Benefits of music in pregnancy

Music and pregnancy

On a number of occasions, science has shown the benefits that music has for the health of humans in general and of course the stage of pregnancy could not be the exception.

It turns out that listening to music can be highly beneficial for both the future and the baby on the way, who already has the ability to perceive sounds on his own from the sixteenth week of gestation. Throughout this material, we will be talking about the influence that music has on this very special stage of a woman’s life and the child she has in her womb.

Music and the realtionship of the fetus and the mother

While it is true that it has not been proven that music affects the baby’s intelligence and development, it is known that it is a very powerful catalyst of emotions for the mother, which will affect her child at a physiological level. This is because the child can perceive both nervous and quite moments that his mother feels at some point as part of the connection that both human beings already have. Although the baby cannot hear as an adult would do, he is capable of capturing the eotions of his mother unconsciously.

This connection is even strengthened by their heartbeat synchrnization, which are in time with the rhythm of the song they listen to at the same time. If the mother listens to her favorite song at that moment, she will relax and feel a state of well-being almost immediately, which will also happen with her child.

Another important detail is that the mother produces endorphins that make her feel happy and comfortable at that moment, which will also be noticed by her little one, who will also be infected by these sensations. Many would recommend classical music or medias designed for future mothers, but songs that are simply to their liking and help to relax them from daily stress are also a good option.

A fetus’s perception of music

Thanks to a study by Institute Marqués entitled ”Fetal facial expression in response to vaginal music emission”, it is known that a fetus can hear clearly sounds from his mother’s body such as her heartbeat and breaths, but outside sounds from are completely distorted, which of course includes music. It was also discovered that the only sound waves that are clearly perceived from the womb are those coming directly from the vaginal canal.

Specific benefits of music for the fetus

One of the main benefits  music for the fetus is the stimuation of the brain areas and cells responsible for language by this set of sounds, which greatly helps this area to develop correctly. In fact, there have been ultrasounds that show many babies can be seen opening their mouths and trying to vocalize while there is a background melody.

Another great benefit of listening to music for babies is intense stimulation of heart rate by these sounds, which makes the heart pump faster, the cells achieve a better oxygenation and the brain has a more complete development.

In addition to this, prolonged exposure to music may cause the baby to stay calm for a longer amount of time and cry less once he is born.

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