Music that’s good for prenatal care: classic masterpieces and popular recommended songs to help mom and baby relax
Many expectant mothers may feel, “I want to do something for my baby!” and start prenatal education.
It’s said that from around 18–20 weeks, when mothers begin to feel fetal movements, a baby’s brain and senses develop rapidly, so this is a recommended time to start prenatal education.
With that in mind, we’ve gathered music that’s perfect for prenatal listening, focusing on classical masterpieces.
Of course, it’s important for your baby to hear beautiful music, but it’s also very important for the mother to relax and spend her pregnancy with a calm mind.
Please enjoy soothing moments listening to music together with the baby in your belly.
Your warm, happy feelings will surely be conveyed to your baby.
Music that’s good for prenatal care: classic pieces that help mom and baby relax, recommended popular tracks (1–10)
GymnopédieErikku Sati
Here is a solo piano piece composed by Erik Satie in 1888.
This piece is said to have healing effects and is reportedly played in hospitals during blood pressure measurements and used in music therapy, so it might be considered an ideal choice for prenatal listening.
If you’re a mom who can play the piano, I recommend trying it yourself.
Among his works, this piece is the most well-known, but the piece performed with original lyrics for a disposable contact lens commercial was also composed by him.
Waltz of the Flowers from The NutcrackerPyōtoru Chaikofusukī
Among the pieces in The Nutcracker, this waltz is used as the ensemble dance that welcomes the Nutcracker and the heroine, Clara, when they visit the Land of Sweets.
Tchaikovsky wrote it as the last ballet music of his life.
It’s a waltz that evokes scenes of graceful dancing.
While it’s lovely to listen to on its own, experiencing it together with the ballet of The Nutcracker may deepen your emotional connection.
Many people have a bit more time before giving birth, so why not relax and immerse yourself in art with the baby in your belly?
Nessun dormaJiakomo Pucchīni
This piece is the aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot.
Calaf, who seeks to marry Princess Turandot in China by solving a series of riddles, sings it triumphantly.
The performance by the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti is famous, and his richly resonant voice—as one of the Three Tenors—seems like it could have a soothing, healing effect for both mother and child.
Using prenatal education as a starting point to listen to various performers and become familiar with classical music can be great fun.
Meditation from ThaïsJūru Masune
This piece was composed by the famous French composer Jules Massenet and was performed as the intermezzo in his opera Thaïs, which premiered in 1894.
The opera tells the story of Thaïs, a courtesan, and Athanaël, a monk.
This music is used in the scene where, persuaded by Athanaël, Thaïs resolves to change her heart and embrace a life of faith.
Knowing this context can add depth to the listening experience, and it may even have a positive effect as prenatal music.
It can also be fun to take this opportunity to look into the pieces you’re listening to.
CanonYohan Pakkeheruberu
This piece is one of the most famous in classical music, and chances are everyone has heard it at least once.
It’s even used in the interlude of Tatsuro Yamashita’s classic song “Christmas Eve.” A canon is a type of musical form in which a single theme overlaps in succession, like a round—think of “The Frog Song”—as if the parts are chasing each other.
Listening while enjoying the beautiful overlapping melodies is said to be good for prenatal education, and it also seems to enrich the mother by letting her engage with art.
Liebesträume No. 3Furantsu Risuto
Originally composed by Liszt as a song for soprano, the piece was later rewritten by him as a solo piano work.
This piece is about love, but rather than romantic love, the lyrics convey lessons about human love and human relationships.
Of course, classical music is enjoyable simply to listen to, but I recommend also taking a moment to look into the background of the work, as it can make it even more engaging.
I hope that listening to this piece will help your baby grow into a wonderful person.
Amazing Grace
When people hear “Amazing Grace,” many may picture a gospel song, but it was originally a hymn written in the 18th century by the English clergyman John Newton, based on Irish and Scottish folk melodies, and it is sometimes performed on instruments like the bagpipes.
John Newton had been involved in the transatlantic slave trade, but after facing perils such as a near-shipwreck, he later became a man of faith.
It’s a lovely piece to listen to as prenatal music while feeling the blessings of heaven.