Not only is March National Reading Month, but March 2nd is Read Across America Day, and March 4th is World Read Aloud Day! If you are an expectant parent feeling intrigued by the idea of reading to your baby in the womb, we say: Give it a try on Wednesday, March 4! If you carry on through the rest of the month, we think you’ll be hooked. And this is one of the best things you can do for your baby, right up there with prenatal nutrition and healthcare.
World Read Aloud Day, celebrated annually on the first Wednesday in March, was initiated by LitWorld, an international literacy advocacy organization. According to LitWorld, this day “motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another.” We heartily approve of LitWorld’s mission (the emphasis is ours):
LitWorld photo of WRAD 2014
We cultivate a love of reading and writing because having the chance to experience that love is how literacy grows best and strongest. Literacy for LitWorld is not just about learning the alphabet or phonemic practice; it is also about cultivating creative expression, about the power of the read-aloud to immerse children in the power of language, and about putting young people’s stories out into the world, dignifying their experience and giving them a voice in the world.
Yes! And that powerful read-aloud time with your child can begin even before birth. In the last three months of pregnancy, when the baby’s brain and auditory system are already developed enough for him to hear and recognize sounds, you can start practicing this important reading routine and enjoying the feeling of sharing the love of language with your child. The benefits of in utero reading to babies’ cognitive development and language skills have been well documented over the last several years (just check out the Research section in the sidebar).
So we’re really excited to tell you about the latest contribution to this body of work, just reported on February 24. This study, led by the Harvard Medical School, showed that a baby’s brain development is enhanced by hearing its mother’s voice and heartbeat before full gestation. “We theorize,” say the researchers, “that exposure to maternal sounds may provide newborns with the auditory fitness necessary to shape the brain for hearing and language development.” We’re right there with you!
All the benefits of reading aloud to children that LitWorld so passionately advocates, combined with the wealth of scientific support for reading to babies in the womb, make it abundantly clear that It’s Never Too Early to Read to Your Baby!
Start this joyful and valuable storytime routine right now, during National Reading Month! Book lovers everywhere are commemorating this special month with activities to spread the love of reading, and the National Education Association celebrates Read Across America on March 2 with fun events in schools, libraries, and community centers around the U.S.
Do you need some tips to get started? Please see this post for a fuller exploration of Jim Trelease’s read-aloud insights, but here are a few for now:
Use plenty of expression when reading: You can use your voice to reflect the meaning of the text. Use a soft voice for gentle characters and moving moments. Use a loud voice to show strong emotion or to emphasize adventure or excitement.
Adjust your pace to fit the story: Read slowly to bring attention to beautiful language and imagery. Read more quickly to show movement and action.
Preview the book by reading it to yourself ahead of time: This way, you’ll be more comfortable when you start to read it aloud. Reading it to yourself a few times will help you plan how the story might sound when it is spoken.
We were excited to read this September 27 article by Dr. Gail Gross in the Huffington Post. The opening line could have come straight from the archives of The Reading Womb . . .
Did you know that babies learn in the womb, and also that stress can affect their development?
The article goes on to touch upon several studies that have demonstrated that babies hear, remember, and even begin to understand speech sounds heard in utero. “This,” says Dr. Gross, “is the foundation for language.” She includes a charming description of all the ways babies in the womb have been found to react to noise, such as “kicking, moving and even dancing around,” that would fascinate any expectant parent.
Aren’t you eager to read to your baby-to-be, knowing the kind of interaction you’re actually having with her?
We love finding out about all the new research being carried out in recent years to discover just what, when, and how babies begin to learn in the womb. And we were especially gratified to see that Dr. Gross linked these findings with those of a recent study showing the detrimental effects that a pregnant mother’s stress can have on her baby in utero.
If you haven’t already, please check out our August 2011 post, The Pregnant Pause, in which we talk about how important it is to relax and enjoy the moment during your pregnancy. We mentioned a German study that found that stress hormones produced in the mother are passed on to her baby. Dr. Gross in the Huffington Post refers to a more recent British study that discussed how such hormones can impair fetal cognitive development. But on the positive side, the hormones and endorphins produced by a relaxed and peaceful mother have a remarkably soothing effect on her baby.
What better way to take some regular time to slow things down and really be with your expected baby than to read to her? You’ll foster all kinds of health benefits for both of you—and at the same time, begin to familiarize her with your voice and the speech sounds of your native language(s). And it’s so easy! Please check out our pointers in the original post, and also our accompanying Pregnant Pause podcast episode, devoted entirely to guiding expectant mothers as they take time to slow down and cherish these moments when their baby is so close.
Who knows? If you sing nursery rhymes
to your baby in the womb, you might
even make her dance!
OK, so you’re intrigued. Reading to your baby in the womb seems like a fun way to connect with your expected child. But did you know there’s a heap of research that supports the benefits of this practice? We thought we’d give you a quick breakdown of some of these findings, and point you toward further details.
You might also want to check out this fascinating TED.com talk by Annie Murphy Paul. It’s a synopsis of the latest discoveries in the exciting field of fetal origins.
The Benefits of Prenatal Reading
Your baby will become familiar with your unique voice.
Research shows that babies recognize the voice of their mother at birth and can distinguish their mother’s voice from that of a stranger.
A familiar rhythmic story will soothe your newborn.
Newborn babies show a clear preference for the rhythm and melody of a song or poem that they heard regularly from the womb.
Babies actually remember a rhythmic poem or story that they heard during the last trimester for up to four weeks after birth, and they’re measurably calmed by that familiar story.
Bonding with your baby prenatally benefits his future health and emotional well-being.
When a pregnant woman feels love for her expected child in the womb, she releases endorphins (“feel good” hormones), which trigger the same hormone release in the baby.
The baby becomes accustomed to these hormones and mimics the mother’s positive physiological response.
The result is a baby who has unhindered physical, cognitive, and neurological growth, and who is born with a general sense of safety and well-being.
Pretty convincing, isn’t it? Now that you’ve seen all the research that supports in utero reading, it seems the real question is, why wouldn’t an expectant family read to their baby before birth? It’s so clearly the right thing to do!
OK, so you’re intrigued. Reading to your baby in the womb seems like a fun way to connect with your expected child. But did you know there’s a heap of research that supports the benefits of this practice? We thought we’d give you a quick breakdown of some of these findings, and point you toward further details.
You might also want to check out this fascinating TED.com talk by Annie Murphy Paul. It’s a synopsis of the latest discoveries in the exciting field of fetal origins.
The Benefits of Prenatal Reading
Your baby will become familiar with your unique voice.
Research shows that babies recognize the voice of their mother at birth and can distinguish their mother’s voice from that of a stranger.
A familiar rhythmic story will soothe your newborn.
Newborn babies show a clear preference for the rhythm and melody of a song or poem that they heard regularly from the womb.
Babies actually remember a rhythmic poem or story that they heard during the last trimester for up to four weeks after birth, and they’re measurably calmed by that familiar story.
Bonding with your baby prenatally benefits his future health and emotional well-being.
When a pregnant woman feels love for her expected child in the womb, she releases endorphins (“feel good” hormones), which trigger the same hormone release in the baby.
The baby becomes accustomed to these hormones and mimics the mother’s positive physiological response.
The result is a baby who has unhindered physical, cognitive, and neurological growth, and who is born with a general sense of safety and well-being.
Pretty convincing, isn’t it? Now that you’ve seen all the research that supports in utero reading, it seems the real question is, why wouldn’t an expectant family read to their baby before birth? It’s so clearly the right thing to do!
nhanced by hearing its mother’s voice and heartbeat before full gestation. “We theorize,” say the researchers, “that exposure to maternal sounds may provide newborns with the auditory fitness necessary to shape the brain for hearing and language development.” We’re right there with you!
Start this joyful and valuable storytime routine right now, during National Reading Month! Book lovers everywhere are commemorating this special month with activities to spread the love of reading, and the National Education Association celebrates Read Across America on March 2 with fun events in schools, libraries, and community centers around the U.S.
The Reading Womb 