Your baby is still in your belly, but already looking for a way to relax him or her? It is possible! New research shows that classical music stabilizes the heart rhythm of fetuses. A calmer heartbeat, a relaxed baby. And who knows, maybe a little music lover in the making.
Babies Hear and Feel Music
Your baby in your belly already hears much more than you think. Voices, sounds, music—they hear it all. You may already know that after birth they still recognize melodies that they heard before. But that music has a direct effect on their heartbeat? That is new.
Mexican scientists wanted to know what exactly happens when babies listen to music in the womb. And guess what? As soon as classical music was played, their heart rhythm became calmer and more stable.
A Special Experiment
To test this, researchers had 36 pregnant women listen to two pieces of classical music:
🎶 The Swan – Camille Saint-Saëns 🎶 Arpa de Oro – Abundio Martínez
Meanwhile, their babies’ heartbeats were measured in their wombs. Not just the number of beats per minute, but also how regular those beats were. Because that tells us something about the maturation of the autonomic nervous system—the system that ensures healthy heartbeat, breathing and relaxation.
Music That Works Instantly
The effect was immediate. As soon as the music started playing, the fetuses’ heartbeats became more stable. As if they were taking a deep breath and letting themselves be carried away by the sounds.
It was striking that one piece of music had a stronger effect than the other. In some cases, Arpa de Oro provided even more relaxation than De Zwaan. The researchers think that rhythm, melody and even cultural recognition play a role in this.
What Does This Mean For Your Baby?
According to lead researcher Claudia Lerma, this musical relaxation can help the maturation of the nervous system. “A calmer heart rate means a relaxed baby. That contributes to healthy development.”
And good news for you as a parent-to-be: This is something you can do yourself. “Play soothing music, especially when you need a moment of relaxation,” advises researcher Eric Alonso Abarca-Castro. “You and your baby will both feel that calm.”
What Does the Future Bring?
The researchers want to look further. What does jazz do? How does a baby respond to a quiet pop song? Do personal preferences play a role? Researcher José Javier Reyes-Lagos: “We want to know whether different music genres have the same effect. Perhaps classical music is not the only way.”
For now? Put on a nice classical piece, sit back and feel how you and your baby relax together.
