The sound of the electric beater would make my son startle when he was in the womb. The swell of a hymn on Sunday morning would seem to send him into a happy dance, making my stomach look like a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Daddy’s voice would almost always earn a kick or a punch. It was pretty clear he could hear us and I would experiment with different sounds to see what he would do. Sometimes I would sing or listen to music with a driving beat just to see how much I could get him to wiggle. He still dances when he hears music!
A baby’s ears are very sensitive, and they can hear a lot more than you would think. During the final trimester, the wall between your baby and the outside world has grown thinner as your stomach stretches. Extremely loud music or noise can actually cause harm to your little one. Loud noises, even if they aren’t loud enough to cause damage, can still startle your baby. It’s good for your baby to hear her family member’s voices, and sounds she becomes accustomed to in the womb will soothe her once she is born. Some expectant moms like to play soothing music for their baby.
Recently Creative Baby Inc. sent me a sample of their new product, Sound Beginnings, to try out and share with my readers here on Families. Sound Beginnings is the perfect way to play music or other sounds for your unborn baby. The nylon/lycra band is so incredibly soft and machine washable. It is similar to a belly band that you might wear to hold up your maternity jeans, except it has a cute pocket on the front which holds your mp3 player. Tucked away beneath the pocket are waterproof speakers and a jack to plug into your mp3 player. The jack includes a splitter so you can listen to music with your baby at the same time if you use your own headphones. The speakers deliver sound at the perfect volume, so you don’t have to worry about playing the music too loud.
What makes Sound Beginnings so unique is the Sound Delivery service that comes with it. Imagine giving grandma a special 1-800 phone number that she can call and leave a message for your baby. Her recording is instantly turned into an mp3 ready for download on your account on the Sound Delivery website. Even if your parents live thousands of miles away, your baby will be able to listen to a special message from them before she is even born. When they do get to visit, she’ll be able to recognize their voices. I can’t think of a better way for the grandparents to bond with their new grandchild. You can give the number to anyone you want to leave a message for your baby.
If you are interested in trying Sound Beginnings, you can find it at Amazon and other retailers near you. (Check www.creative-baby.com to find a local retailer.)