How to calm baby in womb
Bonding with your baby during pregnancy
Bonding with your baby during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content5-minute read
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You don't need to wait until your baby is born to bond with them. Pregnancy can be the perfect time to start forming an attachment with your baby, which is very important for their development once your baby has actually arrived.
What might babies experience in the womb?
Sound
At around week 18 of your pregnancy, your baby will begin to hear the sounds of your body, such as your heartbeat and your stomach rumbling. At 26 weeks, a baby may react to noises both inside and outside the mother’s body, and may be soothed by the sound of her voice.
The outside noise your baby hears inside the uterus is about half the volume we hear. However, unborn babies may still startle and cry if exposed to a sudden loud noise.
Language development
After 32 weeks, your baby may start to recognise certain vowel sounds from your language. Some research suggests that very early language development may begin before birth.
Memory
As well as remembering certain sounds from their mother’s language, babies may remember certain music played to them in the womb.
Sight
Unborn babies’ retinas are developed at 20 weeks, and they open their eyes and can see light from 22 weeks. However, babies’ eyes continue to develop after they are born.
Sensation
After around 18 weeks, babies like to sleep in the womb while their mother is awake, since movement can rock them to sleep. They can feel pain at 22 weeks, and at 26 weeks they can move in response to a hand being rubbed on the mother’s belly.
Ways to bond with your baby during pregnancy
Here are some things that might help you and your baby to start forming an attachment before birth.
- Talk and sing to your baby, knowing he or she can hear you.
- Gently touch and rub your belly, or massage it.
- Respond to your baby’s kicks. In the last trimester, you can gently push against the baby or rub your belly where the kick occurred and see if there is a response.
- Play music to your baby. Music that mimics a heartbeat of around 60 beats per minute, such as lullabies, is useful. You can also search online for relaxing or calming music.
- Give yourself time to reflect, go for a walk or have a warm bath and think about the baby. You may like to write a diary or stories to the baby about what you are experiencing.
- Have an ultrasound. Seeing your baby moving inside the womb can be a poignant experience for parents, and can help them to bond with the baby since it can suddenly seem ‘real’.
- Relax, look after yourself and try not to stress. Evidence shows that if a mother feels less stressed during her pregnancy, the health outcome for the baby is better. Your partner or a close friend may be helpful if you need someone to talk to.
How dads and caregivers can bond with the baby
If you are the baby’s father or other significant caregiver, here are some things you can do to help you become attached to the unborn baby.
- Massage the baby bump if the baby’s mother is happy for you to do so.
- Feel the baby kicking as often as you can.
- Attend ultrasound appointments with the mother.
- If you’re planning to be a support person at the birth, go to the prenatal classes, as well. Understand and discuss the birth plan with the baby’s mother and meet the maternity team. The more confidence you have in the pregnancy and birth process, the easier it will be for you to bond with the baby.
- Read and talk with the baby so they get used to your voice.
- Talk to other parents. Share your thoughts and feelings, and allow them to share theirs about their pregnancy and birth experience.
Older siblings can bond too
By preparing your toddler or child for the upcoming birth, you can help them to bond with the baby. This may involve talking to them about the baby, reading stories about pregnancy and babies, allowing them to touch your belly to feel the baby kicking, and preparing a gift together for the baby.
You could involve your child in preparation for the birth by taking them shopping for baby supplies or setting up the nursery. Your child may also like to put a piece of their art on the wall of the baby’s room.
Your feelings and the baby
You may find that instead of being excited about the birth of your baby, you are feeling stressed and confused. Your feelings during pregnancy can affect the baby too. For example, if you are feeling stressed, the baby’s heart rate will respond to this and potentially increase.
Talk to someone about your feelings and ask questions when you see your maternity team. Try to increase your support network and meet other expectant mums to share your experiences. Try to look after your own health and wellbeing, and make sure you get enough rest and relaxation.
If you have had a mental health issue before, or you are experiencing feelings that differ from those you usually have, you should visit your doctor as soon as you can. A range of treatments can help, including psychological therapy and certain antidepressants that can be used safely during pregnancy for moderate to severe depression. Your doctor will tell you which ones are safe or suggest another way to help you.
If you were already taking an antidepressant before you became pregnant, your doctor may advise you to stay on the antidepressant. You and your doctor may decide this is the most effective way to help your baby get the best start in life and it may give you the best chance of bonding with your baby.
Where to go for help
- Talk to your doctor, child health nurse or midwife.
- Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak with a maternal child health nurse.
- Find a parenting helpline that suits you here.
- Call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
Sources:
Beyond Blue (Pregnancy and parents - depression), Beyond Blue (Pregnancy and parents - emotional health and wellbeing), Centre for Community Child Health (The First Thousand Days - an evidence paper), Raising Children Network (Pregnancy week by week - second trimester), NSW Ministry of Health (Having a baby), Centre of Perinatal Excellence (Bonding with your baby), Virtual Medical Centre (Bonding with your baby during pregnancy), Women's and Children's Health Network (Attachment – babies, young children and their parents), Developmental Psychobiology (Maternal stress responses and anxiety during pregnancy - effects on fetal heart rate), Raising Children Network (Can you spoil a baby?), Raising Children Network (Bonding and attachment: newborns), Acta Paediatrica (Language experienced in utero affects vowel perception after birth: a two country study), Baby Centre (10 ways to bond with your baby bump)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: February 2021
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16 Ways To Bond With Your Baby While Pregnant
Bonding with your baby after he or she is born in most cases comes naturally. There’s nothing hard about cuddling, kissing, and loving on your little one to get to know them. You have maternal instincts to guide you. However, it might be a challenge to establishing a strong bond before birth. If you have no idea what to do, no worries; there are at least sixteen ways to bond with your baby while pregnant.
1. Sing – Your baby loves the sound of your voice, as it soothes them. It is the primary vibration they know. Sing nursery rhymes, your favorite songs, the alphabet, or make-up songs on your own. Either way, they’ll enjoy it and may recognize the songs once they’re born.
2. Listen To Music – Whether you use a pregnancy/prenatal music belt or just play your music loud, you and your baby will enjoy the vibrations together. Children’s music, your favorite songs, or classical music exposes them to different genres.
3. Dance – Gentle movement releases endorphins and is the perfect way to bond with your developing baby. When a mom feels good, baby feels good. This carefree way to happiness is ideal for bonding.
4. Read Out Loud – It’s never too early to start reading to the baby – they’ll learn to love books at a very young age. The sound of your voice will soothe them. Read a book out loud every night to get them accustomed to a nighttime routine. If you read during the day start reading out loud, this is great for your little one.
5. Talk To The Baby – Talk to the baby in a calm, loving tone. They’ll quickly recognize the sound of your voice. Call out people by name, have conversations with the baby, and describe actions and places. Most importantly, do not forget to say “I love you” often.
6. Call Your Baby By His or Her Name – Call your baby by his or her name and nickname. Put it in a song or something. The baby may turn its head to the sound of your voice faster than you think. Try this during an ultrasound. Sing a song you regularly sing or say her or his name and see if you get a response.
7. Meditate – Meditate with your hands resting on your belly to relax baby. As you focus on bonding, the baby will be focused on your heartbeat while making a connection. Deep calming breaths will bring a healing focus inward towards your little pumpkin.
8. Family Time – Acclimate the baby to family time, so the sounds and voices are familiar. By encouraging dad, family, and friends to talk to your bump, they’ll bond faster with their loved ones after they’re born.
9. Yoga or Gentle Exercise – The easy motion of prenatal yoga, stretching, walking or swimming will rock baby to sleep. You could even do it at the same time every evening, and that might become a baby’s bedtime.
10. Rub Your Belly – Massage your belly frequently and while talking to the baby. A simple trick to remember to do this is, talk to them while you rub olive oil on your belly to prevent stretch marks. You can tell them about your hopes and dreams for them or describe what you are gonna do that day. When they kick, gently nudge them back.
11. Start a Pregnancy Journal – Start writing in a pregnancy journal and read your entries out loud to your little one. When your pregnancy is over, you and your child will enjoy re-reading your entries together.
12. Create Some Belly Art – Find someone to paint your baby bump with non-toxic paints. This is a fun way to bond. Afterward, you can show your child the pictures of the artwork and let them know they were a part of making it.
13. Do a Belly Cast – Find someone to create a belly cast to help preserve your bump after pregnancy. When they are older, your belly cast will be a reminder of your closeness.
14. Book a Maternity Session – A maternity shoot is another great way to bond with your baby during pregnancy. The photoshoot is all about you and your baby. Afterward, you will have beautiful pictures reminding them of your bond before they were born.
15. Schedule Some Relaxation – Whether you choose a prenatal massage, chiropractic adjustment, facial, or a relaxing soak in the tub, your baby will feel relaxed with you. Stress is an enemy to a healthy pregnancy. Finding ways to manage stress and relax is a wonderful way to bond.
16. Smell the Roses – Pick your favorite flowers from the garden, stop by a flower shop or enjoy the flowers at a local Botanical Garden. Artificial smells can be dangerous for you and your baby, but natural flowers will brighten any day with scent and color.
Pregnancy bonding lays the foundation for the baby’s future relationships. This is the perfect time to bond with your sidekick and allow them to enjoy your voice, favorite songs, foods, sounds, and smells.
How to calm the baby in the belly (womb) - Lechimkrohu
Pregnancy is that pleasant period in a woman's life that she will remember for the rest of her life. But sometimes the baby in the stomach behaves too actively, causing discomfort to the expectant mother. After all, the movements of the baby, especially in the last trimester, are even painful. What are the actions in such cases?
As evidenced by too active kicking
The norm is 10 manifestations of fetal activity per day. In the last weeks of pregnancy, activity decreases slightly. You shouldn't worry about this. The baby becomes crowded in the uterus, and he moves less. More than 10 fetal movements per day should be reported to the doctor. nine0003
Active kicking indicates the following problems:
- hypoxia — lack of oxygen for the unborn child;
- unstable emotional state of a woman, overexcitation, stress;
- unbalanced diet and bad habits of mommy. The child will not like the intake of caffeine, alcohol, too spicy, salty foods.
Scheme of the normal development of a child and a child with hypoxia
Bright light and loud sounds are also disliked by the baby. Because of this, during ultrasound, babies often actively kick and turn away from the bright lighting of the device. nine0003
Ways to soothe the baby
Often expectant mothers are faced with too much activity of the baby in the womb. Movements appear day and night. At a later time of the day, the kicking of the child interferes with sleep and leads to insomnia. Because any girl needs to know how to calm the baby. Here are some tips.
- Outdoor activities. The active behavior of the crumbs is often caused by oxygen starvation, air is simply necessary for a pregnant woman every day. In the absence of the opportunity to go outside, it is enough to get by with airing the room. It is easy to cope with kicking at night by going out to the balcony, to the courtyard. While walking, take deep breaths - the blood will be saturated with oxygen and will transfer it to the baby. nine0014
- In the last weeks, the fetus becomes cramped in the stomach, and any uncomfortable posture of the mother will be “rewarded” with active movements. Try to change the position of the body and get comfortable. Try not to slouch and bend over less often. You can calm the movements by walking around the room - the movement cradles the child. The pose of a cat, standing on all fours, helps well. It is worth trying to lull the baby in it, gently rocking.
- Babies in the womb don't like bright colors. To calm the baby is simple - just remove the source of bright light. nine0014
- Relax and avoid stress. A mother and child have a very strong emotional connection - all the feelings of a mother are transmitted to the baby. But the baby still knows how to express indignation only with movements. Therefore, during a surge of emotions, an increase in the activity of the fetus is observed. In such a situation, try to distract yourself and do something you love that relaxes you.
- Listen to calm music. A scientifically proven fact - babies hear while still in their mother's stomach. Quiet melodies will reduce the breathing rate and muscle tone of the baby. The baby reacts both to melodies and to the parent's voice. Talk to the baby, tell him how much you love him and wait. Perhaps you will be able to negotiate with him and calm him down. nine0014
- Drink tea, a decoction of herbs with a sedative effect - mint, lemon balm, motherwort, chamomile, valerian. True, this method is not suitable for women prone to allergic reactions. In any case, consult with your doctor whether it is harmful to take decoctions so as not to harm yourself and your baby.
- It is necessary to eat in a balanced way, everything eaten and drunk by the mother is passed on to the child. Some foods cause discomfort to the baby. It is better for pregnant women to refrain from taking spicy, salty foods, foods containing caffeine, etc. We will separately mention alcohol and nicotine. Even in small doses, it has a detrimental effect on the little man and will surely cause active movements. Therefore, the expectant mother should think about healthy food. nine0014
- Stroke the belly. In many cases, direct contact with the baby helps. Lightly stroking the abdomen in a clockwise direction will calm the baby. Rhythmic light movements and maternal warmth have a positive effect on the well-being of the little man.
Important! By the frequency of movements of the baby, one can judge his well-being. A pregnant woman needs to keep a schedule of fetal movements.
Moderate physical activity also has a good effect on the well-being of the child - walking, various warm-ups and gymnastics. During light physical exercises, the mother's blood is actively saturated with oxygen, passing it to the baby. And this is the prevention of hypoxia. But here, too, there is no need to go too far. By running a marathon, you will make things worse for yourself and your child. nine0003
Hiccups as a variant of the baby's active movement
Many women mistake the baby's hiccups for movements. Hiccups in crumbs occur in the process of swallowing uterine waters. There are several reasons why this happens:
- the baby is preparing to breathe on its own;
- lack of oxygen;
- ingestion of amniotic fluid.
Similar methods can help calm your baby: walking, fresh air and changing body position. By the way, a large amount of sweets in the mother's diet make the uterine waters taste sweet. The baby swallows them, as a result, hiccups will begin. Therefore, it is better to refuse sweets, especially before bedtime. nine0003
So, walks, calmness and positive emotions, as well as a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition have a positive effect on the well-being of the baby and mommy, respectively . After all, if the baby moves within the normal range, then it feels good. And when the child is well, then the mother does not feel discomfort.
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How to calm the baby in the stomach?
In late pregnancy, many mothers face the problem of increased energy of the baby in the stomach. It all depends on how the fetus feels. The state of activity and rest, as a rule, changes every hour. This happens in accordance with the physiological cycle of its intrauterine development, which each follows its own laws. This often causes discomfort, pain and nausea. Some young mothers endure this period so hard that they suffer from constant insomnia. nine0003
How to influence your baby and minimize his movement in the womb? There are several ways to soothe the fetus, time-tested and experienced by women. It is important to establish the reason why the child behaves this way. Maybe he wants to say something.
Ways to calm the baby:
The first way how to calm the baby in the stomach
As a rule, fetal activity is associated with a lack of oxygen. Almost every second expectant mother is diagnosed with hypoxia. Doctors advise more often to be in the fresh air. A walk in the park will help remedy the situation. Anxiety at night can be dealt with by going out to the yard or balcony. Or even elementary airing the room. Deep breaths oxygenate your baby's blood and help calm him down. nine0003
The second way how to calm the baby in the stomach
During the long term of pregnancy, there is little space for babies when the mother sits in an uncomfortable position or slouches. Therefore, he tries to straighten up, while resting his legs against the mother's organs. It is enough just to change the position of the body so that both become comfortable. The pose of a cat - on its knees - helps very well. So the child is shifted to the ribs. Does not help? You can try to walk around the room, the movement cradles babies. You can also lull and calm the baby on all fours, in the same cat position, swaying back and forth. nine0003
The third way how to calm the baby in the stomach
You need to remember that a child has a strong emotional connection with his mother. The mood of a parent is always transmitted to her baby. He is very sensitive to nervousness and irritability. This is due to the fact that hormones caused by negative emotions of the mother enter the bloodstream. In this case, you need to try to distract yourself with something pleasant. Do what you love, watch a light comedy, talk to a loved one, read a book or listen to music. Especially one should not underestimate the influence of music on a small organism, because the child is able to perceive sounds coming from the outside world. This has long been scientifically proven fact. Toddlers perceive calm and rhythmic melodies in different ways. A beautiful quiet composition will help reduce the frequency of breathing and muscle tone of the child, and save the mother from discomfort. The voice of parents influences in the same way. You can and should talk with your son or daughter. Who knows, maybe once again, when he moves, you will be able to negotiate with him. nine0003
Fourth method how to calm the baby in the stomach
Babies in the womb react negatively to bright light, especially if it is directed to the stomach. If this is precisely the reason for the child's concern, then it is enough to remove the light source or redirect it in the other direction. By the way, this is why many babies show increased activity during ultrasound.
Method five how to calm the baby in the stomach
Many mothers claim that clockwise stroking of the stomach helps them. It is not clear what this is connected with. Perhaps the baby feels the mother's warmth from the palm. Or maybe the monotonous rhythmic movements calm him down. Having applied something warm to the stomach, it is easy to feel how the baby swims up to this place to soak up, and the mother at this time has the opportunity to rest. nine0003
Method six how to calm a baby in the stomach
You can calm a hyperactive baby in the womb by drinking tea or herbal decoction that has sedative properties. Mint, lemon balm, motherwort, chamomile, traditional valerian have a calming effect. Experts recommend fennel seeds to be brewed and taken by mothers in late pregnancy, after childbirth and during lactation. This method should be avoided by those women who are prone to allergic reactions. In this case, you can use herbal teas only with the permission of a doctor, so as not to bring trouble to yourself and the little man. nine0003
The seventh way how to calm the baby in the stomach
Sometimes the food eaten affects the activity of the fetus.