Lessons from Nine Months inside the Womb

When does learning begin? Some people say they remember their first day at a daycare center, or have flashes of moments as a baby. However, research on fetal origins suggest that a child do start to distinguish impressions, particularly sound, while still in the mothers’ womb.

What can a fetus learn in a span of nine months while inside the womb? British physician David Baker hypothesized that mothers are already teaching their babies important lessons on survival during this critical stage, and these include:

1. Food. Experiments performed suggest that babies at weaning take easily to the food that they have been exposed to from what their mothers liked to eat while pregnant, or from the flavors familiar to them through their mother’s breastmilk.
2.  Trust. Since the mother’s voice is the most audible sound that the fetus can hear, it is not surprising that, upon birth, it is the only sound that could calm the child, or the sound to which it would respond in a trusting way.
3. Expectations.  Mothers expose themselves to many different impressions during pregnancy—the air she breathes, the food and drink she consumes, the impact of thought and emotions—all these are somehow passed on to the fetus in their womb; these impressions may form the matrix upon which the child growing up will build to form his or her own survival tools.

These are some of the crucial ideas that babies are said to absorb even before they are born. Some studies even suggest that that these early impressions may hold the answers as to why people become who they are as adults.

Prenatal Care is more than Music to Baby’s Ears

We’ve all heard about how playing music to an unborn child can affect its development. In fact, some have speculated that certain genres of music will increase the baby’s intelligence. Although medical authorities have observed that playing music has no negative effects on baby, no one has actually concluded that the same will create any miracles for the unborn child. In reality, music does affect a baby after it is born, so now there’s a good reason to play music in the nursery.

Baby’s Listening

New research has shown that within the last ten weeks of pregnancy, the baby is able to recognize certain sounds and even languages. In other words, when a mother speaks to her unborn child, she is actually introducing her voice and prepping him for understanding and comprehension.

Happy Mother, Happy Baby

Experts recommend a peaceful and calm environment for mother and child. They also suggest that the mother talk to her baby in a relaxed way and avoid stressful situations and language. Some mothers have gone to the extent of reading their favorite literature pieces to their unborn, so as to sooth them and, perhaps, stimulate their creativity.

Keep it Down

It’s been proven that loud sounds and music over extended periods can lead to premature births, low birth weight, and even hearing loss. The noise level of a neonatal intensive care unit (50 dB and below) is recommended; it’s essential for everyone to be quiet even when the baby isn’t asleep.

Justifying the Desire to Sing to Your Unborn Baby

Becoming a mother is one of the greatest privileges in life. Going through a pregnancy is definitely tough, but the idea that you’re carrying—protecting, even—the fragile beginnings of a life inside you often fills mothers with such pride.

As a mother, you always want to do everything you can to make sure that your baby has the best chance possible at a successful future. It is this maternal instinct that inspires the desire to teach and guide a child, and for some mothers, this desire can manifest even before their child is born. As a result, many mothers often feel inspired to read or sing to their babies while they are in their womb.

Mothers who have done so regularly say that it has benefited their children in some way, and studies have been conducted finding support for this claim. Apparently, memory development starts in the womb, so they are already able to retain information coursed through the womb.

Of course, aside from the developmental aspect of prenatal teaching, the other – and more important – benefit to it is that it’s a great way for mother and child to bond even more. So the next time mothers feel the urge to sing to their unborn child, give in. It wouldn’t matter if you have a good singing voice or not, your child will still appreciate and benefit from it all the same.

Music to Baby’s Ears

In 2013, a group of Finnish scientists studied the effects of music on babies during their last trimester and four months after birth. They found out that, compared with the control group, babies who have been listening to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” exhibits greater neural activity. This points to the theory of music as a supplement to prenatal growth.

However, similar studies are relatively scarce. One obstacle in validating these results is the fact that it’s difficult to determine whether or not the baby’s response was a result of the music being played. There’s the potential for the baby to grow smarter; but until further studies can be done, these claims can’t be fully confirmed.

Provided that it’s done correctly, there’s no harm in would-be mothers listening to some classical music. Listen to some Mozart or Beethoven casually, either via speakers or headphones, but keep it no louder than a washing machine. Any sudden sound may startle the baby and affect his or her development.

If you’re using headphones, don’t put it next to your belly. Experts say the amniotic fluid around the baby, contrary to the belief of the soundproof abdomen, is a common medium for sound to travel. This virtually makes the amniotic fluid the baby’s extended pair of ears, so a loud boom-boom-boom would not be beneficial to the baby.

As for your music of choice, experts recommend starting off with lullabies and infant melodies. This can be found in prenatal music kits.