Baby's brain development: we only have to do a few things!

I'm a big fan of the show Modern Family.  In a recent episode, the hilarious (and pregnant) Gloria, uses headphones like these to talk to her growing baby.

But it begs the question: how much is baby really aware of?  I've been reading Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina, which I completely recommend.  The advice is generally logical and supported by reliable research.  Medina discusses how we can support baby's intellectual development through proactive decisions while pregnant (mostly regarding nutrition and stress management) and then throughout the child's early years (engaging with your child through a variety of modes).

And piping Mozart into your belly to raise baby's I.Q.?  Total B.S.

Additionally, NPR aired this segment today: Music, Multivitamins, And Other Modern Intelligence Myths.  I'd call it the blurb version of Medina's book.  With all the advice that we hear while pregnant, it's refreshing to get the boiled down basics of what really makes a difference based on solid research:

• Take Omega-3's while pregnant
• Engage with your child 
• NPR says to do this through interactive reading.  
• Medina discusses this too but also emphasizes the importance of just talking to your child, even when they're too young to converse.

That makes sense.