As a mother, you want nothing less than the best for your baby even before he/she is born. A good example of this is by playing music while he/she is still in the womb. Scientists have proven that unborn babies can recognize and process sound by the third trimester. With that said, music can contribute to your baby’s brain development while also soothing both of you. Along with brain development, music also helps your baby hone auditory and motor skills well before they are born. Most importantly, listening to music together is a wonderful bonding experience for both of you.
Does Listening To Music Make Your Baby More Intelligent?
The fact is that there really is no conclusive evidence that a fetus listening to music can help increase his/her intelligence after birth.
But then again, some studies have revealed a strong link between allowing an unborn child to listen to music and increased brain function.
In 2013 for example, tests conducted by European researchers revealed that babies who were exposed to music while still inside the womb were able to recognize and respond to the exact same songs – even up to four months after birth.
Soothing effect and bonding sessions
Though playing tunes and music for your baby may not result in long-term intelligence, it does have other wonderful benefits. Perhaps the best of these benefits is the soothing effect music has on both mom and unborn baby. As an expecting mother, anxiety, and stress can kick in during pregnancy, which is not good at high levels. Listening to music can help calm your mind and give you a better mood. It can also reduce the stress that the baby feels in the womb.
Another great benefit is how music increases the bond between mother and child. Through music therapy, prenatal stimulation is created that helps strengthen your bond and, in turn, enriches both of your lives.
Lastly, it is thought that certain types of music listened to during pregnancy can help formulate the personality of your baby as they grow up. It may be that soothing music will encourage a calm demeanour, while louder music may bring about more forward traits.
When Should You Start Playing Music For The Unborn Baby?
The best time to start playing music for your unborn baby is during the third trimester starting at 24 weeks. Music exposure for an unborn baby develops parts of the brain responsible for learning language and word patterns. During the third trimester, the fetus’s ears start to develop much faster. It is around this time that the fetus starts to recognize mummy’s voice and the common surrounding noise in the environment.
When playing music for your unborn child, most mothers prefer using a headphone and placing it over their womb. If you decide to go with this method, make sure that the music volume does not exceed 60 decibels, as anything higher can be harmful to your child. Also, make sure not to do this often as constant noise could disrupt a fetus’s sleep/rest pattern.
A less disruptive way of playing music for your child would be to use a headphone over your ears – as you would normally do.
Word of advice though, pay attention to how you emotionally react to the music you’re listening to. Keep in mind that the emotions you feel can affect your baby as well. To be safe, try to listen to calming and soothing music.
What Genre Of Music Is Suitable?
Music is a wide and varied art form, but when it comes to what genre is most suitable for your unborn child to listen to, classical music is an excellent choice. As a genre, classical music is typically calming, relaxing and can alleviate stress.
If classical music is not your cup of tea, then pick other genres that you find soothing like jazz, blues, and chillout music (for example, lounge and cafe music). The main point here is for you to find music that you enjoy and helps you relax. As much as possible, try to stay clear of extremely loud or jarring music.
Where Can You Find The Right Music?
There are a number of applications and websites that can help you create your perfect pregnancy music playlist. Two of the most accessible platforms are Youtube and Spotify.
For Youtube, you can do a quick search for “Pregnancy Songs Playlist” or “Classical Music for Pregnancy” and get thousands of results and choices. For Spotify, you may want to check out this playlist to see if it suits you.
You can opt to mix several genres into your playlist, so it is not all classical or pop. A good mix of voice, rhythm, patterns, and tunes will make for a diverse experience for both you and the baby.
Both these platforms allow you to make and customize your own playlists in the order you see fit. They also offer affordable subscriptions, which get rid of annoying ads when you and your baby are both relaxing with the music.
What NOT To Do When Playing Music For An Unborn Baby
Here are some tips to minimize disrupting your child’s sleep/rest pattern while you let them listen to music.
Avoid extremely loud and jarring music: The goal of playing music in this stage is to keep the mood relaxed and calm. Doing so will help regulate your heartbeat, and the baby’s as well. Jarring music could unsettle the baby’s rest and cause unnecessary stress – which is always best avoided.
Adjust music volume levels: As mentioned above, even soft music can be too much if played at deafening levels. As much as possible, keep the sound levels under 60 decibels as anything higher can cause stress to the baby. 60 decibels is basically a normal conversation sound level.
Stay on a schedule: Playing music at specific times will allow your baby to develop a routine. Doing so will also create “bonding moments” that the baby will recognize as your quality time together. Such a cycle can carry on in your baby’s memory after birth and help get them to form proper sleeping habits.
Baby’s Reaction To Music
In their final weeks in the womb, you will notice that your baby reacts to certain things in their environment. In the case of playing music in the womb, you will notice that they move around and kick in response to familiar tunes and rhythms. This is a great sign that they enjoy or feel at ease with the choices of music given to them. Even in the womb, babies start to develop their memory, and through music, you can aid this along.
