5 Strategies to Stimulate Intelligence in the Child Since Pregnancy

During the growth and development process, in addition to balanced nutrition, the child also requires stimulations that should be conducted correctly. Do you know that stimulations can be conducted since the child is in the womb?

At a gestational age of three to four months, fetal brain cells have been formed. Parents can provide various stimulations in the form of words, touch, music, and others. Such stimulations can lead to positive impacts in the brain cell development of the child.

“Genetics is the key factor in determining the intelligence and behavior of the child, but the appropriate lifestyle choices can help to maximize their development,” said Dr. Lana Asprey, co-author of The Better Baby Book. She also adds, “Researches have claimed that genetic factors only influences intelligence by as much as 50%, and the rest depends on the environment of the child.” This shows that providing stimulations since pregnancy is proven to lead to positive impacts to their growth.

A child obtaining appropriate and adequate stimulations since pregnancy can have better visual, auditory, language, memory, and motor skills.

The benefits for providing stimulation are also experienced by the parents. Parents may feel strange talking to the fetus in the womb, but this will actually lead to a tight mother-child bond since early. This is emphasized by Harold Koplewicz, M.D., head of the Child Mind Institute in New York City. Parents that provide routine stimulation to the fetus experience an increased self-confidence to face the birthing process and are more likely to achieve successful breastfeeding.

So, what kind of stimulations can be performed by the parents since the child is still in the womb? Some examples are as follows:

1. Talk frequently to your child as if they are listening and understand what is being said. Parents can tell them about their daily activities, sing nursery rhymes, read a story book, or a holy book.
2. Do not hesitate to rub your stomach as if you are gently caressing the child. When the child is moving and part of the abdomen is protruding, feel that area. Usually, the fetus will respond.
3. Regularly play them songs. “Unborn babies are very fond of music. Music stimulates the production of serotonin hormones (the hormone that stimulates happiness), and this calms them. After birth, the child can recall and feel again the calmness associated with that music,” says Dr. Miriam Stoppard, OBE, author of a popular parenting book.
4. Remain active during pregnancy. Exercise can help the body produce more endorphin hormones. This hormone can cross the blood-placenta barrier and make the fetus feel comfortable and happy. Exercise is also beneficial to promote maternal blood flow, which will promote the distribution of nutrition for the growth and development process.
5. Form positive thoughts about the child. Parents can imagine their appearance, voice, behavior, and how they would like to carry them as soon as possible. The child can feel the love from their parents and this will give them feelings of safety and comfort.