What Babies Learn Before They Are Born

Many think that people first learn things when they finally go to school or when parents teach them how to walk and talk. In reality, learning actually happens way ahead all those things as babies get to flex their minds while they are still inside their mothers’ wombs. This may sound unbelievable and shocking for some, but a number of researches have led the medical and psychological societies to say that this is the truth.

But parents need to understand that learning, in this context, does not refer to arithmetic or memorizing trivia. The things that babies learn before they are born are more vital than any subject taught as schools – the skills needed to survive.

Babies get to recognize their mother’s voice even before they are born so they could tell who they can trust first. They also learn about which food are delicious and safe as what mothers eat during pregnancy affect what babies prefer after birth. Some studies even note that what mothers eat prepare their unborn children to what to expect in this world—either a life of abundance or that of austerity.

This makes it more important for mothers to take care of themselves during pregnancy as what happens to them can affect the way her child will develop. Parents need to work together to make sure that what their baby learns in the womb would be beneficial once he enters the real world.

Evidence that Playing Music for the Womb Works

Many people believe that playing music for babies while in the womb has a profound effect on their development, particularly on their brains. Unfortunately, concrete scientific proof of this is limited, mainly because of the difficulties involved in studying unborn children. However, there are some case studies from around the world which demonstrate the effects of this seemingly inexplicable phenomenon.

A study conducted by the University of Helsinki proved that playing music for the womb can improve a baby’s memory. In this study, the researchers instructed 12 mothers-to-be to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ five times a week, during the last three months of their pregnancy. When the babies were born, they were exposed to the music again, only this time some parts of it were altered. By reading their brainwaves, these babies quickly recognized the edited music, while those who weren’t exposed to the tune while in the womb didn’t see any difference.

This study was similar, but more-refined, to an earlier research conducted in 1991. As reported by the BBC, one-year-old babies who were exposed to classical music in the womb are easily calmed whenever they listen to the familiar tune, suggesting that this practice can help parents control restless children.

Early Learning for Your Baby Begins at the Fetal Development Phase

"In that sense, using a prenatal audio system like the BabyPlus can help jumpstart auditory learning and bolster brain function at various prenatal development stages. A newborn child’s brain weighs around 12 ounces but increases to 2.2 pounds by the time he or she turns a year old. The extra weight comes from the additional brain mass which develops within 12 months to produce the neurons that will handle specific body functions and cognitive skills."
http://blog.babyplus.com/early-learning-baby-begins-fetal-development-phase/

Prenatal Music Gives Babies a Life Advantage

Music can have a profound effect on people’s brains, as many studies have found. It can reduce stress, improve cognitive ability, elevate mood, and help people perform better in high-pressure situations. Evidence is showing that music might be useful as a tool for stimulating the development of babies’ brains while they are still in the womb.

This idea is based around the recent discovery that the development of a prenatal baby’s auditory organs actually occurs quite early into the pregnancy. Researchers have found that at around 16 weeks, a baby gains the ability to perceive auditory queues and may even respond to them. Development of the brain is also elevated during this phase.

Mothers who regularly sing or read to their babies during their pregnancy often report that their children are better behaved than their peers and exhibit superior learning skills. Additionally, mothers who used prenatal sound systems— specialized equipment designed to direct sounds into a mothers’ womb during her pregnancy—have observed differences between children who were exposed to such systems as opposed to those who weren’t.

While the idea of using music to improve prenatal development and, consequently, affect children’s cognitive abilities after birth has yet to be studied in depth, what anecdotal evidence there is seems to support that fact. It is understandable, therefore, that parents would jump at the chance to give their children a competitive edge—because, realistically, what parent wouldn’t?

A Look into a Baby's Trimestral Growth

Human reproduction is a fascinating topic. Who would've thought, at the infancy of obstetrics, that two cells (sperm and egg) coming together would result in new life? The would-be mother carries the responsibility of nurturing the baby's growth until he or she grows big enough to be welcomed into the world.

Here's a rundown of what happens inside your womb every trimester during pregnancy.

Months 1 to 3

Doctors point out that the first trimester is the most critical stage of a baby's growth. Of course, the baby during the first trimester won't look anything like the real deal because his or her bodily features are still under development. By the end of the first trimester, the baby would have developed hands and feet, be between three and four inches long, and weigh around an ounce.

Months 4 to 6

Other features, such as teeth and hair, should start to grow during the second trimester. You should also start to feel some movement inside the womb; at this point, the baby would’ve developed basic motor abilities. By the end of the second trimester, the baby would be able to see the interior of the womb, be around 12 inches long, and weigh around 2 pounds.

Months 7 to 9

The baby's size and weight starts to increase dramatically due to the formation of fat inside the baby. In fact, his weight may double as early as month 7, and his length, in the run up to the delivery date. 

Our Trusted Prenatal Care Product has Expanded Its’ Distribution in the Philippines!

At any given moment, millions of women around the world are pregnant and all of them recognize prenatal care as a factor that gives their child a head start in life. As the makers of BabyPlus—the number one fetal learning system on the market—we understand that expectant moms everywhere want to benefit from our product. That’s why we’re happy to announce that BabyPlus is now more widely available in the Philippines! This development is all thanks to Quirks Marketing, our exclusive distributor in the Philippines. With their help, the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System is now available in over a dozen online and brick-and-mortar stores across the archipelago. As such, Filipino mommies can now take advantage of our product’s ability to stimulate prenatal cognitive development.
http://blog.babyplus.com/trusted-prenatal-care-product-expanded-distribution-philippines/

A Brief Timeline of Fetal Development Milestones

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Very few things in life can match the joy of becoming a mother.

By now, you’re probably already going over potential names or looking at clothes and toys for the future bundle of joy. Before you start picking them out, however, here are a few dates you should keep in mind, as they will definitely help you make your naming decisions and the like much easier:

12 weeks

Rejoice, as week 12 typically marks the end of morning sickness. More importantly, though, is the fact that once you reach the 12^th week, the chances of having a miscarriage take a significant plunge.

18 weeks

Once you reach the 18th week, an ultrasound scan may already be able to detect the gender of your child. Undoubtedly, this would make it easier to narrow down your list of names and choice of clothes for your child. At this point, you may also notice your baby kick, flex his/her fingers, or mimic the motions of breathing.

23 weeks

If you believe in using prenatal music to help aid the brain development of your child, week 23 is the ideal time to start. By this time, the baby’s hearing is almost fully developed, enabling him or her to differentiate sounds.

37 weeks

Your doctor will inform you that your baby is now full-term, meaning that the body is primarily fully-developed. At this stage, you can give birth at any time, so keep an overnight bag packed and ready.

Hearing in Utero

Nine months of pregnancy puts the expectant mother on alert mode as she works to nourish her child during the period. Some maternity specialists claim that the baby can start reacting to various sounds as early as 5 to 6 months. Still, it pays to know what the fetus actually hears while inside the mother’s tummy.

Fetuses start developing audio perception capabilities at 20 weeks old, with the ears completing its structural development in 24 weeks. Studies have shown that an environment with a sound level quieter than 70 decibels is optimal for the baby’s relaxation and eases the mother’s stress. However, sudden loud noises, such as a slamming door or a nearby explosion, may trigger strenuous movements in the child. At the same time, the internal sounds in the body, such as the mother’s heartbeat, may seem too loud for him or her.

The voices of the parents, on the other hand, help provide a calming effect on the fetus. Even if the baby cannot actually recognize words, the tone and speech patterns create the positive effect on him or her. Some pediatricians claim that a lack of aural stimulation hampers certain elements of the baby’s development; thus, the importance of the mother striking a balance between nurturing in a secure environment and going out to experience natural surroundings and talking to the baby about them. 

Three Important Things to Consider when Playing Music for Baby in Womb

Since mothers want their babies to grow up healthy and smart, they obtain comprehensive prenatal care services for a trouble-free pregnancy. Some also play music for baby in the womb with the hope of promoting their child’s mental development. The Washington Post writer Meeri Kim reports on a research’s findings that babies in utero do recognize the music played by their expectant moms. Playing music for in-utero babies is nothing new. In fact, doing so is commonplace that even a popular media management software offers several albums designed specifically for that purpose. Moms-to-be who intend to follow this practice, however, must take into account three critical points first.
http://blog.babyplus.com/three-important-things-consider-playing-music-baby-womb/

Music for Baby in the Womb: Soothing Your Mind and Guiding His Growth

Mothers would be happy to know that prenatal music not only soothes their baby, but also relieves undue stress throughout their pregnancy. Of course, when they are stressed, their body produces hormones called glucocorticoids, which could cross over through the placenta into the baby, potentially affecting the growth of his or her heart and liver. Prenatal rhythms from sources like BabyPlus can help make the child grow up to be the best he or she can be. With a child’s physical, mental and emotional development at stake, it’s only fair that mothers play soothing music for babies in their womb to ensure a more balanced development in their children.
http://blog.babyplus.com/music-baby-womb-soothing-mind-guiding-growth/

Prenatal Music for Your Baby: Taking Full Advantage of its Benefits

As to when you should start using a trusted prenatal sound system like the BabyPlus Prenatal Educational System, experts say your 18th week is the recommended time. By this time, the baby’s hearing is almost fully developed, enabling him or her to differentiate sounds. In terms of actually listening to music, there is no right or wrong time to listen to music. However, the best time to do so would be when you are taking the time to rest as well. During this time, your baby is less exposed to cortisol (stress hormone), allowing them to associate the music with more pleasant feelings.
http://blog.babyplus.com/prenatal-music-baby-taking-full-advantage-benefits/

Early Child Development Stages: Advantage of Prenatal Aural Stimuli

"Remember, though, that the use of the system is optimal beginning when you are halfway through your pregnancy, as your child’s ears would be almost fully developed by then. Effective use of prenatal audio programs is seen to make a difference later during the infant development phase. Hughes says the music helps generate more stimuli in the brain from the baby’s response to gentler sounds. In turn, the increased brain stimulation could lead to better cognitive and motor skills for the baby, and to early-than-normal manifestations of language capabilities."
http://blog.babyplus.com/early-child-development-stages-advantage-prenatal-aural-stimuli/