The ear begins to develop in the fourth week of gestation, starting with the inner ear, followed by the middle ear, and then by the outer ear. It is not until about 20 weeks that the organs associated with hearing are developed enough to transmit sound. We are also able to "hear" without our ears (place a vibrating tuning fork on your forehead), but it is not clear when this ability is available to us. Interestingly, the one thing which is loudest in the environment of the uterus is the mother's voice.

In my opinion, it's never too early to start.

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