It is believed that a child in the womb is not able to see anything in the outside world. However, this is not true. This is evidenced by the results of research by German scientists from the Institute of Embryology and Perinatology (Weimar). They conducted a series of experiments during the year, in which 5 thousand pregnant women took part. During the experiment, women closed their eyes, and a screen with an image was placed in front of their stomachs.
It was found that the kids reacted to bright, rapidly moving pictures with active movements, while a dull, smoothly changing image was perceived calmly.
Future mothers could not see what was happening on the screen, which means they could not influence the child, for example, by releasing hormones of fear or pleasure. Therefore, unborn babies are able to see on their own. Professor of the Institute of Embryology and Perinatology Immortel Ursen says:
“The child has not yet developed vision, but he has visual receptors. Particles of light can penetrate through the uterine wall, which the child is quite capable of catching.
German scientists advise pregnant women to watch colorful kind cartoons twice a week, sitting at a distance of three meters from the screen. Researchers are convinced that this will be useful for the development of the future baby.
Recently, it has been proven that unborn babies not only see, but also hear. Not so long ago, scientists from the University of Nottingham (England) were convinced of this. Using a unique ultrasound scanner that is sensitive to human brain activity, they conducted an interesting experiment, in which several dozen pregnant women took part.
Every 15 seconds, a small piece of music was played. The scanner recorded an increase in the brain activity of unborn children. Scientists were able to establish that the minimum age after which the fetus hears music is 38 weeks.
Dr. Penny Govlard said: "Although this time frame borders on childbirth, we still managed to clearly confirm that the unborn baby is able to hear the sounds of the outside world."
The researchers found that the "mood" of the fetus changed depending on what kind of music was played. So, under the melodic Scottish songs, the kids were “sad” (brain activity increased, but gradually), and under the fast Turkish melodies they “rejoiced” (there was an abrupt increase).
Penny Govlard advises:"...for new mothers, especially when there is less than a month left before the birth, I would recommend thinking about your musical tastes: will the child like them."
It turns out that unborn children have their own musical preferences. André Bertin, in his book Nurturing in the Womb, or a Missed Opportunity Story, writes:
“The fetus perceives the music that the mother listens to during the concert. He selectively responds to the program. Thus, Beethoven and Brahms stimulate the fetus, while Mozart and Vivaldi soothe it. As far as rock music is concerned, only one thing can be said here: it makes him just rave. It has been observed that mothers-to-be are often compelled to leave the concert hall because of the unbearable suffering experienced from the violent movement of the fetus. So they have to listen to different, more structured music."
And Professor of Pediatrics from Yale University (USA) Nicole Cox reports that an experiment was carried out during which women in the last term of pregnancy were allowed to listen to loud rock music. She notes:
“Their future kids from the inside with displeasure pounded on the stomach, as if angry neighbors were on the wall of the apartment.”
During another study, it was found that the fetus, who “visited” a disco with his mother, has an increased pulse, and movements become sharp.
According to some experts, the pleasant sounds of music have a beneficial effect on the endocrine and vascular systems of the fetus, heal the body, and positively affect the intellectual abilities of the child. It has been established that quiet classical music (Mozart and Vivaldi are especially good), the sound of the surf, the chirping of birds and, of course, lullabies cause an even heartbeat, smooth movements of the baby.
There is every reason to believe that babies in the womb:
- not only hear, but also distinguish individual words and concepts;
- recognize the voices of their parents and react to them with outbursts of joy;
- are able to distinguish intonations: with a nervous and anxious intonation, their heartbeat quickens, and with a calm one, it returns to normal;
- can remember events occurring in external life, and even the reaction of parents to them;
- fix in memory the language spoken by others (children of mute mothers begin to speak much later than their peers).
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