What do babies hear in the womb?

Between the 16. and 22. week of pregnancy the baby will start to hear sounds from within your body such as your heartbeat, after the 23. week it will be able to identify your voice and other external sounds. Between the external world and the interior of the womb are layers of fluids and your body, so the baby will hear everything muffled by about half. In the beginning the babies’ ears will only be able to hear tones of lower frequencies, so it will generally hear male voices better, but your voice ill be loud for the baby because it is so close and reverberates throughout your body. Studies have confirmed that babies identify and prefer the voice of their mother while within the womb. When they can recognize it, babies react to the mother’s voice with an increased heart rate which suggests excitement.

After about 26 weeks the baby can start responding to the sounds it hears, changes in heart rate, breathing or movements. Loud noises can scare the baby and cause sudden movements, ultrasound has shown changes in facial expression when babies hear music.

The sounds a baby experiences while in the womb contribute to the development of its brain and hearing, which, of course, continue after birth.

It isn’t necessary to artificially promote this natural process, and there is no data to suggest that playing Mozart or other classical music will make the baby smarter. Research does suggest that listening to music as well as other sounds and voices while in the womb helps the development of hearing, memory and emotions. It’s all right for you to continue your everyday life with the same tempo and eventually try to avoid exposing yourself to very loud surroundings.

It's important to take care of the sensitive ears of your baby, and not expose them to noises that are too loud. Do not put headphones directly on your stomach, the sound will be amplified while traveling to your baby and will probably be too loud for it.

*This text is intended for informational purposes only. If you experience any symptoms, it is recommended that you seek advice from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.*

*Image taken from :https://pixabay.com/photos/pregnant-mom-child-pregnancy-woman-775036/*