The Lullaby Project - combining music and peer support to build confidence, resilience and connection
In partnership with Live Music Now and B3, we’ve been working with new and expectant parents across Basildon and Tendring to co-create personal lullabies for their babies. We’re only partway through this one-year project, but it’s already clear that something truly special is happening.
This unique collaboration brings together the power of music and the warmth of peer support, two things that can deeply nurture emotional wellbeing during the transformative journey into parenthood. Becoming a parent can be a time of joy, love, and excitement, but it can also bring feelings of isolation, uncertainty, and overwhelm. That’s why creating spaces where parents can connect, share, and express themselves is so vital.
Through the Lullaby Project, parents come together in small groups to reflect on their experiences; what pregnancy and early parenthood mean to them, what hopes they hold for their babies, and how they’re adapting to this new chapter in their lives. Working alongside professional musicians from Live Music Now, they transform these reflections into original, personal lullabies to capture their stories and emotions.
The process itself is powerful. Many parents have shared how the act of writing and singing a lullaby, something intimate and deeply personal, has helped them articulate feelings they hadn’t put into words before. For some, it’s been a way to express love and connection with their baby. For others, it’s offered comfort during challenging moments.
By combining creative expression with peer connection, the project helps parents feel seen, heard, and supported. They’re not just making music, they’re building community. One participant described the sessions as “a space where you can just be yourself and not feel alone.” Another said, “I never thought I could write a song, but hearing my words sung back was emotional—it made everything feel real.”
Beyond the individual experience, the project is helping to strengthen community wellbeing. Local parents who might not otherwise meet are connecting across shared experiences. The collaboration between Live Music Now, B3, and Parents 1st UK is also deepening the network of creative and emotional support available to families in the region.
Early feedback shows the impact is lasting. Parents report feeling more confident, more connected, and more positive about their journey. The sessions often spark continued friendships and open up conversations about wellbeing that extend far beyond the music room.
As we move into the second half of the project, we’re excited to see how these lullabies continue to ripple out - inspiring parents, and strengthening bonds.
You can read more about the impact of the project so far, and listen to some of the beautiful lullabies created by parents in Basildon and Tendring here➡️ Essex Lullaby Project 2025