Benefits of Playing Music for Your Unborn Baby (And How to Do it Safely)

As an expectant mother, you want to do everything in your power to make sure your baby is healthy when it’s born. So you invest in prenatal vitamins, stick to a strict diet, and take good care of yourself to benefit your baby.

But are you incorporating womb sounds like music into the mix, too?

If not, you could be missing out on a golden opportunity! Consider taking advantage of the many benefits of playing music for your unborn baby.

You don’t necessarily have to sit around and play music for your unborn child all day long to reap the rewards of doing it. In fact, that’s actually not the best way to go about doing it (more on that later!).

But playing just a few womb sounds per day could be beneficial. Here are some of the benefits of playing music for your unborn baby.

Reduces the Stress Levels in Mothers and Babies at the Same Time

It’s very common for expectant mothers to feel incredibly stressed out when they have a baby on the way. They’re worried about everything from how their baby is developing to what’s going on with the progress in the baby’s nursery.

All this stress can take a toll on mother and baby alike. If a mother is feeling stressed out, it’s having an effect on the baby and forcing the baby to experience stress, too.

In some instances, stress during a pregnancy can have dangerous and sometimes deadly consequences. Expectant mothers who experience high stress levels are more likely to give birth prematurely.

There are lots of different ways to reduce the stress that you and your baby feel when you’re pregnant. One of the simplest and most effective ways is by turning on some classical music and relaxing as it plays in the background.

Allows Mothers and Babies the Opportunity to Bond

Prenatal bonding is something that expectant mothers and unborn babies should definitely do. It gives them a chance to form a close connection prior to the birth of the baby.

There are so many options for expectant mothers who want to bond with their babies when they’re still in the womb. They can:

• Talk to the baby
• Read to the baby
• Write a letter to the baby and read it aloud
• Tell the baby about all the great qualities he or she is going to have
• Meditate and think about the baby

But the best option of all might be to either play music for the baby or, better yet, sing softly to the baby.

Studies have shown that babies develop ears very early on in pregnancy and can hear by the 16th week in the womb. They’ll respond to the womb sounds you make when you decide to put on music or sing to them.

Encourages Brain Development in Unborn Babies as They Grow

There are many studies being done on how womb sounds affect unborn babies that are ongoing. Researchers are still trying to determine if there is a definitive connection between playing music for a baby in the womb and the intelligence of the baby later.

But there is some evidence that suggests that playing music to an unborn baby will help his or her brain to develop. The thought is that the music allows for neuron connections to be built in the brain.

In the end, researchers may find that playing music or making other womb sounds for an unborn child has little to no effect on the baby’s intelligence moving forward. But in the event that a link does exist between these two things, it certainly couldn’t hurt to start exposing your baby to music at a young age.

Establishes a Musical Routine for Babies That They Can Continue After Birth

While the jury is still out as far as how much music impacts an unborn baby’s intelligence, there are lots of studies that have shown that playing music to babies who have been born can be beneficial to them.

A study done a few years ago revealed that 1-year-old babies who took part in music classes with their parents were more likely to:

• Smile more
• Communicate more effectively
• Demonstrate more sophisticated responses to music

But the problem is that it can be difficult for parents to start music-related routines during the first year of their child’s life if they haven’t done it already.

When you make a commitment to play music to your baby when they’re still in the womb, it’ll make it easier. You won’t have as much trouble finding time to incorporate music into your baby’s life after they’re born.

How to Play Music for Your Unborn Baby Safely

As you can see, womb sounds can be great for your unborn baby. But–and this is a big but–you do need to make sure you’re playing music for your unborn baby safely when you do it.

Here are a few tips to follow to keep your baby safe when you play music to them in the womb:

1. Use headphones placed over your stomach to give your baby easy access to music
2. Steer clear of keeping headphones over your stomach for any longer than 1 hour
3. Avoid playing music for your unborn baby at a volume that’s any higher than 70 decibels
4. Choose a type of music that features a lot of different musicals notes and that repeats the same sounds over and over again (classical is always a great choice)
5. Stay away from playing any music that might sound too harsh to an unborn baby (that means no rap, no heavy metal, and almost no rock)

As long as you follow these tips, your unborn baby should be just fine and should get a positive experience when you play music.

Try Playing Womb Sounds for Your Baby Throughout Your Pregnancy

Once you start playing music for your unborn baby, you’ll find that both you and the baby will benefit from it. The stress you feel will melt away and your bond with your baby will grow.

Try playing womb sounds for your baby today to see how good it feels. It won’t be long before it’s part of your daily habit.

Read our blog for more great tips for expectant mothers.