7 Really Cool Things Your Unborn Child Hears
Babies can hear way more than you think while they are still inside you.
Here are 7 hearing related things that just add to the amazingness (yes, I made a word) of pregnancy.
1. Baby Starts Hearing Around 18 Weeks
The cells in the developing head of the small pea-sized embryo begin to arrange themselves into unique tissues. These will eventually become the brain, face, eyes, ears, and nose. By the end of week 9 after conception, small indents appear on the sides of the neck that will later become cute little ears. All through the first and second trimester, the ears continue to develop, and at week 18 it is likely that they start detecting some sounds.
2. Baby Can Hear Body Movements
Your baby is very sensitive to sounds after week 24. They can hear your body movements when you get up, stand, sit, or walk. Even the movement of muscles and cracking of bones could be heard. Are you in a mood to work out? Your bub can hear the muscles moving around. Worried about sounds you make during your bowel movements? Yes, of course, the little one can hear them. And those moans and groans in the bedroom – yep, they hear them too!
3. Baby Can Hear Your Heartbeat
Of course your baby can hear your heartbeat. They can even sense when you are excited or relaxed as your heartbeat changes.
4. Baby Can Hear Your Hungry Tummy
Thanks to those pregnancy hormones which can enhance cravings, pregnancy makes you eat random, weird foods. But have you ever wondered if baby can hear those gurgling and rumbling sounds in your tummy? absolutely. Those noises echo right around your little one’s developing ears. So the next time you crave those pickles and candies, remember your baby can hear it very well.
5. Baby Can Hear The Flow Of Blood
How weird is that? Had you ever considered that blood flowing inside the body has some noise to it? A pregnant body pumps a lot of blood which reaches the heart through the veins. Veins which run right next to your little wonder inside.
6. Baby Can Hear Air Wooshing In And Out
Shortness of breath is a common pregnancy problem and when your breathing becomes louder and deeper, the baby can hear it clearly.
7. Baby Can Hear Music
There are many benefits from listening to music and it is well documented that babies can not only hear music, but respond to it. For example, their heart rate changes according to the type and tempo of music played. And not only music, babies in utero can also hear voices and other sounds. In fact, repeated voices and sounds get processed in their developing brain in a way that allows them to recognise their parent's voices. So, when you read a story to your baby, just know that they get excited to listen to your voice.
It's pretty amazing but always be careful and remember that noise can cause some developmental damage or hearing loss in a growing baby if it is too loud, prolonged, or repeated.
