How can music therapy help you and your baby?

Music can play an important part in all stages of pregnancy as well as for your newborn baby.

Initially music therapy can help to relax the mother during the early stages of pregnancy. When relaxed, the chemical messengers released by the mother’s brain will calm the fetus and impart a sense of well-being.  Remember that the happiness of the mother directly affects the baby’s emotions as both share many hormones during pregnancy.  

By week 25, your baby has a well developed sense of hearing and can begin to recognize sound. Music has been shown to assist in neurological and cognitive development and early exposure to certain kinds of music may even help with the development of mathematical ability. Once your baby is born, the familiar sounds will help instill a sense of confidence and relaxation and will help to calm a restless baby.  

Music can also help with the process of childbirth by relieving anxiety and stimulating the release of endorphins to combat pain.

What is BabyNature First Universe CD?

This CD was commissioned by our Clinical Psychologist, Michele Carelse and contains purely instrumental music.  At the time of recording, the musician was about to become a first time father and so this CD is very special for him as well!  The music on First Universe CD has been composed with the right combination of new sounds and repetitive melodies that will stimulate your baby’s development while at the same time being completely relaxing and soothing to the soul.

How do I play this music for my unborn baby?

You do not need to play this CD any differently to other music.  For yourself, the music can be listened to on earphones if desired.

When you want your baby to benefit from the music as well ( from about week 25 of pregnancy), play the CD without earphones so that your baby can hear it as well. The volume does not need to be loud for your baby to hear it- the fluid in the womb is an excellent conductor of sound waves and you should play the CD at the volume of “background music”.

Testimonials

"I was holding a workshop for 12 mothers and their babies. As sometimes happens, some of the babies were a little overexcited and moms feeling stressed. I put on the Rocking Chair CD during cuddle & massage time and 10 out of the 12 babies went to sleep to the music.And the moms were very relaxed (almost napping!) while enjoying their tea break." Kim Jones - Moms and Babes Workshop Leader- Durbanville.

"Good one William!" - DEREK"TheBandit" (The track 9 Month Evolution was chosen by DEREK "TheBandit" for his first Podcast.

'As with most expectant mums I wanted to do everything just right to give my child the best possible start in life.  I have a tendency to stress about little things and after hearing that my “stress hormones” can be directly transmitted to the calm, little being in my abdomen I decided to be proactive about being as relaxed as possible through my pregnancy!  With the help of your wonderful FirstUniverse CD as well as BabyNature MindStill Essence, I felt calm, relaxed and happy for my whole pregnancy!'  Judith

'My husband really likes his hard rock music and this is usually the “soundtrack” in our home.  After learning that a baby can hear from the 5^th month of pregnancy I decided that this was perhaps not the ideal music for him/her to be listening to, especially as it even makes me feel edgy sometimes!   I found your First Universe CD while browsing your site and ordered it immediately.  This CD has made such a difference to the mood in our house- it is now a soothing and tranquil place that I am sure my child knows as home already.  Thanks for your great products specially for pregnant women!' Sam, Pa

Order Rocking Chair CD.

FAQ’s

Can my baby really hear the music inside the womb?

Amniotic fluid is a very good conductor of sound and studies have shown that babies can hear music even as quiet as 70 decibels- approximately the volume of background music played in stores.

Will this help to calm my new baby when he/she is restless?

The music on our First universe CD is very soothing and will encourage your baby to relax and even help him/her to fall asleep. This is especially effective if the CD was played during pregnancy and your baby is familiar with the music from before birth.

What else is important?

1. Stress-coping and relaxation techniques such as meditation will allow you to become more in touch with your inner being and your visions of motherhood as well as improving your ability to deflect the stress and chaos of everyday life from affecting the integrity of your dreams and well-being. 

2. Don’t play any music too loud and avoid areas where there is a lot of noise (e.g. where roadworks or construction is underway) as this can unsettle and stress your unborn child.

3. For double benefit, why not listen to the music while relaxing in a bath containing our MellowMama Aromatic Bath Oil? When baby is born, our Infant Massage Oil (Newborn to 12 weeks) and Blissful Baby Massage Oil (12 weeks +) will also help to relax and soothe your baby.

Michele Carelse M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
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Revised: November 21, 2007 .