Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Baby Einstein?

8 replies

newmumtobe84 · 01/02/2009 18:10

Has anyone heard of/used the Baby Einstein CDs in pregnancy, for baby? My friend (who is a head of music in a music college !) has recommended them, but just wondered if anyone found them useful and which ones you've tried out?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

chaya5738 · 01/02/2009 19:06

I am sceptical about the DVDs once the baby is born at least. I think they prey on parents' ambitions for their children with no benefit over and above reading and singing to your child. See thus article:

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/874892/Baby-IQ-DVDs-give-no-benefits-study-finds/

S1ur · 01/02/2009 19:08

Agree with chaya who puts it beautifully and links to a back up article.

Me I was just gonna say....

Pile o shite PFB wank.

mogwai · 01/02/2009 21:13

~As an SLT I'd support the view that the DVDs are excellent for vocabulary acquisition.

Children will inevitably watch some TV. The BE DVDs were simple and eye catching and gave us a much needed 20 mins peace once in a while.

But for music I don't see the point - just play a regular classical CD!

babyOcho · 01/02/2009 21:15

When my baby was in my belly she loved the music from the TV series Entourage

mogwai · 01/02/2009 21:16

tried to link to the article but can't read it all.

Does it specifically say the BE DVDs are rubbish?

I never expected them to boost my child's IQ - just gave her something age appropriate.

Television and DVDs are hugely detrimental to children's development in the first five years. It's important to be selective. I'd rather my child was watching a BE DVD than Dora the Explorer, frankly.

So long as you don't expect it to boost their IQ I don't see the problem - though they're bloody expensive!

Missmodular · 01/02/2009 21:20

I don't hold much truck with the IQ aspect of baby einstein dvds but the fact is my two year old DD loves watching them, especially the ones with lots of animals and puppets in them. For me, there are no annoying presenters grinning inanely and the music is very nice on the ears. I really like them.

mogwai · 01/02/2009 21:20

Ocho did you ever use the same music as an "off" switch?

I overplayed a U2 CD when I was pregnant, and since my work involves driving between appointments, my daughter was exposed to the same music over and over from as soon as she could pick up auditory signals.

I got sick of the CD after she was born but whenever she heard the opening lines she would stop and still and, well, shut up!

We deliberately saved the CD for whenever we couldn't calm her down as we didn't want to reduce it's effects by playing it constantly to her.

This was effective for almost two years and very useful on long car journeys. We came to hate the music itself but it was a lifesaver!

BTW she's now 3.5 and shows no reaction to it at all!

chaya5738 · 01/02/2009 22:14

Sorry the link isn't working anymore. For some reason it is now saying that you can only read it if you are a registered user. Anyway, the study specifically referred to Baby Einstein. In fact, the study says the DVDs inhibit learning. You can listen to an interview here:

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12560124

and there is another article here:

www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html

Flip