Ateah – supporting healthy prenatal development

I feel what parents in particular need to know about prenatal development is that there is so much going on before a woman even knows she’s pregnant.  The first two to three months are very critical for development.  We know that the vital organs of the body are being developed during that time and there are many negative and positive influences that can hinder or positively affect development.  So for example, teratogens are all the negative things that are in the environment or ingested or experienced such as stress that can have a negative effect on infant development, fetal development. 

But we know of many positive things; a mother feeling comfortable and confident and happy, you know, music is a positive thing.  We don’t have a lot of clear evidence shows that it helps development but certainly it helps keep mother soothed and when mother feels happy those, you know, positive vibes and feelings can be translated to the infant feeling positive as well and encouraging development.  Nutrition is very important.  We want to ensure that mothers aren’t exposed to diseases and environmental pollutants.  

So I think parents sometimes think of this infant developing as if it’s in a completely separate environment from the mother.  That as long as, you know, she is, you know, not over-stressed or maybe eating healthily that those are pretty much all she can do.  But there’s a lot she can do.  A lot that she can avoid and a lot that she can encourage herself just to; as I mentioned eat healthy and exercise regularly and realize that every single day that there is, you know, an incredible development that is going on inside.  So mothers have a wonderful, wonderful responsibility.