• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Music & A Baby’s Health

July 13, 2010 by mm_sabahkarimi Leave a Comment

Infants can recognize music, noise and sounds at a very early age, and introducing them to different types of music offers several health and developmental benefits. Soothing music can relax babies and make them more comfortable with their environment, and different musical notes and tunes can also develop auditory system and hearing skills.

Significance

Infants can process music as early as the last few months in the womb, and they will respond to different types of sounds by the age of 6 months. Introducing babies to different types of music from birth to 6 months of age allows them to develop their listening and attention skills, and they will learn to differentiate between songs and voices.

Function

Babies feel more secure when they hear lullabies and slow-paced music with a steady beat at regular intervals throughout the day. Any music with a light tempo and rhythm can help the baby settle down when stressed, reduce anxiety and encourage a happy and positive mood. Even though babies respond to various types of music in different ways, the most soothing sound a baby can hear is that of a human voice—preferably the parent’s.

Types

The most beneficial types of music for baby include classical music to improve focus and concentration; rhythmic music to reduce anxiety, tension and stress; soothing lullabies and melodies to encourage sleep and relaxation; and upbeat, light-hearted and fun music to encourage positive emotions. Regular exposure to certain types of music can teach infants to differentiate between different sounds and stimulate their senses.

Benefits

Music can be used to change moods, encourage babies to go to sleep and help with overall health and well-being. It may also play an important role in developing neural pathways that promote intelligence, creativity and cultivate natural curiosity. Babies may be more likely to engage in singing, dancing and moving to music in their toddler years if they were introduced to a variety of stimulating music and activities at an early age. Rocking babies to the rhythm of the music or moving their hands and feet to the beat of different types of music can also improve their motor skills and muscle coordination during later stages of development.

Considerations

Premature babies may be easily over-stimulated by certain noises and sounds, so parents may need to start with very soothing, low-volume music and build the tolerance level of the child over time. Relaxing music such as lullaby tunes and soothing, meditative music can slow down the baby’s heartbeat and encourage a relaxation response. Fast, loud and intense music can provoke anxiety and feelings of fear, and may be too much for your baby to process.

About the Author

Sabah Karimi is an experienced freelance writer who enjoys writing about lifestyle, parenting, and childhood education topics. Sabah runs a web copywriting and marketing consultancy business in Orlando, Florida.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About mm_sabahkarimi

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

10 Life Lessons I Want To Pass On To My Daughter

I look at my little girl, who is now three years old, and I … [Read More...] about 10 Life Lessons I Want To Pass On To My Daughter

Must Have

winter

Pre-Holiday Must-Haves

"It's beginning to look  a lot like Christmas..." The … [Read More...] about Pre-Holiday Must-Haves

Did you know?

how much weight should a baby gain

How Much Weight Should a Baby Gain?

Substitutes for Butter When Baking Cookies

How Does IVF Work

How Does IVF Work?

How to Bake Thin Sliced Turkey Cutlets

Children Overcome a Fear of Water

How Do Children Overcome a Fear of Water?

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

stop a new piercing from itching

How to Stop a New Piercing From Itching

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.