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Your baby can hear you now
From around week 25, your baby starts listening in.
Updated · Sources
One of pregnancy's quiet wonders is the moment your baby starts to hear — turning the bump from a private space into a shared one. From the second half of pregnancy, the sounds of your world begin reaching them.
How hearing develops
The structures of the inner ear take shape around week 18, and by roughly week 25 your baby responds to sound — often with movement or a flicker in heart rate. By the third trimester they can tell voices apart and even react to familiar tunes. What they hear is muffled, as if through water, with your own voice and heartbeat as the steady backdrop.
What this means for you
- Your baby is already getting to know your voice — talking and singing now pays off at birth.
- Familiar music and stories heard often may soothe your newborn later.
- Sudden loud noises can make them startle and kick — a normal, healthy response.
- A partner's voice, heard regularly, becomes recognisable too.
A gentle head start on bonding
You don't need to do anything special — just live your life with your baby listening along. The familiarity you build now is part of why newborns calm so quickly to the voices they heard before they were born.
Sources & editorial process
Written by the Elara editorial team from the sources above. This page has not been reviewed by an independent clinician. Read how we write and update health pages. Last updated .
Medical disclaimer: this page is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are worried about yourself or your baby, contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away. In an emergency call your local emergency number.