Babies like you sing, talk to them, and play music for them. Singing to the baby makes him relax, fall asleep faster, smile, and give us a babble. We can carry out this activity from the fifth month of pregnancy when his ears have fully developed. Benefits of singing to the baby during pregnancy: pamper him from the womb.
Benefits
Prenatal singing is a means through which, through the voice, “A mother will be able to connect with her daughter or son from the gestation stage”, explains Rocío Parga, founder of Terra Roja (Goddesses in Sorority).
The clinical and perinatal psychologist, trained in prenatal singing, mentions that sounds accompany the baby since pregnancy. The first thing he will hear will be the mother’s heartbeat, like a constant drum that never stops.
In the womb, he will hear the sounds of the intestines and breathing, especially if they are conscious and deep breaths. He will also attend to the sound of the placenta receiving blood, oxygen, and nutrients. “It is a beautiful sound, very similar to that made by the sea, very relaxing as it reminds us of our most primitive state”, says Parga, trained as a doula in Barcelona.
Sing to the baby to secrete oxytocin and endorphins
The mother’s voice is another of the sounds that the baby will hear during his life in the womb. For Rocío Parga, singing is a tool all women can use to connect with their babies, but it also serves as a natural pain reliever when giving birth. By vocalizing and relaxing the throat, the vaginal canal relaxes, and contractions become less painful.
For the specialist, singing before and after pregnancy will cause multiple benefits:
- With just the use of the voice, a mom or dad can soothe his little one by singing a lullaby while looking into his eyes and stroking him.
- Singing makes both parents and babies feel happy, joyful, and loving because they secrete oxytocin, the hormone of pleasure and love.
- When you breastfeed your baby, the expert recommends singing, looking into his eyes, and caressing him.
According to the Guide for stimulation and psychomotricity in the early education of the National Council for Educational Development (CONAFE), some research has shown that newborn children respond to their mother’s voice with tiny movements, almost invisible is synchrony between movements and words.
The document mentions that it is essential for the mother to talk to and coo over the baby because:
- The physical contact between them will help the baby lower muscle tension.
- She will calm the child when he cries or is restless.
- Cooing is a rhythmic stimulus for the baby.
Recovering our roots
Some songs have been sung to children for many years, transcending time. For Rocío Parga, prenatal singing also seeks to recover our roots and continue with the tradition of singing to babies, “A connection that has been lost and that we need to recover for its many benefits”.
Prenatal singing not only promotes singing but also provides affection through love songs.
You don’t need to be a professional singer to do prenatal singing, “You just need to do it with your heart, to give love to your children through it and create strong bonds. They are not going to notice if we go out of tune, but they will notice our intention”, concludes the expert.
Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara
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