When should communication with your baby begin?
- From conception
What is the most important type of communication?
2. Talking
I had a pregnant woman recently in one of our Inside Birth® classes who stated she could never do this as ‘it’ wasn’t real yet and felt she was just carrying around a blob. This woman appeared otherwise, intelligent.
Only 100 years ago experts in psychology and paediatrics were teaching that a baby at birth was virtually blind, had no sense of colour and heard very little – just echoes. Textbooks showed that a baby could not know about change in temperatures at birth and that ‘emotion’ was something that developed a long time after birth. It was accepted that it was not possible for a baby in the womb to learn, hear, remember, connect, or find any meaning in their experiences in the womb.
It is disturbing to find some of these views still exist, among professionals and parents. No wonder people find it hard to believe that a traumatic birth, either caesarean or vaginal can have a lifetime of consequences.
Evidence today shows that a baby in utero is sensitive, cognitive and vulnerable to trauma from experiences in the womb and at birth. Many women know their unborn baby is an aware person, and understand and enjoy a powerful and intimate connection in utero. Thoughts and feelings are quite naturally shared.
Mothers who communicate most with their unborn baby know that this small person has a mind and soul with understanding, sensitivity and purpose.
But so often today a woman’s intuitive knowledge is dismissed by many in the medical world, to the point where women themselves are losing their belief in trusting their intuition, this innate power.
THE POWER IS WITH YOU
Any woman who is pregnant should feel hugely proud and grateful for you are creating the next generation AND all the power for how that unfolds belongs to you. This is an amazing privilege which should not be taken for granted.
Life is busy! It is the boring catchphrase of the 21st century, BUT you must respect your time and live in the NOW with your baby – every minute of pregnancy is precious.
So you have chosen to make a baby and therefore accept responsibility for parenting – FROM CONCEPTION. This is the extraordinarily fun time of parenting.
You hold all the power in creating a new human being, to love, to educate, to guide, to protect, to socialise, with a whole lot of skills, well before baby is born.
Imagine developing such a deep and meaningful relationship with your unborn baby and just how that will transfer to a wonderful labour and birth. Women who have a real and deep connection with their unborn baby are able to work together during labour and birth, both enjoying the passage from Inside to Outside, both keen to meet on the outside.
COMMUNICATION IS SIMPLE
Just talk to your baby. Tell him about your world, your hopes and dreams for him, about who is in your family, where you live, where you work, who are your friends…..the list is endless. Here are a few tips, and once you start you will have so much fun teaching and showing your baby just what it’s like on the outside, and your connection will grow deeper every day of your pregnancy. Dad’s need to do a bit more planning to connect with their baby in utero and have a whole lot of important ‘Dad stuff’ to share, so make time and the responses will reward you.
- When you wake in the morning – say hello to your baby and tell him how you are feeling and ask how he is – you will be amazed at the answers you will receive
- Talk to him whilst showering. Explain the beautiful warmth of the shower and how relaxed it makes you feel. Check with him if he also finds it relaxing (he will, because you do)
- Give him a guided tour of your home, especially where he will be sleeping and any preparations you are making for him.
- Tell him all about your kitchen, what you like to eat, how does he feel when you eat that vindaloo curry – is it O.K. for him?
- Tell him all about your job. Explain that during the day at work you need to concentrate on work stuff and so that would be a good time for him to have a sleep.
- Introduce him to music, read books, go for walks and talk to him.
Your unborn baby is busy learning and imprinting everything he hears on the outside so take this golden opportunity and have fun. You will have a wonderful birth and a happy contented baby on the outside, secure in the knowledge that he is loved and wanted.
To learn more book an Inside Birth class today:
https://birthright.com.au/antenatal-classes/find-an-inside-birth-educator/
