We are all interested in giving our children their best start and foundation in life. This can be a broad range of things, but one of the most common things we think about as parents is intelligence. Nature and nurture both play a part in the overall intellectual development of a child. I might not be able to do much about nature once genetics are in place, but we are able to help nurture our children.
Here are 5 ways that can help increase a baby’s brain development as early as pregnancy!
- Stay Active
Not only does being active during pregnancy reduce the risk of cesarean sections but studies have shown that it may help improve baby’s oral language skills later in life. Also, babies may adjust better to environmental stimuli if their mom was active during the pregnancy. These things all relate to better scoring in intelligence testing. So, if you can exercise then it is a positive habit to continue or start in a healthy pregnancy. Of course, always check with your doctor.
- Get some Vitamin D and Healthy Fats
Vitamin D deficiency may have a negative effect on the developing fetus’ motor skills and social development that can be seen in the preschool years. In order to avoid this possible effect, get some sun which the body uses for vitamin D, eat vitamin D rich foods, or take a vitamin D supplement that is approved by your doctor.
Also healthy fats are an important part of a prenatal diet. Healthy fats such as DHA have been shown to be beneficial to fetal neurological development. Your doctor may have already suggested that you take a prenatal DHA supplement, or you can seek out foods rich in this omega fatty acid such as salmon.
- Stay Pregnant Longer
Even though the end of the pregnancy can be exhausting and many moms want to get the baby delivered as soon as possible, try to be patient. The March of Dimes defines full term as 39 to 40 weeks gestation. So, if it is possible for the pregnancy to continue to this time then wait it out. Supposedly, there is a positive impact on the baby’s cognitive function and a possible increase in performance in reading and other academic areas for those who are able to stay in the womb until 39 to 40 weeks full term.
- Talk and Read to Your Baby
Give your baby the gift of language development as soon as they can hear, which is while they are still in the womb. During the last stages of pregnancy babies are listening and learning. Word exposure is linked to higher vocabularies and better academic performance overall. Try to be gentle and soothing in your tone because the mother’s voice is already amplified in the womb. Pick up your favorite book and read to your baby. This can also help in early bonding.
- De-stress
Chronic stress is bad for everyone, including your unborn child. Higher stress or higher cortisol level for a long period of time during pregnancy can have a negative effect on the baby’s development. This negative effect may impact neurological development. So, try to relax, meditate, seek help or use whatever coping mechanism that helps you de-stress. This is great for you and the baby!
These tips are pretty simple and some you may be naturally practicing in your pregnancy already. If you are, that’s great and keep it up. There is so much more we can do once the baby is here as well.
