Prenatal Stimulation
Frequently Asked Questions

• Prenatal stimulation is a technique that uses various stimuli such as; sound, (especially musical sounds and a mother’s voice), movement, pressure, vibrations, and light to communicate with the baby before birth. The baby learns to recognize and respond to the different stimuli, which encourages physical, mental, and sensory development.

What are the benefits of prenatal stimulation? Does it really work?

• Studies by leading child development researchers such as Thomas R. Verny and Rene Van de Carr have revealed that stimulated babies exhibit enhanced visual, auditory, linguistic, and motor development. In general, they sleep better, are more alert, confident, and content than infants who were not stimulated. They also show superior learning capacity and calm down when they hear familiar sounds they heard while in the womb.
  
• Babies that were stimulated by their mothers before birth showed greater confidence, were more active at birth, and experienced better success at breastfeeding.
  
• Stimulated babies and their families showed more intense bonding and greater family cohesion. Prenatal stimulation provides a lasting foundation for loving communication and healthy parent-child relationships.

Can prenatal stimulation improve IQ and raise intelligence?

• A number of studies have shown that yes, prenatal stimulation does seem to have a favorable effect on intelligence and IQ. One example is the study "Project Family" conducted by Dr. Beatriz Manrique. Stimulated babies tested at the age of 3, on average, scored 14 IQ points higher on the Stanford-Binet scale than children who were not stimulated.
  
• On average, stimulated infants consistently scored higher than the non-stimulated control group on the Brazelton scale for neurological development and behavior, and the Bayley scale for mental and motor development.
  
• Most importantly, prenatal stimulation techniques teach parents how to provide a safe, loving and exciting environment that will encourage their child to learn and grow.

When should I begin stimulating my baby?

• Babies can benefit from stimulation as early as the third month of pregnancy. At this point, they begin to perceive spatial orientation and tactile stimuli.
  
• Babies develop sensory and motor skills at different stages during pregnancy, so it is important to introduce stimuli only after the baby has developed sufficiently to sense and respond. The "Make Way for Baby!"™ video program explains in detail when the baby acquires each capability and when you can begin each new stimulation exercise for optimal benefit.

Is music good stimulation for my baby?

• Yes. Once babies develop hearing in the fifth month, music is excellent for aural stimulation and to soothe the baby.
  
• However, mothers can give their babies the emotional benefits of music even before hearing develops at five months. Mothers who set aside time to relax daily by listening to music also help their babies feel calmer and happier. Pregnant women and babies share hormones, so there is a close connection between the emotional well-being of the mother and that of the child she carries.

Is over-stimulation a concern?

• While over-stimulation may not harm the baby, it can cause confusion and undermine the benefits you are trying to achieve. When babies becomes overwhelmed by too much stimulation, they stop responding. Moderate levels of stimulation produce optimal results.

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