The Benefits of Reading to Newborns
What does he understand? Is he listening? He sleeps all the time! There are reasons to be sceptical about the apparently limited capabilities of this little being who has just arrived. And yet, we know today that a newborn loves having their parents read books to them.
In this article Mathilde Toulot, founder of Editions Charlie Crane, explains to us why reading to a newborn is essential from birth. Between language development, stress reduction and strengthening of the emotional bond, reading offers a uniquely comforting moment. Learn how the parents' voices soothe baby and stimulate their cognitive abilities well before their first words.
What does he understand? Is he listening? He sleeps all the time !
There are reasons to be sceptical about the apparently limited capabilities of this little being who has just arrived. And yet, we know today that a newborn loves having their parents read books to them. Above all, they will prefer the voice of their mother, and that of their father. But they will also greatly appreciate the attention shown by their grandmother, their uncle, their big brother, their half-sister or even, a carer at the hospital. In reading, it is not only the story being told that matters — it is the moment spent together. That is what counts above all else.
In the womb, the baby has been hearing for a long time — hearing is one of the first senses to develop In Utero. From as early as 5 and a half months, the foetus responds to deep sounds and vibrations. At 8 months of pregnancy, it recognises its mother's voice among other female voices. When it is born — this first great separation of life — it is suddenly cut off from all those sounds that were familiar and have shaped it. Hearing the voices of its parents is very reassuring. It is also known that the mother's voice has an analgesic effect — meaning it eases pain. The newborn wants to be spoken to; it is a necessity.
Reading is a moment of great comfort. When we start to read, our words are directed at the baby and they understand that our attention is focused on them. A few minutes are enough to reassure them that you are there for them. This is the beginning of building the bond.
This particular attention through reading develops cognitive abilities (the exchange during this intimate moment activates neuronal connections) and provides exposure to a rich variety of words. "Several studies show that the earlier one reads, the better language development will be up to the start of nursery school," explains Adèle Boulanger-Hirsch, speech therapist at the Robert Debré paediatric hospital. When a baby is born, they have already begun to store words — they are just waiting for one thing: to be nourished with language!
And then, reading soothes the parent too. Young mothers on maternity leave often suffer from loneliness — those long days when time loses all shape and hope sometimes slips into grey (that was my experience). Their mental health often falls by the wayside. Studies show that reading reduces maternal stress. Indeed! Feeling that having a baby is not just the labour of nappies and milk, of a dependent body, but that there is truly a person at the end of the line. Watching them react, in the tiniest of ways, to all those words, to all the good you wish for them — seeing their eyes flicker, their head turn ever so slightly — is a joy. A joy shared between two… that can transform a whole day.
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