The minute you find out you’re expecting, you probably have visions of relaxing in a comfy spot with your hand on your belly, connecting with your baby, as the baby books advise. You may have also read in those same books that talking to or reading aloud to your unborn baby has significant benefits, and it’s true. There are valid reasons why you should read to your baby in the womb.
“There’s ample evidence that fetuses are picking up information from the outside world. They’re especially receptive to sounds from the mother’s body and the external environment.” Rick Gilmore, associate professor of psychology at Penn State, explained on the university’s website.
With so many engaging, classic children’s books on the market though, choosing the right books to read to your baby in the womb can be difficult. We’ve compiled several titles you may not have previously considered.
Should you read to your baby in the womb?
Baby books that are also popular children's songs
In addition to familiarizing your child with certain tales and getting them to recognize your voice, you may also want to read books that have content they will encounter as they grow up. Some songs are particularly common to hear in daycare, on television shows, and in preschool, so why not read these songs to baby in the womb? The following children’s books are inspired by popular children’s songs.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Rosemary Wells is a popular children’s book author and creator of the ever-popular bunnies, Max and Ruby. Her book, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, highlights a little spider’s journey as it makes its way along the waterspout, encountering a cat, a mouse, and other challenging obstacles. Wells also published a similar book for Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.
Baby Beluga
This fun song by Raffi, written in 1980, has long been a child favorite. The illustrated song about the sweet white whale will be one you reach for again and again.
Read to Your Baby Every Day
If you’re on a path to minimalism and don’t want to collect a library of baby board books before your little one even arrives, Read to Your Baby Every Day by Rachel Williams is a collection of 30 classic nursery rhymes that include some favorite children’s songs.
Now, if the idea of singing, reading, or listening to nursery rhymes just isn’t your jam, you’ve got some options. New mom Melissa (@navigatingmumlife) recently went viral on TikTok when she shared a video of her son calming himself down after hearing a song she played often while pregnant. The song? “Get Low,” by ‘Lil John.
Embedded content: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissak096/video/7223093550206962949
“It gets him everytime” she wrote in the caption. “He was fast asleep by the end of the song.”
