- Stimuli that are pleasant to the baby in mom's belly
- Stimuli that the baby in the mum's belly does not like or may be dangerous for him
You can say that the baby has its preferences already in its belly. He likes stroking, relaxing music and swimming, but he hates noise, stress, bad emotions and of course alcohol and cigarettes. His tastes are not a choice but the fact that certain stimuli are good for his development and others are not. See what the little one perceives positively and what he "dislikes".
The childin the womb can react tostimulisensual and emotional. Some are nice to him, for example stroking or mom's voice, and some he finds unpleasant - sudden movements ornoise .
Stimuli that are pleasant to the baby in mom's belly
1. Mom's voice
A baby can perceive sound stimuli from the 16th week of pregnancy (through the skin), and by the 24th week he has already developed a hearing aid. Based on the fetal response, the researchers concluded that his favorite sound was his mother's voice. Take advantage of it - try to speak to the child in a warm, calm tone as often as possible, read books to him, sing. In this simple way you will make him happy, ensure a sense of security and acceptance.
2. Calm music
The fetus initially only "hears" vibrations, then picks up individual sounds, but at the end of pregnancy, it can even hear and distinguish melodies! He likes calm, relaxing and harmonious music the most, which has a relaxing effect on him. In addition, gentle music stimulates the development of nerve cells, especially the brain, has a positive effect on the development of sensitivity, stimulates the emotional and intellectual development of the baby. So let your child play classical music (especially Mozart and Vivaldi) or other pleasant, harmonious melodies. The best way to do this is by holding the headphones directly against your naked abdomen, as then the sound waves are not reflected or muted by your skin and clothes.
3. Stroking, knocking
A tender touch, gentle stroking of the belly with your hands is a great way to establish contact with your baby. Under the influence of such a hug, the child calms down, feels safe and joyful. Touch is an important stimulus to his emotional development. Based on the research, scientists concluded that stroking the belly during pregnancy teaches the babyshowing emotions and is conducive to establishing good interpersonal relationships in the future. The child can also react quickly to the touch of mum or dad. Already around the 20th week they can be taught to play digging. When you feel a kick, gently press or pat your abdomen at that point, repeating, "Good child, kick again." According to the doctor who invented and promotes such a game, the child knows what it is about after two weeks and kicks again. Such mutual patting not only entertains the baby, but also positively influences the development of his nervous system.
4. Laughter
When you laugh, your baby smiles too! During research, it was observed that when mom starts laughing, her little one jumps like on a springboard. Why? When you laugh, you inhale more air (not as usual, but as much as half a liter, but as much as 1.5 liters), your heart will beat faster, your blood circulates faster and your body - and with it - oxygenates better. Endorphins, called happiness hormones, are also released, and the levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are lowered. It all has a positive effect on your mood, which is also shared by your little one.
5. Sweet taste
Your baby also has culinary preferences in its belly. Well, maybe this wording is a bit exaggerated - because it is not about specific dishes - but it turns out that the little ones definitely prefer the sweet taste. How do you know this? The mother-to-be's menu influences the taste of the amniotic fluid, and studies have shown that when the fluid is sweet, the fetus swallows more of it than when it is sour or bitter. However, this does not mean that you have to gorge yourself on sweets! Instead of simple carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, white bread), it is better to eat, for example, raw carrots or a whole grain roll. These foods (and other complex carbohydrates) also raise blood glucose levels, but less rapidly, which is more beneficial for the body.
6. Swimming
The feeling of weightlessness associated with being in the water gives pleasure not only to you, but also to your baby. The gentle rocking of the body in the water and massaging the abdominal walls have a calming and relaxing effect, and thanks to the improvement of your circulation, the fetus is also better oxygenated. When going to the swimming pool, choose one in which the water is ozonated, because the high concentration of chlorine can irritate your skin and even have a negative effect on the baby.
Stimuli that the baby in the mum's belly does not like or may be dangerous for him
1. Cigarettes
This is one of the worst things that can happen to a baby. In reaction to cigarette smoke, he chokes and suffocates, his heart will feel crazy, he hasI want to run away, but it's impossible. Nicotine is a poison - a moment after lighting a cigarette, the vessels of the placenta strongly contract, so blood flow is drastically reduced, and as a result, the fetus is hypoxic and malnourished. The little boy is tiring terribly. Moreover, the effects of systematic nicotine poisoning will follow him throughout his childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Don't condemn your own child to this! Secondhand smoke is as dangerous as being an active smoker. So do not allow smoking in front of you, avoid poorly ventilated, smoky rooms.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol drunk by the future mother is a strong poison for the child's brain. From the moment of conception, alcohol molecules pass across the placenta to the fetus. Half an hour after drinking alcohol, the concentration of alcohol in the baby's blood is the same as in the mother's blood. And because the fetus still has poorly developed enzymes that eliminate alcohol from the blood, the effects of its presence are felt by the child twice as long as by the mother. All his internal organs can suffer, but the brain is especially susceptible to alcohol. Brain cells transform, abnormal connections between neurons appear, and then cells or entire areas of the brain are destroyed.
3. Noise
Loud, unpleasant noises are something a toddler hates - this is the conclusion of many well-documented studies. The fetus responds to sounds by changing its motor activity and heart rate. Loud and violent sounds such as screaming, techno music, a working drill, and even just a washing machine on, wake him from sleep, causing his heart rate to accelerate and movement restlessness. Researchers believe that loud noises cause stress and a defensive reaction in the fetus, because the accelerated heartbeat means fear and the desire to run away.
4. Jumping movements
Although physical activity is very advisable during pregnancy, remember to avoid sudden movements, especially in the third trimester: jumping, jumping into the water or, for example, using the swimming pool slide. This type of activity can be very stressful for your little one, and even harmful, as it can cause premature contractions, detachment of the placenta or rupture of the membranes.
5. Stress, bad emotions
Long-term stress of the mother and the anxiety associated with it have a negative impact on the child's development. When the expectant mother experiences unpleasant experiences (e.g. family conflicts, lack of acceptance of pregnancy, depression, anxiety attacks), it may lead to prolonged contraction of blood vessels in the uterus and excessive secretion of adrenaline in her body. Hypoxia and high hormone levelsstress can have an adverse effect on a child's nervous system, especially on their emotional development and intelligence. It happens that the children of mothers who were in a very bad mental state during pregnancy experience, for example, various kinds of pains after birth for which there is no organic justification. Knowing that your child is feeling your bad emotions, try to prevent them, and when a serious problem arises, be sure to seek help. Also, some everyday situations, such as in a hurry, arguing with your husband or boss, are also not good, so try to eliminate them. Even watching a horror movie causes stress and it's better not to do that.
6. Hot bath
Too high water temperature in the bathtub may cause, among other things, increase in heart rate, vasodilation and a drop in blood pressure. This results in poorer blood flow across the placenta, which may put the baby under oxygenation. In extreme cases, overheating the mother's body during the first two months of pregnancy may damage the fetus, especially the brain and spinal cord, and after the fourth month of pregnancy - to miscarriage. The child also very much dislikes a sudden change in temperature. So, after a warm bath or a short stay in the sauna (a sauna is less dangerous than a hot bath, because the thermoregulation system works thanks to sweating, and the body does not sweat in hot water), skip an icy shower - such a thermal shock is very dangerous for a baby. early pregnancy can even cause miscarriage.