Education Begins in the Womb

For Aristotle, a newborn’s brain was a tabula rasa – a blank state.But as it is now widely established that a baby is born with a remarkable sense of intelligence – not just after its birth, but when it is in the mother’s womb.Even then, the newborn registers memory.Things like the mother’s heartbeat, for example – it fell asleep to that sound, woke up in response to that sound and moved to its rhythmic, regular pounding. It is evident that there is a synchronization between the mother and her unborn child.

Research indicates that what a baby learns in its early stages of childhood, is to a large extent, influenced by what a baby has heard prenatally.The tiny tot learns to recognize the mother’s voice, her intonation and is even able to recognize the inflection and cadence of her voice.This shows that the growth the baby undergoes while it is still in the womb is quite phenomenal. Virtually from conception, this new life is full of activity in creating millions of connections between neurons which eventually make it possible to move, breathe, taste, see, learn and remember.

The mother can ensure the well-being of the child--or unfortunately hamper and damage its growth.In fact, her thoughts too, can do good or bad for the baby – what a mother nurtures in her mind and the emotions she generates, affect the fetus.Feelings of insecurity, anxiety, fear, anger, depression, agitation, suicidal thoughts are a shared experience.Alcohol or drug abuse by the pregnant mother, excessive intake of caffeine, diet, lack of physical affection, smoking, exposure to x-rays, excessive noise – all can impact the unborn.The benefits of having a quiet, serene atmosphere before birth cannot be overemphasized. Even providing a quality environment through a nicely furnished baby nursery goes a long way toward a child's positive development. A comfortable baby is one prepared for a healthy beginning.

Immediately after a child is born, what the baby is exposed to also makes a lasting, indelible impression on a tender mind.Perhaps, one of the biggest mistakes parents could make is to underestimate the capacity of the child’s intelligence during these early formative years.

It is said that at birth, a child’s brain is only one-fourth the weight it acquires while in adulthood.But, what is interesting is that in a mere span of two years the growth of the brain is so brisk that it reaches 3/4 of the weight it gains as a fully developed adult brain.Toddlers have been known to shown remarkable capacities for learning – a new language, gestures or attitudes – but how that ability is used depends much on the guidance and regulation imparted by parents.

The bonding process between the mother and her unborn baby is both fascinating and powerful. The mother can do a lot in her pregnancy stages, either to lovingly nurture the fetus or unknowingly victimize and abuse the unborn child.