The baby’s brain begins to develop rapidly after fertilization occurs in the womb. The brain cells of the baby start to develop, connect, and multiply continuously. The brain’s functions become more complex, with systematic communication connections between cells.
When will the baby start to hear music?
The fetus begins to hear sounds at around 4 months or 16 weeks of gestation. Therefore, talking to the fetus or playing music for the fetus during this period means the little one can start to hear. When the baby begins to hear, stimulating hearing development by frequently speaking to the baby and playing music can help. The music should be soft and pleasant, such as classical music, instrumental music, or music that the mother likes. While playing music, the direct and clear benefit is that the mother feels relaxed, as if resting, and happy, which causes the release of happiness chemicals or endorphins. These help the baby receive the happiness chemicals released from the mother, resulting in the baby’s responsive development, emotional development, and happiness. Music should be played at a moderate volume and kept a little distance from the belly because if the sound is too soft, the baby will not hear it.
Faster-paced music may help stimulate the baby to be more alert and also stimulate hearing development, but the mother might not enjoy it as much. Overall, slow and pleasant music helps create happiness for the mother and simultaneously stimulates the fetus’s hearing. It can be said that playing one piece of music provides double benefits.
The voices of the mother and father are beneficial to the baby. Hearing the voices of the mother and father helps the nervous system and brain that control hearing develop well and prepare for hearing after birth. The mother should frequently talk to the baby in a gentle tone, using repetitive sentences to help the baby become familiar. She can also talk about daily routines, tell valuable stories, or read books to the baby, which is good. The mother’s talking should be at a moderate volume—not just whispering but normal speaking voice. The benefit of talking is that the fetus can recognize and remember the mother’s voice, forming a physical bond and recognizing the mother’s voice after birth. Sometimes when the baby cries and fusses, others may not be able to soothe the baby, but when the mother speaks to the baby, the baby will stop and listen immediately because the baby remembers the mother’s voice and feels warm and safe upon hearing it.
Good sounds are beneficial to the fetus, but what we want to emphasize to fathers and mothers is to truly appreciate the importance of sound—not just because sound stimulates hearing or other benefits, but because what happens during these moments is the beauty of two lives: the mother talking to the baby and listening to music together. The baby may respond sometimes by moving, kicking, or reacting, or even if there is no response, it is still a good time when mother and baby are weaving a bond of love to remember each other.
