You don’t need to wait until your baby is born to bond with them. Pregnancy can be the perfect time to start forming an attachment with your baby, which is very important for their development once your baby has actually arrived.
At around week 18 of your pregnancy, your baby will begin to hear the sounds of your body, such as your heartbeat and your stomach rumbling. At 26 weeks, a baby may react to noises both inside and outside the mother’s body and may be soothed by the sound of your voice. The outside noise your baby hears inside the uterus is about half the volume we hear. However, unborn babies may still startle and cry if exposed to a sudden loud noise. Your baby may start to recognize certain vowel sounds from your language. Some research suggests that very early language development may begin before birth.
Your feelings and your baby
You may find that instead of being excited about the birth of your baby, you are feeling stressed and confused. Your feelings during pregnancy can affect the baby too. For example, if you are feeling stressed, the baby’s heart rate will respond to this and potentially increase.
Talk to someone about your feelings and ask questions when you see your maternity team. Try to increase your support network and meet other expectant mums to share your experiences. Try to look after your own health and well-being, and make sure you get enough rest and relaxation.
If you have had a mental health issue before, or you are experiencing feelings that differ from those you usually have, you should reach out for help to your caregivers or reach out to us at www.pregnancynigeria.com
A range of treatments can help, including psychological therapy and certain antidepressants that can be used safely during pregnancy for moderate to severe depression. We will tell you which ones are safe and provide you with the possible best support.
If you were already taking an antidepressant before you became pregnant, we advise that you stay on it and get help from the experts.
