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1. The baby doesn’t understand English (although they can recognise the rhythm and sounds of language).

2. The mother understands English

3. The baby experiences the same emotions as the mother.

In conclusion, read something that will make the mother relaxed and happy. If that happens to be The Cat In The Hat, then great. I read Don Quixote when my wife was pregnant with our first, our second got Moomin and Hairy Maclary (by virtue of being there when I read to the first).

The most important thing is to keep reading to them, every day, after they’re born too. Buy tons of children’s books (for your own sanity), do the voices and have fun with them.

It’s mostly about the sound of your voice. My eldest got Vonnegut and Law & Order. So much of the latter that both before and after birth the “dun dun” sound from the show noticeably calmed her down.

It doesn’t matter. A baby doesn’t understand what you read to it. It only hears you voice and regocnizes it once they’re born. But it’llhear your voice in the belly regardless. Every time you say anyyhing, the baby hears your voice. Reading a book to a belly is mostly for the parents-to-be

I really don’t believe either of those things will do anything at all.

Reading to a baby is about exposing them to different words and patterns than what you get from normal speech.

If you want my advice, talk to them constantly as if you are the narrator, and smile and make eye contact at every opportunity.

Not sure if this applies before birth. It couldnt hurt, so I suggest reading whatever you like to read. And make sure its something that the mother wants to hear, assuming you arent her.