Music Therapy in the Birth Center
Written By: Caroline Vickstrom, Music Therapy Intern
At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, you’ll see music therapists with guitars on their backs and instruments in tow, walking the halls of the pediatric units. This past January, music therapy intern Caroline Vickstrom expanded her music therapy services across to another side of the hospital to support adult patients in the Birth Center as well.
As part of her final internship project, Caroline conducted a 5-week trial of music therapy in the Birth Center, specifically in the Antepartum Unit where patients with high-risk pregnancies are monitored and cared for. Music therapy was also provided for staff in the Postpartum Unit, serving patients who have recently given birth, and for staff working in Labor & Delivery. Twice a week for an hour each, she’d meet with patients in individual and group sessions to provide support during these long hospitalizations.
Individual sessions often consisted of patient-preferred music, played live at the bedside, which would lead to therapeutic conversations to process patient feelings surrounding their experience. Partners of patients occasionally were present during music therapy, which provided an opportunity for family-centered care by supporting the needs of spouses and family members as well as of the patients. Group sessions provided an opportunity for socialization with other patients on the unit, by decreasing isolation and connecting through shared music.
During these five weeks, Caroline also provided support for nursing staff through music therapy. Birth Center staff were welcomed in group sessions, and Caroline played environmental music at the Postpartum, Antepartum, and Labor & Delivery nursing stations as well. It was wonderful to be able to share the benefits of music therapy not only with patients and families, but also with the people who work tirelessly for these patients.
Overall, bringing music therapy to the Birth Center was a success! We hope music therapy services can continue to expand to these units in the future.
