Prenatal development and learning
First things first, you must also remember the following:
- Make sure you are following a nutritious and balanced diet
- Make sure your intake of essential fatty acids is adequate, particularly DHA
- Make sure your intake of folic acid is adequate
- Stop alcohol
- Stop drugs
- Stop smoking
The aim of this programme is to allow your baby to achieve his full genetic and intellectual potential by giving him the best possible start in life.
Pre-natal development encourages learning through stimulation during pregnancy.
This stimulation increases the number of connections that are made between brain cells (neurons) thus strengthening the neural network that in turn increases brain development. This is important because at around week 29 a natural pruning process occurs in the baby’s brain and between 40 and 75 per cent of brain cells could be lost. If they are not used they will be lost.
Before you start you must be aware that it is important not to stress your baby.
Don't bombard him with constant stimulation for hours at a time and try not to startle him. Babies need their quiet periods too, they sleep for about 85% to 90% of their time whilst growing in your womb.
Try to set up a routine of about 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening at the same time each day if possible.
You can start these programmes from around 15 to 20 weeks gestation (17 to 22 weeks pregnancy).
What is important is the ‘environment’ for prenatal learning; making sure that you reduce stress as much as possible and try to relax and enjoy yourself and your growing baby.
The techniques are quite simple; they can use sound and touch or combinations of both.
While you can buy devices to help you stimulate your baby in the womb, it is possible to do something similar with no more equipment than is found in the average home.
At the start of any of your activities it is good to start gently so that you do not startle your baby, you could start by stroking your ‘bump’ gently back and forth and say: “hello this is mum, we are now going to...”.
SOUND
Using voice
You should just speak in a normal voice to your unborn baby; discussing the days events. If you have already named your baby you can use it frequently so that he begins to recognise it.
You can tell him your favourite stories or nursery rhymes.
Sing your favourite songs; sing along to the radio or records.
Get other family members, particularly dad-to-be to speak regularly to baby.
You can transmit your message in a more focussed way by using a ‘fetal telephone’; these can be fashioned from a large cardboard tube (inside of a kitchen roll) or you can even make one from two plastic funnels joined together with tubing (all bought from you local D-I-Y store).
As stated before, you can combine this with stroking or patting your tummy to attract baby’s attention before you start talking or singing, for example pat three times gently on both sides so he gets to know when he is being addressed.
It is also possible to buy cassette recorders that have speakers that can be attached around your ‘bump’ with a belt. You can then record yourself, dad and siblings, your favourite music or even try some basic mathematics by making a number of ‘beeping’ noises and then saying the number so that there is reinforcement of quantity.
For example:
• “one” – beep
•• “two” – beep, beep
••• “three” – beep, beep, beep
•••• “four” – beep, beep, beep, beep
etc.
Using these basic sounds are similar to the flashcards that can be used after birth for introducing quantity as a precursor to numerals.
It is good to record your own voice or that of your most immediate family so that baby gets used to the tones and innotation. To shop for products - Click here
You can follow the programs in ‘Prenatal Classroom’, ‘Super Baby’ and ‘Planning a Baby’. or you can follow your own simple routine. Buy prenatal learning reference books
Using music
- You can use a cassette player as described previously to record your own medley of music, or you can sing along to the radio. Choose simple tunes that you like and play them on a regular basis but only once a day is enough.
- You can play your own instrument.
- Your growing baby will feel the vibration and different tones.
- Pre-recorded cassettes or CD's are readily available. Buy cassettes & CD's
TOUCH
This can be relaxing for your and baby.
You can:
- Pat your tummy gently using a regular rhythm
- Stroke your ‘bump’ regularly and rhythmically while you are talking to him
- Sit in a rocking chair and rock your own body to and fro gently, while supporting your abdomen in your arms
As with the other activities do not over-stimulate your baby with touch, do so sparingly for only short periods of a few minutes twice a day early on in your pregnancy. During the last 6 weeks of pregnancy you can massage your baby for slightly longer - up to 15 minutes.
The most important thing to remember with all of this is to relax, don’t overdo it, and enjoy your pregnancy.
Buy prenatal development products.
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