Can my Baby Hear Me?

Have you ever sat looking at your bump and wondered if you baby can hear what you are saying, watching or listening to? Well, here is all you need to know...

Babies hearing actually starts developing early in the pregnancy around the 6-week mark along with other tissues that will form part of the face.

By week 9 of pregnancy, the beginnings of ears will be forming, with small indents appearing either side of their heads, which by week 16 of pregnancy have formed structures connecting the ears to the beginnings of their brain,

Around 15 weeks, your baby will start to hear – they may hear muted sounds from the outside world and any noises your digestive system makes, as well as the sound of your voice and heart.

But it may come as a surprise, it’s not until 23 weeks they really start listening. At 23 weeks they will be able to make out your heartbeat and other noises including if you have a rumbling tummy! More excitingly, they will also begin listening and reacting to sounds outside the womb, including music and the sound of yours and your partner’s voice!

Now you know if your baby is listening this opens up a whole new world of opportunities to interact and bond with your bump, with the following activities a great way to get things going:

• Sing and talk to you baby. This is a great way to interact and get them used to the sound of yours and your partner’s voices.
• Play music to your bump. If you don’t want to sing, you can also play music to your baby and see if you can get them dancing.
• Read to them. If you are stuck on what to say to them but are keen for them to hear your voice, pick up your favourite book and read, this is a great way to bond with your bump.