What can listening to music during pregnancy offer you and your baby? Read calmly about the Mozart effect myth, sound levels and music's role in bonding.
In the first months of pregnancy, your mother-in-law tells you to "listen to classical music so the baby is clever", a friend suggests "putting headphones on your bump", and social media offers playlists titled "prenatal brain development music"... Expectant mothers encounter a great deal of information on this subject, much of it contradictory. Does listening to music during pregnancy really give the baby anything, or is the real effect on the expectant mother's own mood? In this article we separate what is known from what is not and look at how music can be a companion during pregnancy. Our aim is not to give you a new "to-do list"; on the contrary, it is to ease the pressure around this subject a little and open up a space where you can listen to music for the pleasure of it.
What Can Listening to Music During Pregnancy Offer an Expectant Mother?
Pregnancy is a time when feelings change as quickly as the body. Joy, excitement, anxiety, tiredness and sometimes a sadness whose cause you cannot quite pin down can follow one another within the same day. These fluctuations are largely natural. For many women, music can be a tool during this period that accompanies their feelings and helps them regulate them.
Listening to music during pregnancy can help an expectant mother in the following ways:
- A short break: Closing your eyes for ten minutes during the day and listening to a song you love can take your mind away from the to-do list.
- Regulating mood: Music sometimes energises and sometimes calms. Noticing how a particular piece of music affects you can help you recognise your own emotional needs.
- A bedtime routine: Falling asleep can become harder, especially in the final months. A small routine built around calm music before bed can accompany relaxation.
- Connection with the body: A slow walk, gentle stretching or simply following your breath to music can support a kinder relationship with your changing body.
- Sharing: Listening to music or singing together with your partner, your older child or your mother can be a warm way of preparing together for the baby's arrival.
These effects vary from person to person. Music that is relaxing for one expectant mother may make another restless. There is no "right" music here; there is music that does you good.
Can the Baby Hear Music in the Womb?
It is known that in the later months of pregnancy the baby can respond to sounds in the outside world. However, the sound the baby hears is very different from what you hear: the abdominal wall, the womb and the amniotic fluid muffle sounds. The sounds the baby hears most closely are the mother's heartbeat, digestive sounds and, above all, the mother's own voice.
This reminds us of something important: you do not need a special playlist for your baby. Your talking, laughing, humming and singing are already a natural part of their world. Singing a lullaby or a folk song you love in your own voice may be a more familiar experience for them than any recorded music.
Whether babies respond differently after birth to sounds they often heard in the womb is a subject that interests researchers. However, it is not right to draw conclusions from these findings such as "if you play this music, your baby will turn out like this".
Do you need to put headphones or a speaker on your bump?
Headphones placed against the bump or special "pregnancy speakers" are often recommended on social media. There is no sound evidence that these practices provide any additional benefit for the baby. If you have questions about sound levels or the use of such products, it is a good idea to ask your obstetrician. The baby already hears the background music you listen to, and your voice, naturally.
The Mozart Effect: Does Listening to Music During Pregnancy Make Babies Cleverer?
The idea known as the "Mozart effect" grew out of an experiment with adults in 1993: participants were reported to show a short-lived improvement on certain spatial tasks immediately after listening to Mozart. Over time this finding turned into the claim that "babies who listen to Mozart become more intelligent", and that claim was also used to market various products.
Later research, however, has shown that the effect in the original experiment was small and temporary. It has not been shown that listening to music, whether during pregnancy or in infancy, permanently increases a child's intelligence. We cover this subject in detail in our article on playing music to babies.
This may feel like a disappointment to some expectant mothers; but it is actually reassuring. You do not have to listen to a particular composer for your baby's development. If you do not like classical music, there is no need to force yourself. A pop song you love, a piece of Turkish art music your father used to listen to, or a lullaby from your own childhood can all be listened to with the same warmth.
One of the most meaningful things you can do for your baby is to allow yourself the things that do you good; music can be one of them.
Which Music, How Much and How?
There are no strict rules for listening to music during pregnancy. Still, some practical suggestions may be useful:
- Listen to what you love. If music relaxes you, it is serving its purpose, whatever the genre. Music you listen to "for the baby" but that bores you may have the opposite of the intended effect.
- Pay attention to volume. A volume that does not tire your own ears, at which you could hold a conversation, is generally enough. Take your doctor's advice into account about spending long periods in very loud environments.
- Use your own voice. Singing, humming or reading a book to your baby offers a familiar sound experience both for you and for your baby.
- Create a ritual. Listening to or singing the same song every evening can give you a calm moment during pregnancy; after the birth, it can also become a familiar ritual shared with the baby.
- Let go of the pressure. If one day you forget to listen to music, or simply do not feel like it, that is not a shortcoming.
- Be cautious about "special frequency" claims. There is no scientific basis for the idea that recordings offered online under titles such as "432 Hz pregnancy music" or "frequencies that develop your baby's brain" have any special effect. You can listen to these recordings if you enjoy them; but you do not need them for your baby's development, nor do you need to worry about not listening to them.
Your partner and family can join in too
Music can also be a lovely way of remembering that pregnancy is not a process experienced by the mother alone. A father-to-be singing to the baby, or an older sibling humming a song towards the bump, can help a bond with the new baby form within the family. Involving the older sibling in this process in particular can soften feelings of jealousy and being left out.
A simple relaxation exercise with music
Put on some calm music and sit or lie on your side in a comfortable position. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Without trying to match the tempo of the music, breathe in slowly through your nose and make your out-breath a little longer. With each out-breath, try to notice your shoulders, jaw and hands relaxing. When the song ends, stay quietly for a few more seconds. This exercise is not a treatment; it is a short break you give yourself in the rush of the day. If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable during breathing exercises, stop the exercise and consult your doctor.
After the Birth: Can Music Be Part of Bonding with Your Baby?
Music habits begun during pregnancy can continue after the birth. A song you hum while rocking your baby in your arms, a short rhyme you sing after bath time or a lullaby before sleep create repeated, predictable moments between you and your baby. These repetitions are among the building blocks of a sense of security in the baby's world.
Here too, what matters is not the quality of the music but the warmth of the relationship. You may sing out of tune or forget the words halfway through; it makes no difference to your baby. What is meaningful to them is seeing your face, hearing your voice and having your attention.
The period after birth is also emotionally intense. Amid sleeplessness, physical recovery and new responsibilities, music can be a small space of calm for both mother and baby. However, if long-lasting low mood, emotional distance from the baby or intense anxiety are experienced after the birth, these signs should be shared with a professional.
Emotional Ups and Downs in Pregnancy, and Music
In Turkey, pregnancy is often a process in which the wider family takes a close interest. This interest can be as tiring as it is supportive: differing advice from the mother-in-law, your own mother and the neighbours, and warnings such as "don't eat this, listen to that, lie like this" can increase the expectant mother's worry of "Am I doing it right?" On top of this may come concerns about work, the rising cost of living and the expenses of the birth.
At such a time, music can be one way of creating a small space of your own. Putting on your headphones and listening for just ten minutes to a song you have chosen yourself is a quiet way of saying "this moment is mine".
However, some feelings may be too heavy to pass with music. Depression and anxiety during pregnancy are more common than people think, and they are often brushed aside with "it's just hormones". We describe the emotional difficulties that can arise during pregnancy in detail in our article on depression during pregnancy.
Is it normal to feel sad when listening to music?
During pregnancy some songs may move you unexpectedly; an old song may remind you of your own mother or of a loved one you have lost. These reactions are usually normal and may be part of feelings about your own past coming alive as you prepare to become a mother. But if the sadness continues for a long time and affects your daily life, it is a good idea to talk about it with a professional.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
It is natural for mood to change during pregnancy; but some signs suggest it may help to see a professional:
- Low mood, hopelessness or an inability to enjoy anything lasting more than two weeks
- Uncontrollable worries about the baby or the birth that disrupt sleep and daily life
- An intense fear of childbirth, or memories of a previous difficult birth that keep coming back to mind
- Being unable to feel anything about the pregnancy, or a strong sense of distance from the baby
- Thoughts of harming yourself or of giving up on life
If the last point applies, call 112 (emergency services) without waiting. The other signs do not amount to a diagnosis on their own; but they deserve to be shared with your obstetrician and a mental health professional. Where needed, a psychiatric assessment can also become part of the process, in cooperation with your obstetrician.
How Is Pregnancy Approached in Therapy?
During pregnancy, psychological support offers a space in which the expectant mother can talk about her feelings without being judged. In individual therapy, worries about the birth, expectations about the role of mother, relationships with the partner and the wider family, and the person's own childhood experiences can be addressed. Approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy can be used to notice the thoughts that feed anxiety and to develop more balanced perspectives.
In this process, music can find a place not as a treatment but as a supportive element. For example, when planning a relaxation routine to use in anxious moments, a calm piece of music the person loves can be part of that routine. You can read how music is used in a more structured way in the mental health field in our article on music therapy. Although research shows that music-based approaches can be supportive in some situations, most of the evidence is of low to moderate certainty; these approaches do not replace psychotherapy or medical care.
Online sessions can be a practical option, especially for expectant mothers who find it hard to get around in the final months or who are continuing their pregnancy alongside a demanding work schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What music should I listen to during pregnancy?
You can listen to whatever music does you good. There is no type of music that must be listened to specifically for the baby's development. Classical music, folk songs, pop or lullabies: what matters is that it relaxes you and gives you pleasure.
Should I play music to my baby by putting headphones on my bump?
There is no sound evidence that this provides any additional benefit for the baby. The baby hears the music you listen to, and especially your voice, naturally. You can ask your obstetrician any questions you have about sound levels.
Is singing during pregnancy good for the baby?
Your own voice is one of the most familiar sounds to the baby in the womb. Singing or humming can be relaxing for you and can also be the start of a familiar ritual you will share with your baby after the birth.
Is listening to music good for depression during pregnancy?
Music can contribute positively to your mood; but depression during pregnancy is a condition that requires a professional assessment. If you are experiencing long-lasting low mood or anxiety, it is advisable to see a mental health professional while continuing to use music as a support.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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