Great Beginnings Start before Birth

Great Beginnings Start before Birth

The period from conception to birth is a vital period for the physical, emotional and the mental development of every baby. It is the period when the intimate relationship between a parent and a child is given form and quality, with long lasting outcomes.

The importance of the pre-natal period (the time between conception and birth) cannot be over-emphasized. It is a period of physical and mental growth of the fetus. Take the brain as an example. The brain grows very fast in the fetus. At around eight weeks from conception, it weighs about 2.5 grams, while at birth it is about 38 grams, which is 14% of the total body weight. This compares strikingly with the adult brain, which is about 2% of body’s weight. According to Dr Thomas R. Verny – world’s leading expert on the effects of prenatal and early postnatal environment on personality development, the brain cells are pathways to assist communication and the relevant organs develop during the prenatal time to build foundations of the future potential. The more you stimulate a child’s skin, or the auditory nerves, the more pathways for the sensory organ will develop and become stronger. Hence, it can be safely inferred that stimulation provided during this time remains intact for the years to come and negligence during this time will affect a much greater span of the child’s life.

The 9 months long pregnancy experience brings forth many alterations for the mother, not the least of which are the emotional changes she goes through during the period. Pregnancy can leave the mother feeling excited, euphoric, depressed, worried, anxious, angry, proud, upbeat all at once or one after another. These feelings are perfectly normal as she gets caught up in the excitement of bringing a new life into the world, and the stress of practical matters such as money, work and lifestyle issues that must be addressed when a baby is born. A major factor that contributes to the wide range of emotions expectant mothers feel during their pregnancies is hormones. It is a scientific fact that the chemicals in our bodies influence our emotions, and during pregnancy an incredible amount of chemical processes are taking place in the body of the expectant mother. It is important however that the mother strives to maintain her emotional stability for the healthy development of her baby.

In traditional societies, long before research provided proof, the pregnant woman's behavior was believed to affect the unborn baby, so expectant mothers were to refrain from bad thoughts, and were to be protected from any trauma or shock. In traditions of ancient subcontinent for instance as well as in other cultures around the world, pregnant women were surrounded with beautiful things and fine clothing. They were taught the arts of music and painting, and fed exquisite foods blessed by the sages. They were surrounded by beauty, music and were to think of goodness. This was believed to bring the unborn child talent and beauty.

Research further reveals how the mother's emotional state and surroundings affect the unborn child's health and development. Any stress or strong emotion in the mother creates a reaction in the growing baby, while a soothing activity such as singing to the baby has the effect of calming the mother, and in turn the baby. The brain architecture and premise for the baby’s personality is set in the womb of the mother. The conditional exposure and experience in the womb are imprinted in the sub-conscious mind of the baby and are often repeated by him while growing up. Mothers who experience depression during pregnancy are more likely to have babies with lower emotional stability and low self-esteem.

Pregnant women need peaceful and comfortable surroundings and special care from their family members to reduce their levels of stress as far as possible. While a mother is going through pregnancy, she needs encouragement and companionship. Not surprisingly a woman’s body works best when she is confident, secure, emotionally supported and on her own ground. If the mother does not learn to treat herself well and make good use of the time at this point, she might also fail to condition herself for the mental preparations needed for the arrival of a baby. The mother can prepare herself with the help of the support system around her, formed by her family members to care for the unborn baby throughout the pregnancy.

A healthy diet and regular physical activity level can help both the mother and fetus during pregnancy. For this reason, many health care providers suggest that women who are thinking about getting pregnant take steps to improve or maintain their own level of health before they get pregnant. A healthy diet helps to ensure that the fetus has all the nutrients it needs to grow and develop normally. The developing fetus receives its nutrition from the mother's blood. Therefore high fat diets and some vegetarian diets are discouraged during pregnancy because they may not provide all the nutrition needed for the developing fetus. Weight reduction diets are avoided during pregnancy. Maintaining a healthy weight, both before and during pregnancy, can help to reduce stress on the mother's body and lower the risk of certain disorders of pregnancy. Being active before and during pregnancy, if approved by a health care provider, can help women maintain their healthy weight and can improve the development of the baby.

Just as important is keeping potentially dangerous things out of the mother's body. For instance, medications used to treat various diseases and conditions can affect the growth and development of the fetus. Certain herbal supplements and high amounts of vitamins can also make it harder for a woman to get pregnant, and can impact the fetus' health during pregnancy. Even being around certain materials, such as paint and pesticides can put the health of the fetus at risk. Some changes in medication or supplement use, or changes in environment may be recommended to prevent problems during pregnancy. The affects of ill-habits such as substance abuse (ghutka, drugs) give rise to physical and mental disabilities. A research indicated that the children of mothers that indulge in substance abuse during the pregnancy are more prone to addictives.

Pregnancy is also an initial bonding period with the baby. The bond between the mother and her baby strengthens as pregnancy progresses. The developing fetus hears the mother's heartbeat and her voice and may respond to her touch. It is reported that by the seventh month of pregnancy, two out of every three women may acknowledge a strong maternal bond. At that time fatherliness also comes alive since fathers have been found to experience the attachment in the later months of the pregnancy. There has been evidence that the fathers indulge in the process of thinking about the baby and spending more time with the mother to care for the mother and the baby. The bond between the child and the father develops as a consequence of the time he had spent with the mother and the connection between the father and the mother during the period of pregnancy.

The prenatal period is of critical importance in the healthy development of the baby and parents should do their utmost to pay heed and provide the best care possible. A good pregnancy leads to a well-nurtured baby which will prove to be a blessing to the parents as well as the society around them.