A child is born; a journey begins. All around the world, different cultures practice their own ways of welcoming a child to the planet, some of which are unique and some of which are universal. Welcoming Children Into the World, compiled by Ellen Kushner, host of the weekly radio program Sound and Spirit, reflects some of those celebrations.

The CD opens with a group of children of the Baka Forest People chanting a simple "Nursery Rhyme," their giggles proving the universal quality of a child's laughter. Malcolm Dalglish follows with "Little Potato," a unique take on the cabbage patch: "You're my little potato / Dug you up / You come from underground." This is exactly the kind of song a parent makes up while walking the floor or rocking in a chair. Harmonizing vocals and the plucking sound of a hammered dulcimer add dimension to the sweetly silly song.

"O! Que Mueve Mezes" is a Turkish Sephardic Jewish song praising the strength of women in childbirth. Libana, a women's world music ensemble, performs the song with voices pure as bells. Much of the song is lively, and perhaps would seem to belie the subject, but the joyful pace is balanced by a kind of prayerful concentration -- not unlike labor. The focus shifts to the moment after birth, when the child is an entity separate from the mother, and the powerful transformation that creates in parents in "C'est La Vie," performed by Henri Dikongue of Cameroon. The song, in French, sounds like a love song, as well it should.

The next track goes back to North America with John McCutcheon's moving and exuberant "Happy Adoption Day," its gently swaying waltz beat evoking images of closeness and wonder at the creation of a family: "For out of a world so tattered and torn / You came to our house on that wonderful morn / And all of a sudden, this family was born / Oh happy adoption day!" Sally Rogers follows up with her classic, upbeat "Circle of the Sun," sung a cappella with a brassy, hand-clapping and foot-tapping beat, marking the milestones of birth, walking, talking, marrying and dying.

Kushner notes that, "in a sense, the infant Jesus stands in for all new babies entering the world: the miracle of life and infinite possibility." There are any number of songs which celebrate the Nativity, and Kushner chose "Bay Magalhi," a sacred song performed by the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble. The lyrics, sung in a mixture of Spanish and a Guatemalan Indian dialect, are underscored by a number of authentic pre-Colombian instruments. Next, Navajo songwriter Sharon Burch celebrates a child's waking in the exultant "First Cry." A harmonica accents Burch's strong smooth vocals. A recording of Woody Guthrie singing "Hey, Pretty Baby (Who's My Pretty Baby)" follows from the Smithsonian archives, an upbeat bouncy song designed to soothe and induce giggles in a cranky infant.

Two lovely lullabies follow. The poignant traditional "Nepalese Lullaby" from Neelam Shrestha has a less than happy theme: a mother is pleading with her baby to go to sleep, but the sound, although minor in key, is still loving and calming. Tanja Solnik's "Durme Durme" is a Judeo-Spanish lullaby; the gentle melody evokes memories of watching my children as babies falling asleep in my arms. The face relaxes, a small pink mouth opens in a resigned yawn and sigh, the eyelids flicker and close, the tiny body seems to sink against me.

The hardest part of parenting is letting your children go; this is a bit by bit process not unlike being pecked to death by a sparrow. Sweet Honey in the Rock reminds us that "Your children are not your children / They are the sons and the daughters of life longing for itself" in the brilliant a cappella "On Children," based on the piece from Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. The final track on the album, "Mangina Zaza," is a popular traditional song from Madagascar performed by Rossy, a Malagasy pop star, and the light bouncy playful tune is made for pleasing babies -- as well it should, since it's about helping a child stop crying.

The CD is a pleasant, eclectic mix, and although many of the songs are not in English, the sentiments and sense of celebration shines through the performances. Welcoming Children Into the World should be welcome in any home where there is a new addition to the family.