 2013-4 International HUG Your Baby Teaching Tour.  

Child Development Background of this HUG Lullaby Jan Tedder, BSN, FNP, IBCLC, reminds us that babies cry--sometimes a little, and sometimes a lot! This lullaby shares effective HUG Your Baby techniques that fathers (and mothers) can use to calm their baby: cuddling skin-to-skin, holding the baby’s hands to her chest, swaying the baby gently up and down, and speaking in a calm and gentle voice. Because it is written from the baby’s perspective, new parents can see and hear the frustration a baby sometimes experiences and how grateful that baby feels when "daddy knows just what to do!" 

Adult learning theorists remind us that education is enhanced when material is offered through multiple senses. Since music and images offer a direct connection to "emotional learning," Jan uses photos of fathers around the world and video from the La Belle Mere postpartum care center in Seoul, Korea, to create this music video. Childbirth educators, nurses, midwives, doulas, and lactation and infant massage specialists can boost parent confidence and empower new parents by incorporating this lullaby into prenatal and early parenting classes.

Musical Background of this HUG Lullaby  
Jim Henderson, PhD (Jan's husband and director of “Dad’s Got The HUG”), adapted the melody and chords for this lullaby from a traditional Korean song. Because gongs are one of the signature sounds of Korean music, Jim was delighted to use authentic Korean gongs for this production. Flutes of all shapes and sizes are also a staple of Korean music. CLICK HERE for a glimpse into the creation of this HUG lullaby. Jim's good friend and musical colleague, Tony Bowman, produced the music, sang the vocal, and played the other instrumental parts in this tender, baby-friendly lullaby. Korean gongs were loaned to Jim by our percussionist friend, Beverly Botsford.

CLICK HERE to see other HUGs Around the World Lullabies.
CLICK HERE to read more about bringing HUG Your Baby to Korea.
CLICK HERE to learn more about HUG Your Baby's work and trainings.