Music in the Womb

Most people have heard that babies can hear sounds from inside the womb. What you may not know is that it can happen early on in a woman’s pregnancy. In fact, some studies have shown that a fetus can begin hearing sounds as early as 16 weeks!

For an unborn baby, music can have lasting effects. It can prepare the ears and brain to listen and produce language sounds, and even improve brain development. It can connect the Mother and Baby at a very early stage in a special way. And music is a stress reliever and healthy for Mom too!

But if you’re going to play music for your baby to be, you’ll need more than just a clock radio. Here’s 3 ways to get baby grooving in utero, from easy breezy to major musical commitment.

1. Easy Commitment: Ilado Paris Pregnancy Necklace If you want a relatively non-invasive way to get music into the womb, try a pregnancy necklace. Ilado Paris was inspired by the traditions of a Mayan culture where mothers wore an ancestral chime necklace during pregnancy. “It was traditionally worn by the Mayan mothers: during pregnancy, as a protective amulet for the expectant mother and her baby; and after birth, as the familiar gentle chime sound of the necklace would soothe and reassure the newborn baby by reminding it the comfort and warmth of the womb,” according to the company. Ilado’s designs are not only useful, but also beautifully crafted making a wonderful accessory for pregnancy. Price Range: $99-$500. Buy it here.

2. Medium Commitment: Bellybuds by WavhelloIf you’re willing to go one musical step further, Bellybuds is a specialized speaker system that gently adheres to your belly. It is easy to apply, portable and discreet, making it something that can be used on the go or while resting at home. The folks at Bellybuds believe that a baby’s full hearing begins at 20 weeks and memories can form at 30 weeks making the importance of hearing music and sounds important during pregnancy. Plus anyone close to the baby can use a free app to help choose music, record messages, etc…to be played for the baby in the womb. An added bonus: you can send your used Bellybuds back and they will get donated to organizations such as Baby2Baby. Price: $49.99. Buy them here.

3. Major Commitment: Babypod If you’re willing to go to extreme lengths to create a musically inclined fetus, Babypod is for you. This small intervaginal device (inserted much like a tampon) will allow the baby to hear the music and sounds more clearly than any other device. So, why should you go to these extreme lengths to get music all up in there? The officials at Babypod believe that the sounds and music a baby might hear from outside the abdomen is quite muffled, whereas getting to hear it from inside the Mother gives a much more clear stimulus to promote their neurological development. Babypod scientifically guarantees its product and notes that it’s been tested and approved by Institut Marquès, an internationally renowned centre in Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Assisted Reproduction. “Eighty-seven percent of babies react to music streamed vaginally with body and head movements,” the site states. “In addition, they open and close their mouths, stick out their tongues and gesticulate. It is a discovery never seen before.” There is a small amount of cleaning that needs to happen after each use but the overall experience appears otherwise very simple. Price: $150. Buy it here.