Top 5 Classical Pieces for Babies
The “Mozart” effect. The “Mozart” effect is the concept of playing classical music to an unborn or newborn baby to promote higher intelligence. But is it real?
It is scientifically proven that an unborn baby can hear outside noises, such as their mother’s voice, when inside of their mother’s womb. Many mothers utilize this to talk to or read to their unborn baby to help familiarize their voices. Classical music came into play in the 1900s when the belief about classical music increasing IQs spread throughout mothers-to-be. However, there is currently not enough evidence to support the idea that classical music makes your baby smarter, but there are definitely benefits.
Benefits of Classical Music to the Baby
Although it cannot be proven that classical music makes your babies smarter, it does have many benefits to your baby’s brain development. According to OBGYN director of perinatal services at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in NYC, Kecia Gaither emphasizes that exposing your unborn baby to various sounds can have many positive effects and points out three main benefits classical music has on your baby.
Helps your baby sleep
Playing music for your unborn baby may actually help in sleeping patterns later on, which is a plus for both mom and baby. “Babies who listened to music while in utero are able to calm, and fall asleep quicker when listening to the same music heard in utero,” says Dr. Gaither. She explains this is due to the association of security with the familiarity of the sounds that help the baby to relax and feel safe.
Boosts your baby’s brain
Music does not make your babies necessarily smarter, but studies have shown that it may have some effects on your baby’s brain development overall. Researchers have found that music can help strengthen your baby’s cognitive development, which is linked with language skills and memorization.
Stimulate your baby’s motor skills
Babies who listen to music while in their mother’s womb have a tendency to be more active; they kick and move as if dancing along to the dynamics of the song. Dr. Gaither states that this is due to positive stimulation, which may strengthen the baby’s motor skills before even being born. Studies have shown that these benefits also carry out after birth. “Postnatally these infants have better motor skills than those that weren’t exposed,” reiterates Dr. Gaither while encouraging mothers to play music to their unborn.
Although it is not scientifically proven that music makes your babies smarter, there are many implications that music does have positive effects to your unborn or newborn baby. Considering this, we have picked out our top 4 classical pieces (all coincidently by Mozart) for you to use and apply the “Mozart” effect to your unborn or newborn baby in the comfort of your home.
Top 5 Classical Pieces composed by Mozart for Your Baby
Piano Sonata in C Major, No. 16 K. 545, Allegro