Does Reading to Baby Help Development in the Womb?

March 2^nd is Read Across America Day; a day set apart to instill a love of reading in every child across the country, appropriately set on the birthday of one the most beloved children’s authors of all time, Dr. Seuss.

To join in the fun, we wanted to invite you to celebrate Read Across America Day- BellyBuds style. Our specialized speaker system gently adheres to your baby bump, safely playing music and voice messages directly to the womb (including a dramatic reading of your favorite book!). Help foster a love for stories in your little one by reading to them in utero!

There's a lot of research published on the benefits of reading to your baby in utero, but you may still be asking “What (and when!)  does baby hear in the womb?  Well, turns out that starting in the third trimester, babies can not only hear sound in the womb, but also recognize those sounds after they are born.

But don’t just take our word for it. A study by researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland found that babies do hear voices in the womb, and their brains even recognized those words spoken to them after they were born. According to the popular prenatal website What to Expect When You’re Expecting, when mom is between 16 and 23 weeks pregnant, “baby will hear more and more of the outside world. By week 24, babies have been shown to turn their heads in response to voices and noises.” Dr. Patricia Kuhl, professor of speech and hearing sciences at the University of Washington concludes “The main message for new moms is that their babies are listening, learning and remembering during the last stages of pregnancy. Their brains do not wait for birth to start absorbing information.”

So go ahead, read to your baby in utero!

But why use BellyBuds to read to baby in the womb? Of course your baby can hear sound without using speakers; mom’s voice comes in especially clear. But what about those moments where reading aloud is frowned upon? At the office, the grocery store, or after you’ve just won an hour-long battle to get your first child down for a nap? By recording yourself you can read to baby in utero whenever, wherever. And what about other family members who can’t always be near? Whether Dad is away on business or you have extended family across the country, anyone can record and share a reading of their favorite book for baby using our free VoiceShare by WavHello mobile app, compatible with BellyBuds speakers. The result will be a digital library full of stories to read to baby in the womb.

How are you celebrating Read Across America day with your little ones?