[Jen78fl]

Hi all. I am 23 weeks now. Im just curious about something. Can a loud noise, like a smoke alarm going off, possibly hurt a baby's hearing? I would think that they are protected somewhat from loud sounds, but I am wondering about this. We had some tile floors put in this weekend and our smoke alarms are extremely sensitive and will go off just from any kind of dust.. This happened quite a few times for short periods at a time.. Any advice on this? Thanks all

Jen

 

[treehugginhippie]

Well, I have first hand experience with this so I'll share. When I was 30 something weeks...I'm thinking 34, I tested our home alarm system just to make sure it was still working correctly. It never occured to me it would bother my poor DD

I guess I just forgot they hear too. It only sounded for a 10 seconds or less but she moved non-stop for HOURS afterwards...poor thing...I felt TERRIBLE!! I still feel bad about it.

I was a tiny bit worried of her having hearing damage...even though I was told she would be fine. Well, she passed the hearing test at the hospital and hears just fine at 4yrs old

HTH!

 

[Jen78fl]

Thanks Tina.. It went off quite a few times... I hope it hasnt caused any problems

 

[MonP'titBoudain]

I have nothing but common sense to back me up but I would think that something that's not being directed into the womb (like an U/S) would have to be loud enough to do damage to your ears before it could damage baby's ears. Yes, baby may have heard it, but I sincerely doubt it could possibly do damage. Especially something like a smoke alarm. It's not like you were standing in front of a wall of speakers at a rock concert, yk? Rest easy mama, I'm sure your baby is just fine.

 

[Barcino]

Gosh I hope not! I actually went to a concert when I was 23weeks (is the baby even hearing all the way well by then?) and sat on the second row with a speaker (not huge huge but a speaker) right in front of us two rows up. The band was really mellow (www.overtherhine.com) but the opener was awful and she was pretty much screaming! ACK! I just piled my jacket in front of my tummy and therefore the baby and then if you think about it it - what would it be like for you to listen to something even very lound under water (and my lovely tummy fat

) I think it is fine. My baby did move around but nothing horribly unusual. Both me and my sister in law who is also pregnant went and we are not worried about it and believe me I am ONE good worrier

 

[dimibella]

Nope, baby is too well insulated

 

[desertpenguin]

i don't think it would cause any damage either. but babies can definitely react to the noises. i remember going with my aunt and her husband to one of their church services when i was probably 32 weeks with ds. they go to a nondenominational church that is very enthusiastic during the musical parts of the service...seriously, it was like being at a rock concert because they had the speakers so loud. ds started kicking A LOT and after the service when i mentioned the music being too loud and how it bothered my ds, my aunt and her husband insisted that ds was "dancing to the music"...

: no, i found the music too loud to enjoy, i'm pretty sure he felt the same way!!

 

[rmzbm]

I doubt it could cause damage, per se...but I definately think it could bother the babe. DH used to play these tapping games with DD2 when she was in there...he's tried to repeat that w/this one and I can TELL she does NOT like it...she moves away from noises and the couple times I allowed doppler she freaked out. I just think some are sensative, some aren't. But actual DAMAGE from that? Nah!

 

[boysmom2]

I rode the subway to and from work everyday that I was pregnant with DS and he (now 5.5) hears just fine. I would think something like that, loud and frequent, would be worse than a single smoke alarm. Like others have said, I think they're pretty well insulated in there.

 

[Ironica]

There are concerns, but generally, it's with things like repeated industrial exposure... like if you have a job that requires ear protection for *you*, you need to get accommodation once you're past about 20 weeks (22 weeks, IIRC, is when the ears typically come online).

 

[Jen78fl]

Thanks everyone! I am probably worrying too much as usual! lol