Mother in Hebei uses math lecture to soothe crying infant

A video of a mother in Baoding, Hebei Province, China, using mathematics to soothe her crying infant has gone viral online. To calm her child, a mother surnamed Wei began reading aloud from a mathematics textbook, explaining quadratic functions. The method proved unexpectedly effective, as the infant fell asleep in less than three minutes.

Experts suggest the success of this method is not due to the mathematical content itself, but rather the mother’s calm, steady, and repetitive voice. This vocal pattern acts as “white noise,” simulating the auditory environment of the womb and providing a sense of security that helps infants calm down.

Medical professionals emphasize that high-quality sleep is vital for infant growth and development, noting that growth hormones are most active between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. Maintaining consistent sleep patterns is essential for stable weight gain and cognitive development in early childhood.