Your baby can hear you now, along with the other sounds from his outside world. If he hears a sudden noise, he can blink and hold still for a second. And his heart rate may decrease. He reacts this way as his inner ear, or cochlea, begins to function this month.
Things can get pretty loud for your baby inside the womb. Consider the vibrations of your voice. Your heartbeat. The rush of blood vessels. Your stomach rumblings. Not to mention the loud, rumbling sounds of your intestines, which doctors called borborygmi. The sound level in there can reach 70 decibels, similar to that of a vacuum cleaner. So does your little guy find all that racket annoying? Not one bit. In fact, many newborns are soothed by white noise machines that mimic the rhythmic sounds of the womb.
Experts don't know if babies will remember the sounds they hear while in the womb. But a lot of parents believe that singing and playing classical music for their babies at this stage is comforting, even when they hear the songs again after birth. In any case, it feels nice to try.
If you've been dying to feel your baby's kicks, you may be rewarded this month. As his movements become smoother and more coordinated, you might feel some fluttering, called quickening. You might also be surprised by a case of the hiccups, as your little one practices his breathing techniques.
Toning and tightening your pelvic muscles can help support your uterus and bladder. Simple daily exercises can do the trick.
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