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A classical lullaby helped reduce newborns’ pain during heel pricks

Easing newborns’ pain is important for neurological development and later pain perception

A pediatrician administers a heel prick test to check sucrose levels in a newborn baby boy after a caesarean section.

In a clinical trial, a classical lullaby helped to alleviate newborns’ pain during a heel prick, a procedure to collect blood for certain tests after birth.

Petri Oeschger/GettyImages

By Aimee Cunningham

The soothing tones of a classical lullaby may help to relieve the pain newborns can feel from routine medical procedures. The mellifluous method could be a beneficial addition to other pain-easing tactics.