Newborns can already hear

Hearing develops before birth, which is why a newborn recognises voices they have been listening to for months. The AAP's account of newborn behaviour: "After all those months in the womb, they'll quickly recognize their mother's voice (and possibly their partner's, as well). If you play soothing music, they may become quiet as they listen or move gently in time with it."

And the preference is specific. The AAP: "Just as your baby naturally prefers the human face over other visual patterns, they also prefer the human voice to other sounds. They will recognize and respond to those voices they hear most." Babies also like high-pitched voices — which the AAP notes most adults work out intuitively, raising their pitch, slowing down and exaggerating syllables without realising it.

The AAP puts a marker on it: "By one month, they'll be able to identify you by voice, even if you're in another room."

The milestones, by age

The HSE publishes the clearest age-by-age list, and the first block is the one that matters for a newborn.

Birth to 3 months — your baby may:

Startle to loud sounds — they may blink or open their eyes wide.
Notice sudden prolonged noise like a vacuum cleaner, pausing and listening when it is turned on.
Quieten or smile at the sound of your voice, even when they cannot see you.

4 to 6 months: turn their head to follow sounds, move their eyes in the direction of sounds, respond to changes in the tone of your voice, and notice toys that make sounds.

6 to 8 months: turn their head towards a familiar voice, and locate very quiet sounds when not distracted.

Around 9 months: notice everyday sounds, respond to their own name, babble using a variety of sounds, and begin to respond to simple requests.

The AAP's speech and sound timeline runs alongside: at about two months, cooing and repeating vowel sounds; by four months, babbling routinely and being more sensitive to your tone of voice and the emphasis you put on words.

Why a newborn ignores the doorbell

Newborns do not orient to sound the way older babies do. Turning the head towards a sound is a four-to-six month skill on the HSE's list, not a newborn one. A newborn's response to sound is more primitive: a startle, a blink, a pause, a change in breathing, or going still and listening.

They also habituate quickly. A newborn who has heard the same washing machine all afternoon stops reacting to it, and that is normal filtering rather than a hearing problem. The AAP notes that many newborn movements and noises are reactions to disturbances around them — a shrill sound or a strong smell may be all it takes to make a baby jump or cry.

Screening happens early

Hearing is checked in the first weeks rather than left to observation. The NHS offers newborn hearing screening to all babies, ideally in the first few weeks, and the HSE notes that newborn babies have their hearing screened in hospital, with the midwife arranging it if a baby was born at home. The test is quick, painless and often done while a baby is asleep.

Screening exists because hearing loss is not obvious from watching a baby, and because the AAP's guidance on hearing loss makes the case plainly: identifying it early and acting on it early gives the best outcomes for language development. A baby who has passed a screen has had this checked properly — but a screen is a snapshot, and hearing can change, so the milestones above still matter.

What actually helps

Talk constantly. The AAP's advice is to talk to your baby as you go through the day, because they learn from your voice long before they understand words, and these first exchanges teach turn-taking, tone and pacing.
Respond when they make a sound. The AAP describes these as first conversations: your baby gurgles, sees your delight, and learns that talk goes both ways.
Read to them, even in early infancy and even though they do not understand.
Sing. Rhythm and pitch hold newborn attention better than speech alone.
Protect their ears. Newborn ears are not adapted to loud environments. Keep them away from loud music and machinery, and use appropriate ear protection at noisy events.
Do not test them with sudden loud noises. Startling a baby to check they can hear is unpleasant and tells you very little.

When to call

Speak to your health visitor, public health nurse or GP if your baby:

Does not startle, blink or react to loud or sudden sounds by around a month old.
Does not quieten or settle to the sound of your voice.
Is not turning towards sounds by around four to six months.
Was not screened, or you do not know the result of the newborn hearing screen.
Has stopped babbling, or babbles less than they did.
Has had a serious infection such as meningitis, or has fluid or discharge coming from an ear.
Has a family history of childhood hearing loss, was born prematurely, or spent time in neonatal care — all of which are reasons to have hearing followed up rather than assumed.

Trust the observation over the screen. If your baby passed the newborn hearing screen but is not responding to sound as they get older, say so — a pass is not a permanent guarantee.

Call your local emergency number (999 in the UK and Ireland, 911 in the US and Canada, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand) if your baby: has a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above or below 36C (96.8F); looks pale, ashen, mottled or blue; is unresponsive or unrousable; has a weak, abnormally high-pitched or continuous cry; is grunting or breathing over 60 breaths a minute; has a bulging fontanelle, neck stiffness or a seizure; or has a rash that does not fade under a pressed glass. Those are NICE's red flags for serious illness in young babies, and several of them — particularly a bulging fontanelle with fever — relate to infections that can affect hearing.

What to let go of

A newborn who does not turn towards a rattle is not failing a test; turning is a later skill. What you are looking for at this age is much smaller — a blink, a pause, a stillness when you speak. Playing music at a bump or a newborn does not improve hearing or intelligence, and no health body recommends it for that purpose. Your voice, used often, is the whole intervention.

Can Newborns Hear