And the very best books to read to your baby in utero

Have you ever thought about reading aloud to your baby bump? 

If you’re pregnant – or hoping to be soon – you probably spend a lot of time thinking about your baby-to-be. Maybe you’re thinking about the tangible aspects of getting ready for your baby – decorating the nursery, setting up baby gear and buying nappies and cute clothes.

But there’s one often-overlooked but profoundly impactful way to bond with your baby before birth: reading aloud to your unborn child.

While the thought of reading to a baby who has yet to be born may seem unusual, there are huge benefits for both parents and baby.

I’ve been aware of the benefits of reading aloud to babies while they’re still in utero for a while now, however, I’ve recently found out that I have a new grandchild on the way so I’ve taken a deep dive into the research over the past couple of weeks. 

This post will walk you through the three main benefits of reading aloud to your baby while she or he is still in utero (aka a bump). 

Now, if the idea of reading aloud to your baby bump has never crossed your mind, you’re not alone. I have three children and didn’t read aloud to my babies during my pregnancies simply because I wasn’t aware of the benefits. But reading aloud to your baby bump is definitely a thing and there are good reasons why you – and your partner, if you have one – should give it a go.

And, if you don’t have time to read the whole article, here’s the short version: it’s about connecting and bonding with your baby; familiarising your baby with the soothing sound of your voice; and establishing a reading-aloud habit.

So let’s get started.

The power of sound in the womb

You probably already know that babies begin to hear sounds in the womb long before they’re born. But, if you’re like me, you might not know that this starts quite early. From about 18 weeks gestation, a baby’s auditory system is sufficiently developed for them to detect sound vibrations in their environment and, by 25 weeks, a baby’s hearing is fully functional. In fact, at 25 weeks gestation, your baby will be able to distinguish between different sounds in the world outside the womb. This means that by the time you reach the second trimester, your baby can hear your voice, the voices of those around you and the various sounds in your environment and can distinguish your voice from the other sounds they hear.

The sounds that a baby hears in utero are, of course, muffled and distorted due to the presence of amniotic fluid and several layers of tissue surrounding the baby, however, the human voice – particularly the mother’s voice – is still remarkably clear to a developing foetus. Studies have shown that babies are able to recognise their mother’s voice immediately after birth which suggests that sound plays a crucial role in forming early bonds.

Connecting and bonding with your baby

Reading aloud to your baby while they are still in the womb is a beautiful way to begin connecting with them even before they take their first breath. It allows parents to start building a relationship with their child based on familiar sounds – particularly the sounds of their voice.

Both speaking and reading to your baby familiarises him or her with the sound of your voice but reading aloud is a bit different from speaking. We tend to read more slowly and deliberately than we speak and the calm rhythm of a parent’s voice as they read aloud is comforting and soothing for their baby.

If you have a partner, reading aloud to your baby bump is a wonderful way for them to connect with your little one. Mothers tend to find it easier to connect with their babies during pregnancy than do fathers and other partners and many partners have reported that reading aloud offered them a way to bond with their babies before the birth.

Reading familiar books aloud to your baby bump also creates a shared experience between you and your child which you can continue to enjoy after your baby is born. 

The calming effects of reading aloud – for you and baby

Your baby’s sense of hearing becomes more refined in the second and third trimesters, so by the time you’re in the final months of pregnancy, your baby is likely to be very responsive to familiar voices. The voice you use while reading will be especially soothing to your baby since it’s a sound they’ve been hearing consistently for months.

The experience of sitting quietly and reading aloud to your bump can also be soothing for parents,  especially if you are experiencing stressful moments during the pregnancy. The fact that you need to sit and focus on reading and on connecting with your baby, even just for a few minutes, can lower your cortisol levels and have a calming effect. It may even have lasting effects on your baby’s emotional development as he or she becomes familiar with your voice and learns to associate it with comfort and security. 

Interestingly, some research has found that prenatal stress can lead to issues with attention, mental health and immune function in children later on in life. In fact, three studies published in 2013, 2015 and 2020 found that high levels of maternal stress and the associated high levels of cortisol during pregnancy can negatively affect babies development and health. Add to this the fact that we know reading calms stress in our bodies and the benefits of reading aloud to your baby bump seem clear.

And if you read aloud to your baby on the day they’re born and during their earliest days, the gentle repetition of the words and phrases they’ve heard so often when you read to them during your pregnancy creates a soothing familiarity which can help ease the transition from the womb to the outside world.

Creating a reading-aloud habit

In addition to fostering an early connection with your baby, reading aloud during pregnancy sets the foundation for a lifelong love of books and reading.

It makes intuitive sense that reading aloud to your bump regularly during pregnancy is likely to mean parents will continue to read aloud to their baby after he or she is born and there’s now research to back this up.

Why does this matter?

Many, many studies have confirmed that establishing a reading habit early on can have far-reaching benefits for children’s intellectual and emotional development. Research has shown that children who are exposed to reading and stories from a young age have strong oral language skills, rich vocabularies and well-developed cognitive abilities, compared to children who are not read to in infancy or who are read to only rarely.

By reading aloud to your baby in utero, you are introducing them to the rhythm and cadence of language long before they can understand words. The sound of the spoken word helps babies learn about tone, pitch and the flow of speech, stimulating the development of phonological awareness which is a critical early literacy skill.

Using favourite books to soothe and calm your baby

So what should you read to your baby bump?

Books that have simple language, rhymes or repetitive phrases are particularly beneficial for early bonding through reading. These types of books are easy for babies to recognise and respond to which helps strengthen connections in their brains to do with language.

Books which incorporate rhythmic language can also be very soothing for your baby. In fact, studies have found that babies seem to be innately drawn to rhythmic language so choosing a few books which are written with a pleasing rhythm and reading them often may provide you with an easy way to help you baby relax before sleep once they are in your arms.

When should you start reading to your baby?

 The best time to start reading to your baby in utero is as soon as you feel comfortable doing it.

While babies can start hearing sound around 18 weeks gestation, the process of bonding through reading can begin at any time during your pregnancy. The best thing is to make it a habit. Ideally, aim to read aloud to your baby bump several times a week; daily is even better. The more often you read, the more likely your baby is to develop a connection to your voice and the words you speak.

Reading aloud during pregnancy isn’t just about creating memories for your baby: it’s also a wonderful opportunity for expectant parents to connect with each other. If you’re not sure where to start, consider picking a time each day, such as before bed, to read aloud together. This small routine can become an anchor in the midst of the often-hectic journey of pregnancy.

So what are the best books to read to your baby bump?

Choose any book that you enjoy reading but, if you’d like some recommendations to get you started, these are the books I suggest. Buy them all, if you like, or just pick two or three. Babies love repetition, in utero and out!

Books which incorporate rhyme and/or repetition
Books that have a rhythmic, repetitive structure are soothing and perfect for creating familiarity with the sound of language and with the books themselves.
Some of my favourites are:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox

Books with simple, soothing language
Choose books with calm, peaceful language that will create a relaxing environment for both you and your baby. These books will also help your baby begin to associate reading with comfort.
Some of my favourites are:

• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Kissed by the Moon by Alison Lester

Books of poems for children
Not many people choose to read poetry these days but a well-chosen book of poems is a delight to read aloud. There are some beautiful books of poetry for children and the rich language, imagery, rhythm and rhyme will feed your baby’s brain and help stimulate the development of phonological awareness.
Some of my favourites are:

• When We Were Very Young by A A Milne
• A Child’s Garden of Verse by Robert Louis Stevenson
• The Orchard Book of Nursery Rhymes by Faith Jaques
• A Child’s Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Kady MacDonald Denton

Dr Seuss and reading aloud to your bump

Dr Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, was fascinated by research that was being done in the 1970s and 1980s into the development of babies while they were still in the womb. He was particularly interested in the idea that babies could hear sounds and might actually be able to respond to their parents’ voices.

His interest in this idea increased when he came across an article in the 1980s about researchers who had asked mums- and dads-to-be to read aloud to their babies during their pregnancies. Ted and his wife, Audrey, were delighted to learn that the book the parents had been asked to read was The Cat in the Hat. 

So what did the researchers discover?

The researchers found that the babies were more active than usual during the reading and gradually settled down afterwards.

The really cool thing about this was that the study showed that these responses to the reading aloud sessions continued after birth. From this, the researchers concluded that the babies remembered that they’d heard the story before – when it was read to them when they were still in the womb.

Ted Geisel died in 1991 leaving Audrey in charge of all licensing matters relating to the Dr Seuss books. Several years later Audrey approved an adaptation of the 1990 Dr Seuss book Oh, The Places You’ll Go! 

Oh, Baby, the Places You’ll Go! is a very cute book which makes a lovely gift for a parent-to-be, perhaps when they announce their pregnancy or as a baby shower gift. I gave a copy to my sister many years ago when she was pregnant with her second child and am about to give one to my son and his partner as they prepare to welcome a new baby. 

The book begins like this:

Baby, oh, baby,
the places you’ll go!
The worlds you will visit!
The friends you will know!

And ends with the lines:

It’s a scrumptulous world
and it’s ready to greet you,
And as for myself …
well …
I can’t wait to meet you!

My final take on reading aloud to your bump

Reading aloud to your baby while they are in utero may seem like a small gesture or perhaps an odd thing to do, but it’s a powerful tool for connecting, bonding, soothing and preparing your child for the outside world.

By sharing the sound of your voice, reading specific books, and creating a regular routine, you’re nurturing a connection that will last a lifetime. Early exposure to language and rhythm can enhance your baby’s cognitive development and emotional security, setting the stage for a healthy, thriving relationship between parent and child.

So, next time you reach for that book, remember that you’re not just reading words on a page – you’re nurturing your baby’s mind, calming their spirit, and fostering a bond that will endure for years to come.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed exploring the idea of reading aloud to babies in utero with me. If you’re on Instagram, please do come and share your experiences and the books you read to your bump. Don’t forget to tag me @thebookbasketco so I can see!

* This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I'll earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). All the books I link to are quality texts I've read and enjoyed. In most cases I also use them in the classroom.

Over to you

Did you read aloud to your baby while he or she was in utero? 

Which books did you read?

Did you notice that your baby responded when they were born to the books they’d been read when they were still in the womb?

I’d love to hear what you think so drop me a line in the comments.

References

Bush, N; Savitz, J; Coccia, M; et al. (2021). Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Predicts Infact Infectious and Noninfectious Illness, The Journal of Pediatrics, Vol 228, 117-125. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(20)31027-1/abstract

Chamberlain, D. (2021). Prenatal Receptivity and Intelligence. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 35(2), 1-23. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://birthpsychology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/fpcstq71-1.pdf

Coussons-Read, M. (2013). Effects of prenatal stress on pregnancy and human development: mechanisms and pathways. Obstetric Medicine, 6(2), 52-57. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5052760/

DeCasper, A.J; Fifer, W.P. (1980). Of human bonding: newborns prefer their mothers’ voices. Science, 208(4448), 1174-6. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7375928/

Glover, V. (2015). Prenatal stress and its effects on the fetus and the child: possible underlying biological mechanisms. Adv Neurobiol; 10, 269-83. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25287545/

Partanen, E; Kujala, T; et al. (2013). Learning-induced neural plasticity of speech processing before birth, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A; 110 (37), 15145-15150. Accessed 26/2/2025: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1302159110

Shatzman, C. (2024, 22 March). 7 Ways to Make Baby Smarter Before Birth. The Bump. https://www.thebump.com/a/make-baby-smarter-before-birth