Does classical music benefit the development of an unborn baby?
Although there is no official way to know, there has been some research that supports the notion that fetuses move when music is played. It is difficult to assess what the movements really are since the unborn baby cannot directly be observed very well. There is data that focuses on older children and the benefits of classical music, just not for fetuses at this point. The thought is that music can help toddlers boost their spatial reasoning skills tested 3- and 4-year-olds. Many experts deduce that if music has so many great benefits for toddlers, perhaps babies and even fetuses would have the same benefits.
Some parents vouch that their babies recognize a familiar song that was played when they were in the womb. Researchers do not have conclusive evidence, but some parents believe this and continue to play music for the baby in the womb.
If a pregnant women wants to play music for the unborn child, it is best to use a regular sound system or car radio. Experts do not recommend using headphones on your belly because the music could be too loud or overstimulating for the baby. There have been studies in the 1990s by the American Academy of Pediatrics correlating exposure to loud noise over a long period with premature birth, lower birth weights, and high frequency hearing loss. Please be aware that these studies included pregnant women who worked in high noise areas.
Since the research on this topic is so minimal, medical professionals have mixed opinions on whether music is beneficial or bothersome to fetuses. Pregnant women are advised to play music to relax and unwind, which can be an indirect benefit for the baby. We don’t recommend trying to teach the unborn baby Mozart’s symphonies. If you choose to play some calming music for the unborn baby, keep the sound at a moderate level, similar to what you would hear at a department store. This will keep the baby from getting startled.