Pop tunes 'used to calm babies'

Some 2,000 mothers responded to the poll

Rocking a baby to sleep has been given a whole new meaning as some mothers ditch traditional lullabies for popular pop and rock tunes.

Songs such as Robbie Williams' Angels and Oasis anthem Wonderwall proved popular in the poll of 2,000 mothers.

The survey found nearly two-thirds thought pop ballads could be better for getting babies to sleep than lullabies like Rock-a-Bye Baby.

The Baby Website, which carried out the research, said it was surprised.

Spokeswoman Kathryn Crawford suggested mothers were being influenced by the music they were listening to during the day.

TOP POP AND ROCK BED-TIME TUNES Patience - Take That Angels - Robbie Williams I Kissed a Girl - Kate Perry You're Beautiful - James Blunt Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley Beautiful - Christine Aguilera Warwick Avenue - Duffy Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses Wonderwall - Oasis Girls - Sugababes

"We were really surprised to find that mums would rather sing modern pop tunes than traditional lullabies.

"I expect most mums put the radio on when at home with the baby and the catchy lyrics make it impossible to sing anything else at bedtime."

Take That's chart-topper Patience was named as the most popular pop song, while Angels claimed second place with Kate Perry's I Kissed a Girl third.

The poll also revealed 13% of mothers thought lullabies were too old-fashioned, while one in 10 said they could not remember the words to any of them.

Nearly half of mothers said they sang to their little ones to calm them when they were upset, while a third always lulled their baby off to sleep with a song.

But Simon Cooper, of Mother and Baby Music, which produces calming music CDs for parents, said: "Babies need ambient and rhythmic sounds to calm them. That is what they get in the womb.

"Some pop music will give them this, but certainly not all."

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