What to read to your bump

It's the question every parent-to-be asks once they decide to start reading aloud: what should I actually read? The reassuring answer is — almost anything.

Why it barely matters

Your baby can't follow a plot or learn vocabulary in the womb. What they respond to is the rhythm and calm of your voice. So the "best" thing to read is whatever is easy and pleasant for you to read aloud, unhurried, for a few minutes. The cereal box counts. Honestly.

That said, some things are a little nicer to read aloud than others. Here are a few ideas.

Things that read aloud beautifully

• Picture books and rhyming stories. The strong rhythm and repetition are soothing to read and to hear — and you'll be building a library for later anyway.
• Poetry. Even a few short poems. The cadence does all the work.
• A novel you're already enjoying. No need for it to be a children's book. Read a page of whatever's on your bedside table.
• Lullabies and nursery rhymes. Half-read, half-sung is perfectly good. Repetition is part of the magic.
• The same favourite, over and over. Returning to one gentle piece each evening builds familiarity — for your baby and for you.

Make it a small ritual, not a task

A few minutes most evenings does far more than an occasional long session. Pick a calm time — usually the end of the day — settle in, and read at a normal, gentle pace. There's nothing to perform and no box to tick.

For more on why this helps, see our guide to reading to your baby in the womb.

A ready-made option

If you'd rather not think about what to read, Dreamtime writes soft, soothing pieces made to be read aloud to your bump — calm by design, and a gentle start to the bedtime habit you'll carry on once your baby is here.