Rock the Cradle

There's something instinctual about lulling your baby to sleep by singing her a soft melody -- and those sweet tunes don't go unnoticed. In fact, research has shown that newborns can even remember music played for them during the third trimester. But don't fret if you didn't pipe in Mozart concertos via belly headphones; there's little evidence that doing this offers any long-term brain-boosting benefits -- despite the buzz a few years ago that exposing babies to classical music makes them smarter. However, listening to, moving to, and making music are important parts of your baby's development in her first year. We'll tell you how to help her feel the beat.