Some children seem to arrive in this world with memories of where they came from. As incredible as that may sound, Hong Kong singer Jade Kwan once shared a touching story about her daughter recalling life before birth — an experience that left her both astonished and deeply moved.
Kwan, known for her soulful ballads and Christian faith, married her boyfriend, a financial professional, in 2009. After seven years of marriage, she finally became pregnant with their first child. From the beginning, she placed great emphasis on prenatal education, praying daily for her unborn daughter, and playing hymns for about an hour each day. She sensed a deep connection forming — even before birth.
Her efforts seemed to have a calming effect. Kwan recalled that during the pregnancy, her baby was gentle and active in the womb. After birth, her daughter slept peacefully through the night and rarely cried — something many new mothers can only dream of. “I felt so grateful,” Kwan said.
A quiet bedtime moment reveals something extraordinary
Each night, Kwan made it a point to tuck her daughter in with love and attention. One evening, as she looked at the little girl, her heart filled with emotion. “It’s such a blessing to have this child,” she thought. She leaned in gently and said: “Mommy is really thankful you came into this world. Did you know I waited a long time for you?”
To her surprise, her four-year-old daughter looked up and replied: “I waited a long time to find you, too.”
Kwan was stunned. “What do you mean — you waited a long time for me?” she asked.
The little girl answered: “I was waiting with Jesus up in the clouds. He let me choose a mommy, and I picked the one with pink hair.”
Kwan was speechless. A wave of emotion rushed over her. “I never expected her to say something like that,” she later recalled. “When she told me she had also waited for me, I quietly started to cry. I was so touched. I had waited for her for so long — and she had been waiting for me, too.”
As it turns out, Kwan had dyed her hair pink for a 2014 concert — something she had never done before. Soon after that performance, she became pregnant with her daughter.
A doctor’s research into prenatal memory
Stories like this may sound unbelievable, but they’re not uncommon. Japanese obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Akira Ikegawa has spent years researching what he calls “prenatal memory.” According to his findings, as many as one-third of children appear to have recollections from before birth. In his books and lectures, Dr. Ikegawa has collected accounts from children who describe floating in a serene place — often “up in the clouds” — where they were surrounded by peace, little angels, or beings of light.
Though mainstream science has not confirmed these phenomena, Dr. Ikegawa believes such memories are worthy of attention and further study. He encourages parents to gently ask their children what they remember from before they were born. The answers, he says, are often surprising — and sometimes even verifiable.
For example, one Japanese mother who had uterine fibroids during pregnancy heard her child say: “There was something in your belly that kept getting bigger. I was scared it might squash me. Thank you for giving birth to me safely.” The child had never been told about the fibroids.
While skeptics may remain unconvinced, stories like these suggest that the bond between parent and child may begin long before birth — and perhaps, in ways we can’t fully explain, even before conception.
In a world often driven by logic and certainty, these quiet moments of wonder invite us to consider the unseen threads that connect us — and the possibility that love truly knows no beginning.
Translated by Patty Zhang
Follow us on X, Facebook, or Pinterest
