Reading to your unborn child can be a great bonding experience for parents. As early as 20 weeks gestation, your baby is developed enough to hear sounds, according to Dr. David Fay of PregnancyToday.com. Furthermore, by 28 weeks gestation, a baby responds to sounds in the womb the way she will outside the womb, according to BabyCenter.com. Therefore, reading out loud to your unborn baby can likely be an enjoyable experience for you both. Many parents are unsure of the best approach of reading to a baby in the womb, but the process only requires a few steps.
Step 1
Decide on what you want to read. Nursery rhymes or poetry are a good choices because of the rhyming and rhythmic nature of the words, according to Discovery Health, but the real key is to find something you feel comfortable reading out loud.
Step 2
Go to a quiet, relaxing place that is free from distractions and noises. This may help increase the clarity of your voice to your baby, but more importantly will help you concentrate on the bonding experience.
Step 3
Begin reading. Your baby is used to hearing your voice all day long, and it is not necessary to speak any louder than usual. According to Johns Hopkins Magazine, the phonetics of speech are not heard, only the rhythm, melody and intonation of the words. Therefore, concentrate not so much on what you say as how you say it. Reading with inflection and feeling may make for a more enjoyable experience for you and your baby.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider inviting the father or other friends and family members to read to the baby for their own bonding experiences as well. Encouraging them to get close to your belly when speaking, as your baby will have a harder time hearing them than it does you. In addition to reading to your baby, consider other ways to bond. Singing, talking or even writing letters to your unborn baby are some other ways you can feel more connected to your baby even before birth.
- Reading to your unborn child can be a wonderful bonding experience, but it may not necessarily increase intelligence or provide any meaningful education, according to Johns Hopkins Magazine. Be wary of prenatal education products. Although there may be some anecdotal stories that these products may be useful, they can be quite expensive and their effectiveness has not be proven. In fact, Janet DiPietro, associate professor of maternal and child health at Hopkins' School of Public Health, theorizes that these items may actually harm a fetus as sound waves may be amplified while traveling through amniotic fluid.
