what should i read to my baby while pregnant?

roxyvess · August 2015

Hey everyone! This is my first pregnancy. I am 26 weeks right now and i am having a boy. My boyfriend and i dont really talk to our son like people suggest we should. I want to start reading to him, but i dont know what to read to him. Any suggestions? ? And if my boyfriend sees or hears me reading to him, do you think he will talk to him more often? He has only talked to him twice. He will kiss my stomach every once in a while, but not that often. I want him to be more involved. Any suggestions will honestly be very helpful right now.

queenwog · August 2015

I don't think it makes a difference. He won't know what you're reading anyway. He likely won't know what hours reading for quite a while after he's been born, in fact. You could read 50 Shades of Grey to him and he'd never know it.

Also, some people just aren't comfortable petting or talking to someone's belly. My DH hasn't had any desire to feel the baby kick and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm also not going to find ways to get him to do something he doesn't particularly want to do. If he wants to, he will in his own time. Maybe your BF would like to be involved in other ways, like if he's a handy sort of person he could make the baby a special toy, or help get the nursery ready, or even help you register for gifts.

TacoSarah · August 2015

queenwog said:

I don't think it makes a difference. He won't know what you're reading anyway. He likely won't know what hours reading for quite a while after he's been born, in fact. You could read 50 Shades of Grey to him and he'd never know it. Also, some people just aren't comfortable petting or talking to someone's belly. My DH hasn't had any desire to feel the baby kick and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm also not going to find ways to get him to do something he doesn't particularly want to do. If he wants to, he will in his own time. Maybe your BF would like to be involved in other ways, like if he's a handy sort of person he could make the baby a special toy, or help get the nursery ready, or even help you register for gifts.

My sister did exactly that, only she said she skipped over some parts because she felt embarrassed saying it out loud lol

grapesoda1111 · August 2015

Speaking of reading whatever you want to babies: at my friends baby shower, she got a baby book with some adult humor. It was called "Go the F*** to sleep"

I should invest. Sounds like a good read.

OP: you can really read whatever you want, DH or I don't talk to the baby either.

lyankowi · August 2015

I read Dr Seuss to DD, this baby just get the books I'm reading to DD before bed

Ceridwen77 · August 2015

I don't think it matters if you're taking to baby or you and your DH are just having a conversation. If your goal is to get baby to hear and get used to your voices, that will happen whether your conversation is directed at baby or not. I don't talk to my baby and neither does my husband really, but we definitely talk to each other a lot!

Michsmelle · August 2015

My mother read War and Peace to me in the womb and I feel that it really shaped my intelligence, personality, and worldview.

lakesideknitter · August 2015

Have you talked to your SO about this? If it's something you're concerned about, I'm sure he'd be willing to do it if you asked him. He may not even know it's a thing.
I'm on the same page as PP's. Your baby hears you talking all day long - he or she can't tell who you're talking to or if you're holding a book. Reading to baby is something I'm not even going to think about until he arrives. At that point, we plan to read to him daily.

FilbertTree · August 2015

Read something you enjoy. Your LO isn't going to care if it's Shakespeare or a crappy Harlequin romance or Maurice Sendak. If reading to him is something you want to do, make it something for you too and grab a book you love.

CarrieOct15 · August 2015

My SO likes to read the baby his biochem textbook. We like to joke that it's giving her a head start on her future medical career.

)

OP, seriously it doesn't matter.

Bettytteb · August 2015

Like others have said, it doesnt matter at all. The goal is just for baby to get used to your voice, and your SO's too ideally.

AmoLovesAud · August 2015

grapesoda1111 said:

Speaking of reading whatever you want to babies: at my friends baby shower, she got a baby book with some adult humor. It was called "Go the F*** to sleep" I should invest. Sounds like a good read. OP: you can really read whatever you want, DH or I don't talk to the baby either.

Samuel Jackson did the audiobook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mI5F3F2Txo

Kiddo's first bedtime book is going to be the silmarillion. Figure we should expose her to the family nerd culture early XD

thefithuntress · August 2015

AmoLovesAud said:

grapesoda1111 said:

Speaking of reading whatever you want to babies: at my friends baby shower, she got a baby book with some adult humor. It was called "Go the F*** to sleep"

I should invest. Sounds like a good read.

OP: you can really read whatever you want, DH or I don't talk to the baby either.

Samuel Jackson did the audiobook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mI5F3F2Txo

Kiddo's first bedtime book is going to be the silmarillion. Figure we should expose her to the family nerd culture early XD

Bryan Cranston did one, too:

https://gawker.com/bryan-cranston-reads-to-kids-you-have-to-fucking-eat-1657942839

Favoritemandms · August 2015

Read anything! Pick a book that you and your SO are interested in and you can all read it together.

I did read one study that reading a simple story or poem (Dr Seuss, goodnight moon, etc) frequently while baby is in the womb can be used as a soothing tool after the baby is born. It was one study though, and not necessarily worth driving yourself nuts reading Goodnight Moon 200 times before the baby is even born. If I find the info though, I will pass on the link.

VexedMommy · August 2015

My daughter gets a kick out of reading to the baby. She also struggles with reading so it's great practice for her. So far it's been various early chapter books and some fairy tales.

Stitch11 · August 2015

We do anything from children's picture books (gearing up for bedtime stories!) to relaxation books to our expectant parents books. My husband likes to read because it's a soothing way to get the baby used to his voice (since it hears mine all day) and as a bonus I get to sit back, relax and listen. He loves when baby starts moving when it hears his voice so he'll just read with his hand on the baby sometimes. He also loves to talk to the baby a lot, so that's just his personality and what he's comfortable with, but obviously everyone's different. Like everyone else said, read what you enjoy and just the tone of your voice will let you bond.

Gapeach83 · August 2015

Whatever DD1 picks as her bedtime story. I kill 2 birds with one stone.

mamavbs · August 2015

I have two young children, so come evening time, if my husband sat there talking to my belly instead of my face- I'd kick him!

As most people have said, the baby will pick up tones of voices from people who are around a lot. Obviously yours will be the most familiar as it can't escape it! If I were you I would take this time to read anything that you want and use that time to relax and unwind. Any time you're around your SO, baby will pick up his voice too. Although you could mess with him and make HIM read YOU fifty shades of grey... Or something else that will make him cringe!

alisonrmc · August 2015

Unlike a lot of the other posters i actually believe that talking to/reading to your baby is different then just them hearing every day talking. Also it can be exciting for you to start reading baby books while you're waiting to actually get to hold your LO. Maybe pick a book you loved as a kid and start reading it to baby now and it can be something special between you and baby as he grows, could maybe start a tradition maybe he'll read that book to his wifes baby bump one day

mamavbs · August 2015

@alisonrmc oh I actually like the thought of that, a favourite book tradition! Very cute.

flas · August 2015

grapesoda1111 said:
Speaking of reading whatever you want to babies: at my friends baby shower, she got a baby book with some adult humor. It was called "Go the F*** to sleep"

I should invest. Sounds like a good read.

OP: you can really read whatever you want, DH or I don't talk to the baby either.

Ha I have that book too!

susanb15 · August 2015

Go the F to Sleep was the book I got for all friends at baby showers (@ least those who would not be offended). I ordered it for my husband to tell him I was pregnant.

You have to effing eat is also amusing.

wimamaof2 · August 2015

I have been reading baby books. One night in Spanish and the next night in English, and so on. Barnes and Noble have a great selection of Spanish books for kids.

rubirubi89 · August 2015

Try working the baby into the conversation maybe? Like if your boyfriend tells a bad joke, turn as if talking to your belly and say "daddy is not good with jokes baby" naybe he'll do the same. Husband and I Talk to our baby as if he were here already.

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