Gage and Brook's Mom posted a blog entry recently about music that touched my heart.
When I was pregnant with Christian, I was a 27 year old working Mom-to-Be. I LIVED for my iPod, and would listen to it on the Metro, bobbing my head to Ben Harper and Dave Matthews on my commute to work. Once at my office, I would plug it into my little speakers, and pick whatever Playlist fit my mood of that day.
Most of the baby books out there have some chapter about "Music and Your Unborn Baby". I, being the information nut that I am, bought into it. I would play Beethoven's Symphonies and Chopin's Etudes for my baby. I even looked into buying this ridiculous contraption. I was convinced that my kid would love music just like his father and I did, and he would come out of the womb humming "Lie in our Graves".
Christian was a colicky little baby. He would cry and cry, and the only thing that seemed to comfort him was really vigorous swinging in my arms and bouncing on my shoulder. He also seemed to have a thing for rock music. I brought out the iPod again, and made a Playlist just for my little baby of the songs that seemed to comfort him:
Rusted Root-Send Me On My Way
Led Zeppelin-Bron Y Aur Stomp
Simon and Garfunkel-Cecilia
Led Zeppelin-D'Yer Maker
Weezer-The World Has Turned And Left Me Here
Jimmy Buffett-One Particular Harbor
Dave Matthews Band-The Maker
I didn't know at the time, but the little baby that I was so desperately trying to comfort was profoundly deaf. Looking back at the playlist, I also realize that those aren't such "conventional" lullabyes. They all are songs that have prominent percussion and bass. It makes sense that my newborn liked Cecilia...he could probably feel the deep and repetitive bongos. He would fall asleep to the Send Me On My Way Bongo solo. I guess that should've been a clue to what was really going on with my kid. What did I know? I was a brand new Mom, sleep deprived, and flat out exhausted.
Over the past 16 months, I have probably shed more tears grieving for the loss of music for Christian than any other part of his hearing loss. I never thought he would be able to experience the joy of music, something that was so important to me to share with him.
Well, I'm not so worried about that anymore. I've noticed with his implant that he has started bobbing his little head to songs. He has even started dancing. And when I turned on the iPod yesterday to listen to Coldplay's new album, he took his little index finger and pointed to his C.I. Again, just another little miracle for my little boy.
Our Family's Cochlear Implant Journey
7 comments:
I used to feel so sad about this, too! CI's are amazing and Thomas LOVES music. When we are driving around he will start yelling "mootik" and pointing to the front of the jeep. My older son tells me "MOM, Thomas wants to dance"! So, I close the windows, turn the radio on and we all dance in our seats!! At home we love to have little dance parties in the family room.
When a slow song comes on he slows down, when an upbeat song comes on he dances like a crazy little man!
This is something that he wouldnt have been able to do without his CI's!
I am so happy to hear that Christian is starting to enjoy music ~ soon enough you will all be dancing through the house!!!
You know, even if Christian couldn't "hear" the music in the womb, he probably sensed your happy & peaceful heart, the beats, & rhythm as you danced & listened.
I, too, love Simon and Garfunkel, especially Bridge Over Trouble Water and Cecilia, and So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright!
I'm glad your little guy is hearing the music now because CI's are really speech processors. Music is an extra bonus!
OMG, how I relate to this post!
:)
Erin spontaneously started belting out The Wiggles "Fruit Salad" the other morning. Most joyful sound.
sounds like you have a little superstar on your hands!!
Oh how I identify with this post! I always turned up the music in my car and sang out loud for Aiden to hear and then after a long night of taking care of my dad, I'd relax us both by rubbing my belly and singing to my baby ... little did I know. When Ryan was little he'd dance and sing to Cake (remember them!) and Kailyn has always been a Led Zeplin fan! She is CONSTANTLY singing ... even when she answers us she belts out with an opera voice!
It's awesome to hear Christian is loving his music!
Cool!
I had to smile at your anecdote about playing classical music to an un-yet-born Christian. One thing to consider: even though it may be difficult to measure any benefits or correlations between playing classical music and an unborn child's eventual cognitive development, there may be other, more readily measurable changes - such as those in the mother.
In other words, even though your intention was to stimulate Christian through music as an-unborn-child, you may have inadvertently calmed your own body down and passed that calmness on to Christian.
Just a thought.
I enjoy reading your articles.
:o)
Paotie
I always had a thing for rock music mostly because of the drums. He is on his way to discovering a whole new genre of sounds. :) I agree with everything that Paotie said as well and I hardly ever disagree with him :)
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