Is Prenatal Stimulation Important?
As everyone knows, the human fetus is able to hear from the first sixteen weeks of gestation. In addition, he may feel changes taking place outside his mother’s womb.
According to studies carried out, babies can perceive stimulation more clearly when they are already in the second trimester of pregnancy. For, at that moment, the senses are already, for the most part, developed.
The main stimuli that the baby receives while in the mother’s womb are through hearing. Therefore, it is recommended to talk to him, put on a song for him to listen to or sing. Because these practices can influence the baby’s growth. Furthermore, it is believed that the baby can see, although not so clearly. It is also possible that he is able to perceive certain variations in the light that penetrate the darkness of the mother’s womb.
How does prenatal stimulation influence the baby’s growth?
According to the opinion of Dr. Jorge Sandoval, a gynecologist, it is very important to carry out early stimulation because it provides bonds between the baby and his family. In addition, prenatal stimulation has been shown to benefit the baby’s physical, emotional, mental and sensory development. Especially as the senses will be activated at any suggestion.
There are certain stimuli that, although they are physical, can be perceived by the baby from a different perspective. For example, when we caress our belly, we are transmitting a feeling that will reach the little one in a different way. Generally speaking, these expressions act as a follow-up to the process. They allow the baby in the womb not to feel alone and the senses to be more developed when he is born.
The more affective connections that are developed during pregnancy, the greater the chances that the baby will adapt more easily to extrauterine life. Maybe he can recognize the voices he heard inside the womb. Thus, it is possible that he calms down faster and perceives the same affection as always.
According to Dr. Sandoval, prenatal stimulation is also related to the development of intelligence, as it becomes part of neurological training and growth through the connections that develop at this stage. In this sense, from the first four months of pregnancy, the baby connects with the outside through the auditory system. This system is favored when it comes to pleasant music and sounds.
However, at the same time that the baby can receive positive stimuli, he/she can also experience not-so-healthy sensations. For example, family arguments, work stress or situations that change the mother’s peace. That’s why it’s important to try to be calm and remember that after each moment of stress, we should stimulate the baby through positive and comforting sensations.
Prenatal Stimulation of the Senses
The good development of babies’ senses is important so that they are born prepared for all the changes they will experience in their new life. The environment in which the newborn will arrive is totally different from the one in which it developed. Therefore, it is positive that he has come forward in some respects. For example, that he can recognize at least some sounds.
Other senses that develop during pregnancy are: taste, smell and touch. They appear between the first 11 and 13 weeks of pregnancy. Through the placenta, those substances of different odors and flavors are transmitted to the fetus. This also allows us to perform stimulation through the food we eat. The more aromatic they are, the better.
As hearing develops, vision also begins to form. To prove that these senses are activated, specialists performed ultrasound tests, in which they verified variations in the baby’s heart rate. In addition, it is possible to visualize brain activity in cases of visual and auditory stimulation.
The baby can also react to the mother’s movement or her state of mind, due to the hormonal change that arises in certain cases. In other words, some substances produced by the body can stimulate mechanisms capable of changing the heart rate, blood pressure or maternal breathing.
