While reading Understanding the Human Being by Silvana Montanaro for my paper on the symbiotic period, I came across very interesting information I wanted to share!
The womb provides a sensory richness for the child that will later become points of reference in their post natal life. In the womb, the brain is developing control over the sensory organs, which are developed in this order: touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight. The baby is maturing their senses for future use outside of the womb. Here are some ways that babies are exploring their senses before birth:
Touch:
The sense of touch has continuously been stimulated as the child moves and comes in contact with amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, and their hands being close to their face. It is recommended that parents touch the mother’s belly with slight pressure and notice the baby responding with movement. This communication made through touch establishes a foundation for the baby’s relationships after birth.
Smell:
The sense of smell is functioning by the second month of pregnancy. Substances from maternal food passes into the amniotic fluid, which can establish olfactory memories for the baby. This can later help in accepting solid foods during the weaning period.
Taste:
Taste is active by the third month of pregnancy. Bitter or sweet tastes from maternal food come into the amniotic fluid and cause the baby to grimace and move. This shows they are recognizing differences in taste. The food of the mother’s culture will create olfactory memories for the baby.
Hearing:
Between the second and fifth month of pregnancy, the ear completes its development. The baby can hear internal and external sounds. Internal sounds include the mother’s heart beat and respiration. External sounds vary depending on lifestyle and environment such as the voice of the parents or music. The baby is absorbing the sounds of the mother’s language that lay a foundation for language development. Songs can be sung to the unborn baby and later, the songs can become a point of reference for the child. Songs are memorized by the baby and can help calm and reassure them after birth.
A French musician, Marie Louise Aucher, teaches mothers about prenatal singing. She believes that sounds can be felt by the whole body and sound vibrations help in calming the baby and mother. Different sounds are felt in different parts of the body and this stimulation during prenatal life shows more refined movements in the limbs. Aucher called these “Psychophonic” experiments. Singing is also beneficial to the mother as it strengthens the diaphragm, thorax, and pelvis, which are muscles used during childbirth.
Sight:
The eyes are developed by the fourth month of pregnancy. The womb provides variation of light depending on the climate and lifestyle of the mother. Newborns actively seek any source of light.
If you are an expecting parent I hope this information has inspired you to provide new sensory experiences for your baby!
References
Understanding the Human Being by Silvana Montanaro