General
Numerous psychological studies have yielded positive results, demonstrating that perceptions in the womb and the birth experience are moments that play a significant role in an individual’s life.
As individuals’ self-awareness has increased in recent times, they have been turning to techniques that allow them to comprehend and relive all stages of their existence through retrospective work. The number of people attempting to recall their states during the fetal or embryonic period through popular therapies such as psychodrama and hypnosis—and who claim to remember their birth and postnatal experiences—is growing day by day. So why are we curious about our fetal state? Or why do we want to know what we felt at the moment of birth? Because deep down, we know that the periods during which our lives and our reactions to them take shape—and the foundations of our character are laid—begin from the very first moments of our awareness.
Numerous psychological studies have yielded positive results, demonstrating that sensory experiences in the womb and the birth experience are pivotal moments in an individual’s life. The fact that a fetus is sensitive to light and responds to external stimuli—such as an amniocentesis needle—by moving is cited as evidence that perception begins in the womb. Of course, the perception of a fetus is not the same as that of a 3-year-old child. However, considering that the psychological factors that will shape a 3-year-old’s behavior develop in the womb, this is a matter that warrants attention.
A Baby Doesn't Just Get Nutrients from the Umbilical Cord
Nutrition and mental health during pregnancy are just as important as your baby’s development. Through the umbilical cord, your baby receives not only nutrients but also your emotional states. Just as your baby absorbs nutrients, it also absorbs every reaction you have—from your responses to every experience you share with your partner to your feelings toward the conditions and people around you, and every reaction you have to the outside world. The perceptions encoded in cells are elevated to higher levels as the cells develop. The cell develops by converting every piece of information it records into neural perception in the weeks that follow. When we consider that we are composed of cells—our smallest building blocks—it becomes possible to grasp the importance of this cellular coding that begins in the womb. Folic acid is a member of the B vitamin family and plays a crucial role in DNA synthesis and cell division. Since the importance of cellular development is now well understood, doctors emphasize the importance of folic acid intake for expectant mothers starting from the preconception period.
Psychological Issues Should Not Be Put Off
Generally, expectant mothers focus on nutrition and tend to put their psychological well-being—which affects their babies—on the back burner. During this period, the psychological well-being of both the mother and father is just as important as nutrition. For this reason, it is essential for both parents to become aware of the importance of forming a strong bond with their baby and fostering the baby’s sensory development through healthy processes throughout the pregnancy.
In well-planned pregnancies, pre-pregnancy checkups and preparations allow parents to go through a more informed process of bonding with their baby during pregnancy. In unplanned pregnancies, however, parents who do not have the opportunity to go through an informed process often face challenging situations. Life doesn’t always go as planned. What matters is being aware enough—even when caught off guard—to take conscious steps and know what to do and what not to do.