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.

Tips for Avoiding Picky Eating Habits

Parents often face problems when their child graduates to solid food. It can be a handful to get a child to sit still and try different foods—in fact, this is often seen as the time when children become either picky eaters or not.

 

Picky eaters are always a headache because you need to completely adjust your menu to the tastes of the child. You can avoid this, however, by implementing the following simple tips and tricks:

Eat as a Family

Eating as a family reinforces that silent rule “at this hour, it’s time to eat”. Very young children thrive when there is a set schedule, which is why parents often hear that their child eats well while at school.

Eating as a family also makes it easier to introduce variety to a child’s diet. Seeing mommy and daddy eat the weird looking thing must mean it tastes good, or at least, safe to eat.

Keep it Colorful

Younger children are very visual, so introduce food that is colorful. Corn and carrots are a great example. The more you pique the interest of your child, the more they’re inclined to try it.

Take Them Grocery Shopping

Ask your child to pick out one fruit, one vegetable, and one treat while out grocery shopping. This allows him/her to explore different foods and encourages them to try different things. To make this more effective, try turning it into a game, e.g. he/she needs to pick one long and one round fruit.

Two Reminders for the Pregnant Woman

It is important for mothers to batten down the hatches during pregnancy. The nine months of preparing for the child’s birth is often a challenging one, and some things could go horribly wrong. Prenatal development is not quite an exact science, but there are a number of issues worth dealing with or avoiding if the baby is to be born healthy. Here are a couple:

Avoiding the ‘Boombox’

Certain pediatricians claim that loud noises already have the capability to destabilize the baby’s development. If the mother is still going out to places that produce heavy sounds, such as loud concerts or even political demonstrations, this could result in some degree of hearing loss for both mother and child, or a premature delivery in some cases. Spending time in more serene environments with natural sounds allows the mother to ‘converse’ with her child.

Eating Smart

Expectant mothers are often reminded to be careful of what they eat during their pregnancy. Some physicians and nutritionists may draw up a nutrition plan, in addition to prescribed medication. In times of extreme hunger, though, there’s the danger of mothers falling off-track and resorting to fast food options, which may not have the required sustenance for both the mother and baby. Insufficient amounts of iron, calcium, and protein make for a lethal combination of anemia, lower bone mass and mental retardation.

A well-thought out eating and recreation program during pregnancy can help add sufficient weight and overall capability for the baby.

On Raising the Next Boy/Girl Wonder

Every expectant mother yearns for her future baby to be smart. After all, what mother wouldn’t want a child who’ll be able to stand up on his own two feet as an adult? What mother wouldn’t like to have a child like Kwasi Enin, who got accepted in all eight Ivy League schools, and is likely destined to lead a happy and successful life?

More Tips for Choosing Prenatal Music

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Very few things in life can match the elation of having a child, especially when the baby is going to be your firstborn.

By now, you’ve probably read a lot of articles regarding the benefits of having your child listen to prenatal music. To help you get the most out of this method, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind:

Advantages of Prenatal Music

Mothers naturally want peace and quiet during pregnancy—they need to be calm and composed as they prepare to give birth to their child. However, it is also important that the mother not only prepare herself, but her unborn as well. Aside from the intake of vitamins and minerals, listening to music and sounds is a great way for both mother and child to relax, with some advantages thrown in.

Keeping Your Baby Healthy while in the Womb

Congratulations, you’re finally pregnant! Now that you have a baby growing inside of you, you’ve got to start taking care of yourself more. During this crucial stage, you won’t just be looking out for yourself, but for the welfare of your growing child as well.

For 38 weeks, you’ll be in charge of managing two lives – yours and your child’s. Make sure you get prenatal care from your obstetrician-gynecologist. This is essential to the health of your unborn baby. The doctor shall advice you on how far along are you in the pregnancy. At later consultations, the doctor will perform ultrasound, listen to your baby’s heartbeat, and check your weight gain and blood pressure.