Tummy Talk!
Semtember 22, 2023
An unborn baby begins to absorb sounds prior to birth. A baby in the womb hears conversations, music, household noises and direct talk from mom, dad and other family members. These outside sounds are competing with her internal body noises: a beating heart, a growling stomach, rushing blood and air pumping through the lungs.
Mom talking softly to her tummy bump will help create a lasting bond. After the birth, a mother’s voice will be recognizable due to all the prior directed talk. This helps the newborn to feel safe and secure in their new environment.
Even though one may be unsure if the tummy talk is being heard, just know there is a listener curled up inside who appreciates the talk. Delivering on going talk sets the stage for a welcoming birth, loving connections and MORE!
Research has shown that hearing familiar voices in the womb does contribute to
a baby’s future language development. Utako Minai, an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics at University of Kansas Medical Center stated that,
“ Fetuses are tuning their ears to the language they are going to acquire even
before they are born, based on the speech signals available to them in utero.
Pre-natal sensitivity to the rhythmic properties of language may provide children
with of the first building blocks in acquiring language.”
Tummy Talk:
Opportunities for tummy talk are boundless-here’s just a few:
- walk & talk—when going about daily routines-at home or work… TALK
- do & talk—when taking a bath or reading … TALK
- rest & talk—when relaxing during the day or near bedtime … TALK
There’s always time for talk and talk and even MORE talk!
The best thing is there is no need to worry about what to talk about since any topic will be the right one. It’s all about the warmth of one’s voice and the deep heart connection that’s being communicated.
“Love and trust, in the space between what’s said and what’s heard in our life, can make all the difference in the world.”
