Innate resources from the beginning
While in utero your baby is developing many capacities that she will bring to the birth as resources. Her abilities to move and to sense started from the earliest days. Among the very first experiences that your baby perceives is movement. Whenever you move, baby feels sensations. Whenever your baby moves, she feels herself. Movement sensation is the one of the first ways that baby develops her sense of self.
Prenatally baby develops specialized early movements called primary reflexes. These little moves help him to organize for brand new activities, like finding and sucking on his thumb or turning his head. Babies use primary reflexes to partner in birth.
Your baby is a conscious being from the beginning. She experiences the ambient sounds and your tone of voice. Your baby receives and perceives at a nonverbal level. Your baby is receiving signals. You can sing to her and tell her how welcome and beloved she is. As you near birth together, you can talk with her about the imminent event and your intention to have a good birth together. You can invite her to be active, including moving to a head down position if she hasn’t arrived in the last few weeks.
Look for future MamaBebe blogs that unpack your amazing baby’s innate resources for birth.