This was accomplished by placing a specially designed 8mm microphone inside a pregnant mother’s uterus, directly next to the unborn infant’s ear.  Insertion of the microphone moments before the mother went into labor enabled Dr. Eller to record the major intrauterine sounds that the baby had been hearing for the last four to five months prior to birth.

Based on the knowledge that the birth experience and transition from the peaceful, quiet existence inside the mother’s body is a very traumatic time for the newborn, it was hypothesized that the recorded intrauterine sounds would produce a calming effect on the newborn infant after birth.  Once the original recording was made, it was then transferred to records and tapes for testing in hospitals across the country.  The recorded sounds were then clinically tested on thousands of babies in hospital nurseries, and proved to be a natural audio baby pacifier.

Based on the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the incredibly positive results, and with the introduction of new technology from the aerospace industry, the recording was then developed, engineered, and electronically reproduced on an integrated circuit, using highly advanced microcomputer techniques.  One tiny chip contains the complete audio program and forms the heart of the Slumber Bear’s sound unit.  (The original Slumber Bear/Tummy Sleep’s original intrauterine recording technology is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.).

The Slumber Bear is the ONLY product available that plays actual recordings from inside a mother’s womb.  As a result, for the past 30 years, the Slumber Bear has been used in hospitals, clinics, maternity wards, nurseries, and homes all over the world to help babies transition from the womb to the outside world.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of the Silkie™, place Silkie™ inside your shirt for a few hours to absorb your scent.  Alternatively, you can also place Silkie™ between yourself and Baby when you nurse or are bottle-feeding baby.  Not only do babies love the softness of Silkie’s CVC velour and the smoothness of its satin, but this tactile stimulation is important for baby’s early development. 

Research shows that “Some babies will attach themselves to a blanket (Silkie™) or toy that becomes a ‘lovey’.  This is a transitional object that comforts your baby in your absence.” Ibid.  Slumber Bear’s Silkie™ can become a powerful bonding tool between you and your baby.  Using the trusted Slumber Bear® and Silkie™ together ensures that both you and your baby will get the rest and reassurance that you need! (Excerpted with permission of McGraw-Hill/contemporary Publishing from THE NO-CRY SLEEP SOLUTION: GENTLE WAYS TO HELP YOUR BABY SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT by Elizabeth Pantley, copyright 2002.)

The Slumber Bear’s sound un it comes with batteries, has a volume control knob, and has an auto-shut off timer to save on batteries.  If Baby cries or the bear is moved, the sound box will reactivate automatically.  Velcro® paws allow for easy attachment to Baby’s cot rails.  The sound box hooks securely inside the bear, or can be removed from the bear and used separately by connecting it to the cot rail or pushchair using the Velcro® strap provided.  Four AAA batteries included.  Once Baby outgrows the Slumber Bear sounds, the sound box can be stored away and Baby is left with a trusted friend.

See what other midwives, nurses, writers and parents are saying about the Slumber Bear:

“May I take this opportunity to say what a wonderful product the Slumber Bear is.  I am a Midwife and often deal with fractious and unsettled babies; the lovely bear is a little marvel.  When use with newborn babies, especially, it seems to have an almost instant calming effect and I have personally noticed a significant change in the lucky babies who get to use it.  The Mums are very impressed too!  I have been so delighted with the demonstration models that I went out and bought my Daughter-in-law one for my new Grand-daughter and she has used it very frequently with great effect.  May I thank you again for introducing this fabulous product to us and I hope that soon all Mums in the UK will get the benefit of your Slumber Bears.”
Penny John, RM. Dip. Mid., Swansea, Wales

“The night baby Robyn was born, she was really unsettled and my daughter had not slept for over 24 hours, was totally exhausted, and could not move from her bed as her epidural was really effective.  I had taken the Slumber Bear to hospital and while Robyn was screaming in her cot, I switched the bear on.  Within 5 minutes, she was sound asleep.  I work as a midwife in the hospital and neither I nor my colleagues could believe it.  Over the next 24 hours, we used it on a few occasions and the same thing happened.  I just can’t praise your product enough!  On behalf of myself, my daughter, and all the staff of Ward 21, Wishaw General Hospital, we thank you.”
L.P.,Wishaw General Hospital, North Lanarkshire, Scotland

"I am a maternity care assistant in a small maternity unit in Wantage, Oxon. A few years ago a grateful mum gave our unit a Slumber Bear for us to use. It has been absolutely invaluable to us, especially on the night duties. We always pop it in the cot with an unsettled baby with fantastic results. The mums think that it's great & until recently we had been telling them it had come from Blooming Marvellous. (They told me to contact you). Our problem is that a few weeks ago our bear finally stopped working & we are desperate to either get it mended or replace it. The bear is fine and washes well, it's just the sound unit inside that has broken."
J.W., Wantage Maternity Unit, Wantage Hospital, Wantage, Oxon, England

“Slumber Bear works like ‘magic’! We have, I think, the quietest nurseries anywhere.  Within 30 seconds after the tape begins to play, crying stops and within 60 seconds nine out of ten babies are asleep… We thank you for Slumber Bear”.
Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, FL

“When my twin boys were tiny babies I gave them each a Slumber Bear – I could tell that they absolutely loved them by the way they settled as soon as they heard the Slumber Bear’s sounds.  We used them at night and they helped us all to achieve our goal of getting the boys to sleep through when they were only a few weeks old.  Fantastic!  I’ve looked at other so-called ‘soothing’ products on the market and the Slumber Bear is in a class of its own which is why I have recommended it to every single new parent I’ve met and have written a glowing recommendation for it in my baby-care book.”                                                                                                  
Barbara Want, Co-author of ‘BABY SECRETS’ published by Penguin

“Fantastic effect on our newborn infants.  Approximately 90% of our babies stop crying and 85% of these infants are soothed to sleep in most cases within 60 seconds… a natural way of calming babies.”
St. Luke’s Hospital, Racine, WI

“We were pleasantly surprised with the Slumber Bear sound.  It really worked.  Since we know the effectiveness of the recording in a nursery situation, we believe it could be very useful to mother at home in quieting her fussy baby.”
St. Francis Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO

“A Slumber Bear is an invaluable aid to teaching a baby to sleep at night and I try to persuade every parent I work with to get one.  Slumber Bears house  a small box with a recording of the sounds heard inside the womb:  to you and me this is more like the gentle rumble of waves on a beach.  The recording is triggered by the cries of an unsettled baby or by a gentle tap.  I find it has a soothing effect on babies and helps them to resettle themselves to sleep when they wake in the night. Ideally, it should be used from newborn or from a few weeks after a baby is born.  Some babies love their Slumber Bears so much they are still attached to them when they are three or four years old”
(Excerpted with permission of Penguin Books from BABY SECRETS by Jo Tantum and Barbara Want, copyright 2005.)

“The Slumber Bear sound is a pacifier for newborn babies.  Babies use up fewer calories not crying, gain weight faster.  Especially effective with prematures."
Paul Harvey News

“I was the desperate mother with the baby who wouldn’t sleep!  The Slumber Bear worked brilliantly for the first couple of nights and was a pleasant night’s sleep.  Now that he is older (9 months), he just likes having the Bear in his bed and he usually comes on nights away with us too!”
K.W., Bristol, England

“We are all delighted with the Slumber Bear—absolutely beautiful and has been well accepted by baby James.  We look forward to Mr. Bear II.”
G.D., North Wales, Wales

“I would just like to let you know that our baby daughter Jennifer who was born last Saturday loves her bear…as does her 2 year old brother Zac!!!! ( and my husband and myself!) Thank you!”
T.B., England

“I am writing in about your Slumber Bear.  I find it very good for my baby and think it’s one of the best toys out on the open market.  Thanks so much for bringing it out.”
T.P., Lancashire, England

“We bought a Slumber Bear for our 3 week old daughter Grace.  It is proving to be quite effective in these early stages.  I shall be recommending them to our friends and our neighbor that have just had a boy who comes home tomorrow.”
R.D., England   

“The Slumber Bear has proved invaluable in lulling “Daniel” to sleep, and both grandparents and our son and his wife are most appreciative.”
M.G., England

“I recently purchased a Slumber Bear for my baby.  Since my baby Lucci was actually 8 weeks old when I bought the Bear, I was a little worried that it wouldn’t have the same effect, and in fact, it didn’t work.  However, after 2 weeks of using the Bear at bedtime, it began to take effect and now Lucci, 15 weeks old, sleeps peacefully as it lulls her to sleep.  I feel I wish I had bought the Bear from birth, however, it has worked out well, and works great.”
M.M., Fife, Scotland

“We were delighted to received the Slumber Bear as it helps Connor drop off at nights and after feeds and calms him down when he is grumpy.  Hope the Bears find homes all across the country—we wouldn’t be without ours.”
B.M., England

“Stacey and I love your little company.  She gave birth on Monday to a 9lb 1 oz baby boy; we’ve called him Max.  Couple of nights in a row now, he has been grizzling and crying for no apparent reason, so we thought we would try the Slumber Bear to see if it did what it was supposed to, and it worked like an absolute dream!! Straight to sleep, no problems.”
Tony Colebrook, England

“Just wanted to say that the Slumber Bear is fantastic.  We bought it when our son was 7 weeks old and we weren’t sure how successful it would be.  He was prone to colic fits during the evening and nothing would calm him down.  On the first try during a screaming fit, he immediately quieted to listen to the sound.  It works 90% of the time and we find it very useful if he is overtired and won’t settle.  It is so good we are going to buy a second one, for fear that we will wear the first one out!  I just wich we had known about it earlier.  Many thanks.”
Katie Kift

“We don’t know who loves the Slumber Bear more—us or Persis!  It’s just brilliant and is now her constant companion.  It helps her sleep and comforts her when she’s awake.  Many thanks for such an ingenious gift.”
Rashna, Jonathan and Persis Clark, London, England

"This bear helps to lull your newborn to sleep by making soothing womb-like noises and even helps to soothe you (or it did me anyway).” "It is on a timer and is re-activated by movement or noise." "I know of a little girl of four who still carries hers everywhere!"
Recommended by Mums Net members as Best Gift for Newborns:
http://www.mumsnet.com/gifts/nrest.html

“Our son was born with respiratory difficulties.  He progressively got worse, finally being placed on a respirator.  Doctors gave little hope…his blood gas level was dangerously low and not improving.  His treatment did little to help him.  We placed the bear in his unit and within 30 seconds his breathing relaxed and his oxygen rose to the highest level since his birth.  From that point on he has improved.  My wife and I and the NICU nurses feel the bear relaxed him and eventually saved his life.”
M.S., Spartanburg, South Carolina

“The staff on the maternity floor of George Washington University Hospital, Washington D.C., where my son was born, was overwhelmed with the bear.  One nurse even told me that she shifted the most distraught babies next to my son’s bassinet as the sound from the bear soothed the babies.  You have a wonderful product!”
C.F., Whitesburg, Kentucky

“I have a five week old son with several heart defects and was exposed to this bear at the Boston Floating Hospital.  My son loved it!  Thank you for creating this bear!”
N.R., Goffstown, New Hampshire

 “Miraculous does not do it justice! Our son is now 4 months old and has suffered from a severe case of colic the whole time.  We had just about given up hope of saving our sanity when the bear arrived.  It worked immediately.  He now sleeps peacefully all night while it plays.  Thank you for this wonderful thing.”
D.S., Owatonna, Minnesota

“The head nurse came to tell me she had ordered two for the nursery.  All of the doctors were very impressed too.  Since we have been home, it has been a life-saver.”
P.H., Lynn, California

“As a shower gift I received your Slumber Bear.  Since the birth of my daughter I have used it almost from day one.  This bear is truly a Godsend…it puts my daughter and myself to sleep.  Much, much thanks.”
I.S., San Jose, California

“The Slumber Bear can truly be classified as amazing, incredible and a real life-saver.  It pacifies our infant almost immediately.”
D.K., Arcadia, California

“Our Slumber Bear was a savior for the first four months with our son.  As soon as we came home from the hospital we began using the bear and it was amazing how calm he would become.  The bear was more than worth the cost and we have recommended this special bear to many of our friends.”
C.G., Pittsburgh, California

“I will be sending you a check for 2 blue original Slumber Bears because all the stores are going with some ugly new bear…ya’lls by far is the cutest thing I have ever seen… I finally found a yellow one, but I would like to have 2 more blue ones… This is very important as my grandson has a blue one and I’m afraid it is going to wear out—he has slept with it for over a year now… I just want to make sure I have enough.”
Susan Hayslip, USA

“This is a really soft and cute teddy that plays womb sounds.  The little music box itself is detachable so if you just want to pop it in the pram when you’re out you can do it.  It plays rhythmic sound your baby will have heard when you were pregnant, and you can adjust the volume.  Grace had been out of the womb nearly 8 weeks when she got this, so it took a little while for her to get used to it.  Normally you use it from birth so your baby is comforted by the familiar sound of your heartbeat without a break.  After a few days of getting used to this, Grace did find it soothing if she woke up unsettled.  Cleverly it has a special setting that makes the music automatically come on if the baby starts crying.  You get three useful products in one here as you have the teddy, the sound box that can be attached to a cot, a nd a silkie that picks up your scent so later when your baby is a little older; this will probably become their beloved comforter.”
Lynne Lambourne, Fulham, London (Taken from Baby & Toddler Gear, September/October 2005)