The Power of Talking to Your Baby While Pregnant
Did you know that bonding with your baby while pregnant has a big influence on bonding after birth?
Studies show the largest predictor of mother-infant attachment (e.g., bonding) is mother-fetal attachment (1). When mothers are strongly attached (or bonded) to their babies, it protects against postpartum depression and promotes physical, as well as mental, health for both mom and baby.
While conventional wisdom has always suggested the importance of trying to develop a connection with your baby while pregnant, we now have compelling neuroscience data to help us understand exactly why it’s so important. Namely, many studies support the idea that fetuses have the capacity to “feel” in multiple ways. For example:
Fetuses develop sensitivity to touch by 8 weeks gestation
Babies in utero respond to sound by 16 weeks gestation
At 24 weeks fetuses have the capacity to feel pain
Fetuses show evidence of dreaming, as well as being able to experience joy
Fetuses are highly responsive to both touch and sound
Newborns show preference for their mothers’ voice hours after birth
These findings demonstrate just how early fetuses are directly responding to input from their mothers. So, what are the best ways to bond with your baby while pregnant? Many studies show the positive effects of sound (e.g., talking, singing, playing music), as well as touch (rubbing your belly).
For example, in 2015 Marx and Nagy (2), conducted a study in which pregnant women read their babies a story, as well as used physical touch to engage with their babies by stroking and rubbing their bellies. They found that when being read to and touched, babies showed higher levels of calm, regulated behavior (for babies in utero calm behavior includes yawning, crossing their arms to rest, and self-touch). The authors also noted that these responses occur earlier than previously thought and that fetuses are actively changing their behavior in response to how their mother is interacting with them (as well as to the rest of their environment).
Similarly, another study asked pregnant women to sing to their babies in utero. They found it promoted mother-baby attachment, as well as improved learning and memory in the fetus (3). A different group of researchers looked at touch (pregnant women stroking or rubbing their bellies) and found that it promotes fetal movement, which in turn enhances mother-fetal bonding (4). Interestingly, when pregnant women feel their babies moving more often, it has the benefit of reducing anxiety and depression in the mother (5). This data shines light on why pregnant women often feel an instinct to rub their bellies: they can sense it’s calming for them and baby.
This information is powerful because it scientifically demonstrates the importance of actively interacting with your baby before he or she is born. In addition, it suggests that creating a calming, soothing environment while pregnant, the same way you would once baby is born, is important.
So, the moral of the story is it’s powerful to talk and sing to your baby while pregnant.
It might feel really natural, or it might feel silly. Either way, your baby is listening and it is helping them start to feel safe and connected with you. They also feel when you rub or stroke your stomach and it is highly soothing to them. This bond you are starting to create helps set the foundation for building a strong connection once they’re born.
Branjerdporn, G., Meredith, P., Wilson, T., & Strong, J. (2020). Prenatal predictors of maternal-infant attachment. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy / Revue Canadienne D'Ergothérapie, 87(4), 265-277.
Marx, V., & Nagy, E. (2015). Fetal behavioural responses to maternal voice and touch. PLoS ONE, 10(6), 15.
Woodward, S. C. (2019). Fetal, neonatal, and early infant experiences of maternal singing. In G. F. Welch, D. M. Howard & J. Nix (Eds.), The oxford handbook of singing; the oxford handbook of singing (pp. 431-453, Chapter xxxvi, 1150 Pages) Oxford University Press, New York, NY.
Cuijlits, I., de Wetering, A. P., Endendijk, J. J., Baar, A. L., Potharst, E. S., & Pop, V. J. M. (2019). Risk and protective factors for pre‐ and postnatal bonding. Infant Mental Health Journal, 40(6), 768-785.
Wang, Zhe-Wei, Hua, Jing, & Xu, Yu-Hong. (2015). The Relationship between Gentle Tactile Stimulation on the Fetus and Its Temperament 3 Months after Birth. Behavioural Neurology, 2015, 371906–371909.
If you are feeling anxious or depressed while pregnant, or struggling to connect with your baby, therapy can help. At SageWell Health we specialize working with pregnant and postpartum moms. Learn more about our approach to working with new parents or click the link below to schedule a free initial consultation.