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This seems like a silly invention to me. I think I've heard that amniotic fluid distorts all the sounds that reach unborn children . . . like piping music underwater in a swimming pool.

Kicking myself that I didn't invent this. Before my son was born, I frequently put a little music box (Greensleeves) in my waistband. The week he developed the ability to hear I went to a Clapton concert and hoped his new ears would enjoy the concert. When he was a week old he had rapt attention for a musical lamb and directed his first delighted smile to the wind up musical toy. He loved music and dancing from day one. Now he is a drummer and has multiple stringed instruments. His sister blames me for her lack of musical talent. I forgot the music box for her.

Though she is hard driving academic/ athlete and he is a laid back musician. Don't try to preprogram your kids.

I used the BabyPlus system on my daughter. I don't really have anything to compare it to being she's my one and only. However, I do feel that she is meeting her milestones a lot better than both my husband and I did at her age (she is now 2 1/2). Things just stick... she gets things quickly after the first explanation. Also, I just enrolled her in a Dance class and she by far is learning the steps a lot easier than her class mates. I know we shouldn't compare and every child grows at their own pace, But I think these Prenatal Educational Systems are on to something. I don't think it hurts!!!

Seeing this picture, I can't help but thinking AGAIN about things we think we need in this generation vs our grandparents generation. Are we going to find out in a few years that amniotic fluid keeps sensitive ears safe and that putting speakers on the belly may be unhealthy?

I say: Keep it simple. Keep it natural.

Are you referring to a new study or the old one that had nothing to do with babies in-utero(it was done on college students) and was debunked?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-babies-ex

I think there is enough going on during those nine months without forcing distorted music on them.

I haven't found an reputable studies confirming these claims.

That being said, while I was pregnant I liked to play metal once in awhile to release stress. My son's favorite thing to fall asleep to now? Mastodon. ISYN. But that could also be because my husband likes listening to Mastodon while he's rocking our son to sleep :)

Fetuses spend most of their time sleeping. This kind of apparel is a fetal replica of my neighbor playing music at night when I want to sleep.

Interesting way to see education, indeed.

Hmm, I'm not sure I see a causal relationship here.

What an enormous waste of money. Why not just listen to music on a stereo? The baby can hear that, and you don't have to drop a hundred bucks and strap this ridiculous thing to your belly.
My son is 11 months and has responded to music from the very beginning, he has been singing for about 2 months and dancing pretty much since he could move. He also loves drumming and playing with any other musical instrument type toy, but what baby doesn't? I never put headphones on my belly or anything like that, but I did (and still do) almost always have music playing in the house.
Plus, as others have said, sound is distorted through the amniotic fluid anyway. Probably the best thing is for the mother to sing to the baby.... the old fashioned way.

What is surely better for your baby than music in utero is a calm, anxiety-free mother.

Don't stress about gadgets and studies. Put on some music that YOU want to hear and your baby will enjoy a nice ride on all the good hormones floating around him/her.

With both of our children, my husband used to sit me down and place the computer speakers right up against my bump, piping in bagpipe music full-blast. His social experiment.

Well, you should have seen their reaction to bagpipes: when they would hear it, they would immediately still, and listen to it, looking as if they were concentrating on it.

My first born is much more sensitive this was to bagpipes than my second; needless to say, she got MUCH more speaker-time than her younger brother! It's actually hilarious to see; the effect persists till now.

My doctor encouraged me to sing while I was pregnant. Now Will just melts in my arms if he's fussy and I start singing to him. No need for extra contraptions, just a mommy's voice. :)

-Alana
http://www.waterspiper.com

What a joke.

If the baby wants to hear music, I'll sing. It's free!

Although I wish I had somehow cashed in on the idea, I agree that just hearing music from speakers (and my little wind up box,) voices, heartbeart, etc is probably just as effective and babies who hear music prenatally surely have lots of other benefits and advantages by having attentive parents. I suspect that pleasure from sharing music might release "happy" hormones/ chemical changes that benefit the fetus. I'd be interested to read a study investigating it.

While it may not have any educational effects, it does give your belly a cool fish face.

*eyeroll*

Wow- I'm really disappointed at Ohdeedoh for posting this, "Scientists have found that babies exposed to music in-utero have displayed advanced intelligence, coordination, and learning abilities." Is there a new study out that I am not aware of? If so, please pose a link. Otherwise, the so-called Mozart effect has been thoroughly debunked. I guess if someone has an extra $100 around and wants to buy this nonsense, it's probably not going to hurt the kid. No one is disputing that babies can hear in utero- they can hear their parents' voices and the radio, etc. But putting an MP3 player on your belly is not going to give your kid any special powers.

Let's all chill here for a second. Even if this product is excessive it still is a good reminder to expectant Mamas to be thinking about the listening abilities of their babies.

Oh my God, thank you so much Adrienne for your comment about the "cool fish face". I'm having a tough day today and your comment made me laugh and laugh. Very much needed!

It does seem like this gadget is a very clever way to prey on mothers' anxieties to provide the best for their unborn babies. And, yes, it does seem like singing, humming, and whistling are all great, FREE ways to get music to the little ones.

what a piece of fancy junk!

There is no shortage of companies eager to make new parents fork out lots of money for products they will use for a couple of months.

I'd take that $99 and spend it on concert tickets instead. Your unborn baby will rock out and you'll have a good time!