Experimental: Music

We will create three recordings with increasing complexity for each infant. For each infant developmental stage (32, 34, 36+ weeks PMA), Music Therapists (MTs) in both units will present parents with a curated list of 8-10 musically comparable, familiar lullabies to select from. Songs will be available in different languages reflective of patient diversity, with rhythm, tempo, pitch range/ change, instrumentation, melody, harmony selected drawing on available evidence, including BWH NICU pilot data. Timing: MBI to be administered after regular NICU care and feeding times, which are typically considered stressful times for infants. The goal of the intervention will be to provide a calming and relaxing experience to the infant as they settle back to sleep after handling times. Music delivery will occur via infant-adapted headphones to facilitate blinding.

Experimental: Music and parent voice

The selected lullabies will be pre-recorded by the MT as described above to include a guitar accompaniment track, and a separate vocal track with the MT singing along, in two separate keys to allow variation for parent voice range and comfort. Parents will be invited to sing along with the recorded track of MT singing, and MT will later remove the MT-voice recording track so only the parent voice will be heard with the guitar in the final recording. Timing: MBI to be administered after regular NICU care and feeding times, which are typically considered stressful times for infants. The goal of the intervention will be to provide a calming and relaxing experience to the infant as they settle back to sleep after handling times. Music delivery will occur via infant-adapted headphones to facilitate blinding.

Active_comparator: Reference/ Standard of care

These are infants recruited in the study who will receive the unit standard of care. They will be listening to the NICU ambient noise via infant-adapted headphones but will not receive any music intervention.