Music therapy for baby bump

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The excitement of making your first baby is uncontainable and very evident from Grammy winner Adele’s case. The English singer’s thrill is not limited to shopping for pinks or blues, or building a nursery for the child due in September, Adele is recording her own rhymes and playing them to her baby bump. The act is getting a thumbs-up from mothers across the globe.

TV actress Gurdip Kohli, who has a daughter Meher with husband Arjun Punj, shares the singer’s sentiments. “I took extra care when my daughter was in my womb. I made sure not to watch any thriller or a horror film. And my family kept me away from any kind of dramatic situation. I would often play her the rhyme — God’s love is so wonderful and lots of chaupai songs that I liked. Now when she is out in the world, she connects with all the music I played to her and goes to sleep listening to those songs,” says Gurdip.
Delhi model Amanpreet Wahi, who had daughter Aaliyah two months ago, says she would often sing to her womb. “I would often sing Mere ghar aayi ek nanhi pari to her when I was pregnant, and now she reacts to the song instantly. It still calms her and I often sing it to her as lullaby,” she says.
Doctors too, advise music therapy for children in the womb. Dr Madhu Goel, obstetrician and gynecologist at Rockland Hospital says music therapy is a proven treatment that works after 24-weeks of pregnancy. “Soothing music has an instant effect on both the mother and the child she is carrying. There are cases when breech babies would turn when music was played to the womb. Babies hear and react to external actions, and most of the time, their thoughts are determined by what they feel and hear when they are inside. You would see most of them react to the same songs when they are born,” explains the doctor.
Dr Goel also advises constant communication between a mother and a child as it strengthens their bond. About this Amanpreet says, “I made friends with my daughter pretty early during my pregnancy. When I was expecting her, I would constantly talk to my baby bump. I shared every feeling with the child in my womb. I was in bad physical shape and lost nine kg due to nausea. I would often cry but I constantly told my child how much I loved her,” she says.
Gurdip sent her touch to the child all thorough her pregnancy. “When the child started kicking, I would rub that very area to send her my touch. I knew she could feel me then,” she says.
Mothers and child share a natural bond, but doctors say fathers too can forge the same bond. “We advise fathers to touch the baby bump. A child listens and reacts to what a mother does, but fathers can also share this sentiment. They should touch their wife’s stomach often,” says Dr Goel. Gurdip exercised the practice. “I would often talk to the child and made my husband speak to my bump.”
This just proves that Adele is not the only one pampering her unborn, all mothers do certain things cute.
Recent mother Reeti Vilas says she would read to her baby in the womb. “It was too early but I read stories to my bump and made a small library of colourful books that my child will see when he grows up. Adele will make a music records but I have a ready library for my baby,” she says.