What Researchers Say:
Want some back-up? Check out what researchers are saying about prenatal stimulation and the effects of music and speaking to your child in the womb.
Give Your Child the Advantage As He or She Takes On The World!
Check out these excerpts and articles on the effects of music and prenatal stimulation:
Academic Advantage:
“Studies have proven that music played to your unborn child helps to; Facilitate intellectual development, Engage the baby’s attention, Communicate a mother’s and father’s love, Develop learning, language and memory skills, and Stimulate latent musical abilities” – Thomas Verny, M.D., with John Kelly, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child
“The children that have been “bathed” in music and motivated in this way usually perform better in mathematics and reading. Singing lullabies and telling stories to the baby, even before birth, stimulates the beginning of speech. It provides verbal preparation.” – According to Janellen Huttenlocher, of the University of Chicago – Musica Prenatal, Scientific Discoveries One study published in the Music Educators Journal looked at the effect of exposure to music in the prenatal period. Some participants were given music in the womb, either sedating or stimulating musical selections. After the birth of the baby, the parents and infants visited the researcher, and a range of activities and responses were observed by researchers. The study found that exposure to music in the prenatal period seemed to be linked to increased attention, more sound imitation and earlier vocalization in the baby. “One of the findings —- is the early development of highly organized and remarkably articulate speech of the those children who have been exposed to prenatal music stimulation.” – Donald J. Shetler, The Inquiry Into Prenatal Musical Experience, Music and Child Development |
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Babies CAN hear and even learn in utero:
“Recent studies and numerous experiments scientifically demonstrate that the unborn child, even before birth, is capable of SEEING, HEARING, FEELING and even LEARNING, even while it is in the uterus. During the third trimester, the fetus is capable of recording a sound, relating that sound with one that it has heard previously, and interpreting its significance.” – Dr. Sheila Woodward, Chair of Music Education and assistant professor of music education, University of Southern California
“Throughout history, parents have been soothing newborn babies with lullaby music and repetitive, calming tones. These days, it is possible to document the health benefits these practices have on newborn and, more specifically, premature babies. Music is a logical intervention, because it is structured and sequential. If a steady, calming rhythm and melody are introduced into an environment, it supports and encourages those in that environment to become steady and calm.” – Jan Schreibman, Music therapist Methodist Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
… the child from the sixth month in utero onward can already remember, hear, even learn. The unborn child is, in fact, a very quick study, as a group of investigators demonstrated in what has come to be regarded as a classic report.” – Thomas Verny, M.D., with John Kelly, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child
“Throughout history, parents have been soothing newborn babies with lullaby music and repetitive, calming tones. These days, it is possible to document the health benefits these practices have on newborn and, more specifically, premature babies. Music is a logical intervention, because it is structured and sequential. If a steady, calming rhythm and melody are introduced into an environment, it supports and encourages those in that environment to become steady and calm.” – Jan Schreibman, Music therapist Methodist Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
… the child from the sixth month in utero onward can already remember, hear, even learn. The unborn child is, in fact, a very quick study, as a group of investigators demonstrated in what has come to be regarded as a classic report.” – Thomas Verny, M.D., with John Kelly, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child
The Old Days... The New (and better) Way!
Research Shows Babies Will Recognize and REMEMBER Music In the Womb:
Babies remember tunes they were played in the womb for as much as a year after birth, says a new study.
"All previous research showed that they could remember things for up to a month but there was no evidence to suggest that they would remember for up to a year," said Alexandra Lamont, a psychologist and lecturer at Britain's University of Leicester psychology department who conducted the study.
"I really wasn't expecting this."
Facing the Music
For the study, "How Music Heard in the Womb is Remembered by the Child," 12 expectant mothers were asked to choose a piece of music that they enjoyed and to play it to their babies for the three months before the birth.
When 11 of the children were one year old they were tested for recognition of the music by being placed in a room with two speakers. The study does not say why one baby was not tested.
New Ultrasound Gives Womb With a View
Each speaker played a piece of music: One was the prenatal music and the other was a piece of music chosen for its similarity in key, pace, and loudness. Atop each speaker was a ball with colored lights.
Researchers recorded the length of time the babies spent looking at each ball — implying they were listening to each piece of music.
Each baby, none of whom could speak, showed a clear preference for the music they had been exposed to while in the womb. A control group of children showed no preference for either piece of music.
Classical and Rock
The parents represented a wide spectrum and were from a variety of economic backgrounds. They have varying home situations with moms working, moms and dads working, nannies, and more.
As a result of their varying backgrounds the babies were exposed to many different types of music during their first year, including the pop group UB40, classical music by Vivaldi and Mozart, Jamaican-born reggae artist Ken Boothe, and British "boy band" Five.
Lamont said she initially allowed the babies a choice between the prenatal music and something completely different.
For instance, if the prenatal music was classical, the other option would be rock music.
She suspected that if the babies were able to pick out their own piece of music, then it would be much more likely that they would remember it in this circumstance.
When she discovered that after a year they could recognize their prenatal music even when offered a very similar choice, she was amazed.
Courtesy of ABC News:
By Maggie Owens July
"All previous research showed that they could remember things for up to a month but there was no evidence to suggest that they would remember for up to a year," said Alexandra Lamont, a psychologist and lecturer at Britain's University of Leicester psychology department who conducted the study.
"I really wasn't expecting this."
Facing the Music
For the study, "How Music Heard in the Womb is Remembered by the Child," 12 expectant mothers were asked to choose a piece of music that they enjoyed and to play it to their babies for the three months before the birth.
When 11 of the children were one year old they were tested for recognition of the music by being placed in a room with two speakers. The study does not say why one baby was not tested.
New Ultrasound Gives Womb With a View
Each speaker played a piece of music: One was the prenatal music and the other was a piece of music chosen for its similarity in key, pace, and loudness. Atop each speaker was a ball with colored lights.
Researchers recorded the length of time the babies spent looking at each ball — implying they were listening to each piece of music.
Each baby, none of whom could speak, showed a clear preference for the music they had been exposed to while in the womb. A control group of children showed no preference for either piece of music.
Classical and Rock
The parents represented a wide spectrum and were from a variety of economic backgrounds. They have varying home situations with moms working, moms and dads working, nannies, and more.
As a result of their varying backgrounds the babies were exposed to many different types of music during their first year, including the pop group UB40, classical music by Vivaldi and Mozart, Jamaican-born reggae artist Ken Boothe, and British "boy band" Five.
Lamont said she initially allowed the babies a choice between the prenatal music and something completely different.
For instance, if the prenatal music was classical, the other option would be rock music.
She suspected that if the babies were able to pick out their own piece of music, then it would be much more likely that they would remember it in this circumstance.
When she discovered that after a year they could recognize their prenatal music even when offered a very similar choice, she was amazed.
Courtesy of ABC News:
By Maggie Owens July
Teach them young while their brains are most active:
“Learning begins when some physical, emotional or intellectual activity is distinguished, comprehended and understood. Every human being is born with a potential for learning. However, only those people who develop this potential can use their abilities to the fullest extent. It is possible to learn easier and faster during infancy, since the brain of a child is much more active than that of an adult. During the first stages of life, learning is translated into brain connections that transmit and store information. When a baby is born, it’s brain is a jungle of neurons, all waiting to be woven into the loom of the brain.” – Musica Prenatal, Scientific Discoveries
“The task of parents is to establish their children’s neuronal circuits.” I hope that PRENATAL MUSIC has been able to convince you of the importance of your role as parent, teacher and friend of your children.” – Bruce Perry, of Baylor Medical School in Houston, TX
“When it comes to building the human brain, nature supplies the construction materials and nurture serves as the architect that puts them together.” – Ronald Kotulak, Inside the Brain, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning series
Prenatal Development
Toys, music CDs and other merchandise designed to provide music to unborn and newborn babies tout the positive effects of music on developing babies. Expectant parents may wonder if they should purchase these products, or fear they are putting their baby at a disadvantage if they don’t listen to enough, or the right kind of music. Expert opinions vary regarding whether music has a positive effect.
Various studies conducted over the past two decades have demonstrated the ability of the fetus to hear sound. The inner ear is fully developed in last trimester of pregnancy. By 26 weeks, most respond with an increase in heart rate to sound stimulation. Many studies have pointed to the change in heart rate as a positive sign that the baby is stimulated by the music.
One study published in the Music Educators Journal looked at the effect of exposure to music in the prenatal period. Some participants were given music in the womb, either sedating or stimulating musical selections. After the birth of the baby, the parents and infants visited the researcher, and a range of activities and responses were observed by researchers. The study found that exposure to music in the prenatal period seemed to be linked to increased attention, more sound imitation and earlier vocalization in the baby.
Most of what the fetus hears is the mother’s voice and internal sounds of the mother’s body, such as breathing, movements and other sounds. There have been many studies that suggest the mother’s voice is the preferred sound of newborns, who appear to recognize their mother’s voice at birth. Singing along with music makes sense because it gives baby the opportunity to hear your voice and music.
It makes sense that stimulation of the brain with music would have a positive effect. It is when the baby is growing in the mother’s body that the majority of brain development occurs. The idea behind research into music exposure during the pregnancy is designed to enhance the development of the brain with appropriate stimuli. Research continues into this subject and determining which music has the most positive effect.
(Paraphrased from www.pregnancy.more4kids.info)
“The task of parents is to establish their children’s neuronal circuits.” I hope that PRENATAL MUSIC has been able to convince you of the importance of your role as parent, teacher and friend of your children.” – Bruce Perry, of Baylor Medical School in Houston, TX
“When it comes to building the human brain, nature supplies the construction materials and nurture serves as the architect that puts them together.” – Ronald Kotulak, Inside the Brain, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning series
Prenatal Development
Toys, music CDs and other merchandise designed to provide music to unborn and newborn babies tout the positive effects of music on developing babies. Expectant parents may wonder if they should purchase these products, or fear they are putting their baby at a disadvantage if they don’t listen to enough, or the right kind of music. Expert opinions vary regarding whether music has a positive effect.
Various studies conducted over the past two decades have demonstrated the ability of the fetus to hear sound. The inner ear is fully developed in last trimester of pregnancy. By 26 weeks, most respond with an increase in heart rate to sound stimulation. Many studies have pointed to the change in heart rate as a positive sign that the baby is stimulated by the music.
One study published in the Music Educators Journal looked at the effect of exposure to music in the prenatal period. Some participants were given music in the womb, either sedating or stimulating musical selections. After the birth of the baby, the parents and infants visited the researcher, and a range of activities and responses were observed by researchers. The study found that exposure to music in the prenatal period seemed to be linked to increased attention, more sound imitation and earlier vocalization in the baby.
Most of what the fetus hears is the mother’s voice and internal sounds of the mother’s body, such as breathing, movements and other sounds. There have been many studies that suggest the mother’s voice is the preferred sound of newborns, who appear to recognize their mother’s voice at birth. Singing along with music makes sense because it gives baby the opportunity to hear your voice and music.
It makes sense that stimulation of the brain with music would have a positive effect. It is when the baby is growing in the mother’s body that the majority of brain development occurs. The idea behind research into music exposure during the pregnancy is designed to enhance the development of the brain with appropriate stimuli. Research continues into this subject and determining which music has the most positive effect.
(Paraphrased from www.pregnancy.more4kids.info)
The Effects of Music on Brain Development
From early beginnings in the womb until the late stages of adulthood, music plays an important role in human growth, development, and sustainment. Music— to be defined here as organized sound— is an essential component of most cultures, coloring the world through melodies, harmonies, rhythm, and lyrics. Humans use music as a form of emotional expression, as well as a group bonding activity through participation in orchestras, bands, and casual gatherings. Most recently, psychological researchers have been interested to find that music has another, potentially even more important function: it can improve brain development. In several experiments conducted regarding this phenomenon, statistics show that children who play instruments and possess the ability to read music tend to score higher on achievement tests (Costa-Giomi, 1999). Also, brains of adult musicians are significantly different in structure and function than those of non-musicians (Schlaug, Norton, Overy, & Winner, 2005). The results of various studies and observations concluded that both playing and listening to music positively effect brain development; however, there is still some dispute among professionals as to the validity of this statement.
Music’s effect on the human brain begins weeks before birth. Because the ability to hear is developed inside the womb, babies can hear sounds prior to exposure to the outside world. The soft timbre of a mother’s voice is one of the first recognizable noises a child hears. The child associates this sound with comfort, and will continue to remember and identify the mother’s voice as such after birth. This same concept may be applied to music. Any sort of musical sounds that a child is exposed to while in the womb— such as songs sung by the mother, musical instruments played by the mother, or music in the mother’s particular surrounding environment— may be remembered by the child and effect their progress (Hepper & Shahidullah, 1994). Though early exposure to music can not be proven to impact human brain development, research has been conducted on rats that seem to validate this hypothesis. Rats exposed in utero plus sixty days postpartum to the Mozart sonata (K.448) navigated a spatial maze faster and with fewer errors than did animals exposed to minimalist music, white noise, or silence (Rauscher & Shaw, 1998). Thus, it is quite possible that neural processes are effected by exposure to music, but there is not enough evidence to fully support this claim.
(Paraphrased from www.romanmusictherapy.com)
From early beginnings in the womb until the late stages of adulthood, music plays an important role in human growth, development, and sustainment. Music— to be defined here as organized sound— is an essential component of most cultures, coloring the world through melodies, harmonies, rhythm, and lyrics. Humans use music as a form of emotional expression, as well as a group bonding activity through participation in orchestras, bands, and casual gatherings. Most recently, psychological researchers have been interested to find that music has another, potentially even more important function: it can improve brain development. In several experiments conducted regarding this phenomenon, statistics show that children who play instruments and possess the ability to read music tend to score higher on achievement tests (Costa-Giomi, 1999). Also, brains of adult musicians are significantly different in structure and function than those of non-musicians (Schlaug, Norton, Overy, & Winner, 2005). The results of various studies and observations concluded that both playing and listening to music positively effect brain development; however, there is still some dispute among professionals as to the validity of this statement.
Music’s effect on the human brain begins weeks before birth. Because the ability to hear is developed inside the womb, babies can hear sounds prior to exposure to the outside world. The soft timbre of a mother’s voice is one of the first recognizable noises a child hears. The child associates this sound with comfort, and will continue to remember and identify the mother’s voice as such after birth. This same concept may be applied to music. Any sort of musical sounds that a child is exposed to while in the womb— such as songs sung by the mother, musical instruments played by the mother, or music in the mother’s particular surrounding environment— may be remembered by the child and effect their progress (Hepper & Shahidullah, 1994). Though early exposure to music can not be proven to impact human brain development, research has been conducted on rats that seem to validate this hypothesis. Rats exposed in utero plus sixty days postpartum to the Mozart sonata (K.448) navigated a spatial maze faster and with fewer errors than did animals exposed to minimalist music, white noise, or silence (Rauscher & Shaw, 1998). Thus, it is quite possible that neural processes are effected by exposure to music, but there is not enough evidence to fully support this claim.
(Paraphrased from www.romanmusictherapy.com)
Sidenote: All this research is good. And there is plenty more out there you can find with a simple Google search. However, nothing can compare to the Power of God's word. Romans 10:17 tells us that our Faith is built by hearing God's word over and over again, continually. Whether in the womb or 120 years old. So click HERE and let's get back to the real good stuff!