Lullaby Announces Babies' Birth at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Karina Rusk 831-759-1843

Lullaby Announces Babies’ Birth at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center

SALINAS, CA, October 16, 2017- Patients, visitors and staff at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center are listening to the sweet sound of Johannes Brahms’ Lullaby every time a baby is born at the medical center. The wonderful tradition started this morning immediately following the birth of baby Erick López. Baby López was born at 8:08 am and soon after, a 15 second clip of the famous lullaby was played over the public announcement system throughout the medical center.

“This is very special, something I’ll always remember,” says María López, mother of baby Erick López. Her husband Rafael Lopez agrees, “not only have my wife and baby received exceptional medical care at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center but one day when my son is old enough I’ll tell him the medical center played the lullaby for the first time when he was born. This is a wonderful celebration of life,” says Rafael López.

“This is going to be a very special tradition,” says Christie Gonder, RN Chief Nursing Officer. “Listening to the famous lullaby will make people smile. The melody will be uplifting to our patients, visitors, and staff-it’s a wonderful way to welcome new babies into the world.”

The lullaby will play when a baby is born between 7 am and 10 pm. It will play twice in a row when twins are delivered or three times in a row after the birth of triplets. Immediately following the birth of a baby, staff will inform the medical center operator who will then play the lullaby over the medical center's intercom system.

German composer Johannes Brahms wrote the lullaby also known as the ‘Cradle Song’ in 1868 under the title, “Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, Gute Naght,” which translates to “Good evening, good night”. The lullaby’s melody is one of the most famous in the world.

Approximately 150 babies are delivered at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center every month. In consideration of normal sleeping hours, babies born after 10 pm will be celebrated with their very own lullaby the following morning.