Sight and sound

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Before Your Baby Is Born

Even before they are born, babies can see and hear. Your baby hears your voice and the sound of your heartbeat. If you want, you can sing, talk or read to your baby while he is still growing inside you.

Here is something to try after the sixth month of pregnancy:

 Sometime when you know your baby is awake, get your partner or another family member to come close to your abdomen and start talking to the baby. What does he do?

After Your Baby Is Born

After birth, babies recognise music and the voices they heard while in the womb. They respond to the voice of their father and other close family members. Newborn babies tend to prefer their mother's voice, probably because they have heard it the most. It is a familiar and comforting sound.

Straight after they are born, babies see things best when they are about 20 to 25 centimeters (8 to 10 inches) away. This is the distance between your baby's eyes and yours when your baby is cradled in your arms. Although babies enjoy looking at bright colours and patterns, they like faces best. When your baby looks at you, he is getting to know your face. By the time he is a week old, he will be able to recognise your face.

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