Pregophones...Music for the Unborn Child.

I am expecting my first child in a couple of months, and like many first time parents, I have been researching everything there is to know about these little wonders. My wife and I have been discussing music for our child, but have not been able to find an easy or practical way of letting our little guy listen to music, therefore the Pregophones.....

There are several theories out there for the use of music and your foetus, One being the introduction of music during pregnancy to condition the baby i.e. Training the baby to react when specific styles of music are played.

It is generally conceived that babies tend to sleep in the womb when the mother is up and about. This is due to the rocking effect that is present when the mother is moving. When the mother is more stationary the baby tends to be awake.

We want to introduce music to the baby when he was sleeping so we could condition the baby to associate sleep with a particular style of music, thus we needed something portable that could be worn while my wife is out and about.

I apologize if the pics and video are not the greatest, trying out a new camera.

PLEASE NOTE: excessive noise can be harmful to the foetus, use responsibly

Step 1: Materials and Tools

The materials and tools for this project are quite cheap and easy to find.

Tools:

Scissors
Needle and Thread
Hot glue gun (optional)
Measuring tape

Materials:

Self adhesive Velcro strips  Both hook and loop
Self adhesive Velcro buttons
Elastic waist band (at least 30 cm wide)
Cheap set of stereo headphones
MP3 Player

The total cost for this project, minus the MP3 player was about 3 pounds ($6.00 US) and I was able to get all the materials in local shops.

Step 2: Measure Out the Waist Band...One Child, Twins or More

The first step is to measure out how much of the elastic waist band you are going to use. In this particular one I used 120cm. This will depend on how big the belly is, but dont worry, this 120 cm allows for about 40 cm of adjustment. You may need a longer piece if you are having twins or more (good luck)

To stop fraying at the ends, I stitched the ends.

Step 3: Sticky Business

The next step is to apply the Velcro strips to the elastic band. Youll want to apply the soft side of the Velcro on the inside of the elastic band and the hook side on the outside. This will prevent the hook side from rubbing on the bare skin.

When the adhesive Velcro was attached, it appeared pretty sturdy, however I put a couple of stitches in to prevent it from separating.

Step 4: Hooked on Buttons

In this step youll want to attach the Velcro buttons. You'll want to start a couple of inches from the center of the band. These are self adhesive as well, but again, it's a good idea to put a stitch or two in each one. I used 10 all together and spaced them about 2 inches apart.

Important: Like the Velcro strips in the last step, make sure you use the soft side of the Velcro, this will avoid irritation when worn.

Step 5: Baby Loves Sound

Almost done. In this step, well be making the moveable speakers. I used a dollar store pair of headphones for this project. Youll first need to remove the head phones from the head band. I used a little hot glue to secure the wire to the headphones (to prevent separation)

Next apply one Velcro button (hook side) to the back of the speaker. Reapply the foam covering

Step 6: Putting It All Together

Last step. Now all you have to do is position the speakers on the waistband. Its up to you, or the babys position where you place the speakers. Finally, connect your MP3 player.

Step 7: Enjoy (Until the Baby Arives)

Thats it. Now enjoy. Try different music at different times of the day. My wife wears this all day, and sometimes even forgets its on (its that comfortable). Remember, excessive and loud noise can be dangerous, so be cautious.

Please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions for improvements (or music to play). Good luck and have fun.