Did you know that there are so many benefits to playing music to your little one during pregnancy?
These benefits include having a positive effect on your baby’s brain, being an aid in your child’s development, and helping to sooth your little one once they make their arrival into the world.
If you’re expecting and haven't already been playing some tunes to your baby bump, you may want to start now!
While working with UNICEF, Dr. Ibrahim Baltagi has shared an insight into playing music to your bump and the positive impact it has on your baby from when they are in your womb until they are much older.
Research has proven that music plays a role in the brain’s development before birth. Music also can also have a positive impact on your baby's cognitive and auditory function. While most babies are able to hear their first sound at 16-18 weeks, by 24 weeks ears develop rapidly and babies can respond to noise.
When unborn babies hear music for instance, or the voice of their parents, they can turn their head in response to the noise and will be able to recognise language, patterns and rhymes. This can help to keep your baby stimulated and aids the development of auditory system.
Once you reach your third trimester, there is no doubt that your child can hear the world around them, including the music you play for them. Listening to classical tunes and gentle lullabies can help soothe your little one. This is why lullabies are often played or sung to newborns as they try to fall asleep.
Using the same gentle music you played during your pregnancy can help to create a calming and familiar setting for your child if they are being fussy at bedtime.
Dr. Ibrahim Baltagi says, “A familiar tune or music or song becomes like a session of music therapy. Slow, soft, repetitive music will actually slow down the heartbeat and allows for calmer and deeper breathing”.
While listening to music is beneficial for your child’s development, music is also important for pregnant women. Music can have a soothing and uplifting effect on pregnant mums, which helps to keep Mum calm and relaxed, and this also has a positive influence on unborn babies.
