Do you ever wonder why everyone asks expecting mothers to keep talking, singing, and reading to the baby even before they are born? Are you aware of how much impact maternal voice has on fetal development and bonding? Come, let’s dig in deeper!
Yes, the baby can hear when in the womb. Around 18 weeks into the pregnancy, a baby’s hearing abilities develop, enabling them to hear sounds from inside the body – like the mother’s heartbeat, blood flow, etc. At around 23 weeks, the ability to hear improves and enables the baby to hear outside noises. They may not be very clear at this time and the baby will hear muffled noises. Around 24 weeks, the baby can start hearing the mother’s voice.
When the baby starts hearing the mother’s voice, it starts responding to it. Studies show that when the baby hears the mother’s voice, they tend to move slower and their heartbeats also slow down. By the time they are fully developed, they can hear as well as an adult. So even inside the womb, a baby can hear all voices around them, as well as sounds from inside the mother’s body.
Now, the question is – can the baby really recognise the mother’s voice inside and outside the womb? Will the baby be able to distinguish between the mother’s and other’s voices once they are out of the womb? Everything is bound to sound different once they are out, then how can they recognise it?
Yes, they definitely can. Hearing the mother’s voice repeatedly helps the baby commit the voice to their memory. After birth, when they hear their mother for the first time, a baby will recognise it. They may take about a month to distinguish the mother’s voice from multiple other voices but will recognise it when not accompanied by other voices or sounds.
In fact, studies show that babies prefer the mother’s voice over other sounds in the first two days after birth. When everything is new after birth, the only thing consistent is the mother’s voice. The baby’s eyes, nose, limbs, skin, and everything else have to be adjusted once they are outside the womb. The ears – not so much. The sounds tend to be clearer as the baby’s ears are not in liquid anymore.
Systematic reviews and research study the impact of maternal voice on the fetus using fetal cardiac, motor, and brain responses. Different studies show different impacts. Some of the commonly observed effects of maternal voice bonding are:
● The baby’s motor movements and heartbeat slow when hearing the mother’s voice.
● The foundation for language learning is laid through the words and sounds the mother uses.
● Hearing the mother’s voice stimulates neural development in the fetus.
Hearing the mother’s voice in the womb can have the following impact after the delivery:
● Emotional connection between the mother and the baby after birth is better than in babies not exposed to the mother’s voice (hearing loss, adoption, surrogacy, preterm delivery).
● Baby can recognise the mother’s face faster than others when it is accompanied by the mother’s voice. The baby can associate the familiar voice with the face and make a connection.
● Baby learns the language the mother speaks more easily than others due to the exposure in the womb.
● In the case of preterm babies, constant exposure to maternal voice after the delivery helps improve the neurological rate of development in the newborn.
● Exposure to maternal voice can improve sucking and oral feeding abilities in preterm babies.
Everyone advises an expecting mother to keep talking to the bump. Many women may find it very natural, while some might find it challenging. If you are one of the latter or just need more ideas to improve maternal voice bonding, don’t worry. There is nothing wrong with you, and you are definitely not alone. Here are some ideas to try:
● Keep talking to the bump as you go around doing your chores. You can express vocally about your feelings, what you are doing, what you plan to do, etc.
● Set aside a few minutes a day to sit down and talk to the bump while touching or caressing it.
● Listen to soothing music. Studies show exposure to classical music in the womb can have some positive impact on neurological development.
● Avoid loud noises or talking in loud tones. Using a calm and soothing tone at all times can help keep the baby relaxed.
● Read to your bump. Yes, you can start reading and telling stories to your baby while they are still inside. They can’t comprehend most words even after birth but will be familiar with the language and grasp it quickly.
● Sing to your baby. It can be as simple as singing along to some of your favourite tracks.
Over the years, multiple studies have revealed that a mother’s voice has a deep impact on fetal development. It also helps in bonding after birth. Talking to the baby in the womb can help the mother too. If you are unable to do it, don’t fret. Talk to your doctor and get guidance about how you can do it to the best of your ability.
● By the 18th week, the fetus’ ear develops and can start hearing sounds. Researchers believe what the baby hears inside the womb will be muffled due to the liquid and other materials in between. However, by week 24, the baby can distinguish the mother’s voice and respond to it through movements such as turning the head or moving the limbs.
● The volume of your voice does not really matter, as the baby can hear it from the inside. However, very loud noises can affect the baby.
● High levels of maternal stress can make the fetus process the sounds more extensively. When the mother is calm, the baby inside also feels calm and does not get startled by sounds easily. On the other hand, when the mother is stressed or anxious, the baby can be very sensitive to sounds.
