Teaching in the Womb
You want to make sure your child gets into that prestigious Ivy League school one day? Well, then, start the learning process now! New studies are proving that stimulating a child in the womb, while it is building the neurons and brain cells it will use for the rest of its life, can help strengthen those connections for later use.Practice Makes Perfect
Everything that happens in the womb is practice for life outside the womb. Inside the womb, babies will do everything from sucking their thumbs to kicking and punching to practicing mock breathing and eating in the amniotic fluid. Over nine months, they learn to deal with the world they live in, and with birth, they suddenly find themselves in a whole new world, with entirely new rules. It’s very disorienting, bright and busy, and having an experience that reminds them of the earlier time, and that you can easily provide, is a comfort to both mother and child.
The main pathways for communication with your child in the womb are through its tactile and auditory nervous systems.
Touch Me!
Caressing a child through the belly will help it to define its kinesthetic picture of itself, or in other words, to give it an idea of its shape and how it fits into space. This helps a child to orient itself physically in the world, supporting later physical pursuits, from walking to sports or dance.
Do It Every Day!
Build some sort of tactile contact with your child into your daily routine: during your shower, or when you’re applying that anti-stretch-mark cream! It can become like a daily massage for your baby, calming and comforting both of you.
Let’s Talk!
Babies can hear beginning about the eighth month of pregnancy, so playing music to a child, and talking to it as if it were already born, are suggested in order to develop the child’s auditory neuron paths, and for beginning the recognition of language patterns.
What Should I Buy?
No fancy equipment is necessary! The natural sound of voices through the body will be interesting to the child, and their familiarity will be a calming factor to the child after it is born. If you have children already, they might enjoy speaking to the child – building the bonds even earlier! Anything, no matter how everyday it is to you, will be completely unknown to your child, so any subject, as long as it’s positive, is fine!
Music Anyone?
Many sources suggest that music played for your child should be classical and or calming, though any music that makes you happy will carry its association to joy on to your baby as well. If you enjoy singing along, sing along as well! Babies tend to recognize the mother’s voice immediately after being born and some simple songs as well. Up to six months, many children treat language as a musical thing, testing out the sounds and pitches, more than the meaning conveyed. Why not support this and have fun with it?!
The Combo
You can even combine stimuli. Try patting your tummy in time to the music, or explaining each form of touch (patting, rubbing, stroking, etc.) to your child as you demonstrate them. This is where your creativity can unfold, and you can really enjoy your own personal kind of quality time with your “child-to-be”!
Most importantly, have fun with it! If you’re upset, your baby will feel it, too, so do your best to keep creating positive situations with your child. Focusing on that will also help improve your outlook as well! Just give it a try!
