Every moment of a child’s first year is absolutely precious, from your first child to your last. Unfortunately, there are only so many pictures that even the most click-happy new parent can take, especially around baby number 3. While every picture is a treasured memory, there are select photo ops that will bring you and your family priceless joy for the rest of your lives.

The following photos are must-haves for every parent and child:

1. The Triumphant Mother – This is the first bedside picture that you take with your new little family. There is no photograph that speaks of a parent’s unconditional love like the picture that a family member or nurse takes of you and your spouse with your newborn baby. Generally, parents don’t look like rock stars after a long labor or surprise c-section, but that moment, that precious, perfect moment, when you get to hold your tiny miracle for the first time as a family is unparalleled by any other moment in your lives.

2. The Total Pass-Out – This moment happens to every parent within the first 3 months. You’ve lost track of the last time you had 4 solid hours of sleep, and neither you nor your baby can keep your eyes open any longer. When the conscious parent takes this picture, it is usually in jest, but it is truly a testimonial of your devotion to your child. There is something so simply sweet and pure about a photograph of you sleeping with your little one on your chest, that you will always look back on it and smile.

3. Bathtime Fun – A lot of parents take a picture of their baby’s first sponge bath. Firsts are always great pictures, but I’m talking about when your baby is around 10 months old, learning to splash, and smiling so widely you are sure it has to hurt. Don’t worry. If your child is seated in the tub it is easy to take an excellent G-Rated picture that captures the true essence of the moment and can be comfortably shared with anybody (especially future girlfriends) for years to come.

4. Group Picture With Extended Family- All first year photo albums are rich with pictures of the honored baby in the presence of immediate family members, but don’t underestimate the power of a photo with your extended family. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, major holiday, or reunion, make sure you get a picture of your baby with your whole family. The occasion isn’t nearly as important as showing your child that he has generations of supportive, loving family. Don’t forget to write everyone’s name on the back of the picture so that when your baby becomes a daddy, he can share it with his children.

5. First Birthday Cake Demolition- This is a two to three picture set that will bring many laughs to your family for years to come. Give your baby a small, personal cake and let her rip. I always strip my boys down to their diapers for this big event! Take a picture of your baby before, during, and after she’s enjoyed her first birthday cake. This series of photos will tell a story that words can’t even begin to describe.

The most important thing about documenting your baby’s first year is not to stress yourself out about missing a picture of the first smile or step. Babies have an innate ability to perform a spectacular feat when you least expect it and are completely unprepared. If you capture these special moments, which you have complete control over, you are sure to preserve memories that your family will hold dear for generation after generation.

Jessi Arias-Cooper is a work from home mother of 3 boys and has been married for 10 years. If she had time for hobbies and interests outside of parenting and keeping house, they would be jewelry making, baking, watching bad B-movie horror flicks and creative writing.

A Reader Asks:

My son is 2 weeks old and the nights are really rough. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, I can’t put him down for 10 minutes without him becoming fussy. People told me my the first month or so would hard, but I had no idea how true that is until now. I need some sleep BAD. Why is my newborn so fussy at night?

Jessi Says:

Wow. I’ve been there, mama. Three times.

The nights were so rough the first few weeks, I wondered how anyone could possibly want to have more than one baby. Why would you put yourself through such torture more than once? I even broke down and called my mom in the middle of the night a couple times, bawling my eyes out. I frequently asked her why she would subject herself to two more children after living through the first. It’s nothing short of masochism.

Then I had two more.

Sleepless nights are ugly while they’re going on, but like childbirth, your love for your child overrides the temporary pain of it. A mother’s heart is bigger than any midnight crankiness, or days you’re so tired you walk into walls.

So why is this baby so fussy?

I’m sure you’ve heard someone talk about her baby’s days and nights being “mixed up” and there’s some truth to it. When your baby was occupying your uterus, he was in a nearly constant state of darkness, so the concept of “day” and “night” didn’t exist.

What he did know was, you were at rest at certain times of the day, so he wasn’t being rocked by your movements (while you walked around, exercised or swayed to music) and he didn’t have your soothing voice to lull him to sleep. Your daily activity was actually helping him rest better.

When you were pregnant, did you ever notice that as soon as you sat down to read a book or snuggled into bed for the night, your little man would start bopping around like a crazy person? That’s exactly what’s happening now, except he’s in the outside world, and can voice his need for attention.

I wish I could tell you I have a miracle cure for what ails ya, but I don’t.

There are (thankfully) ways to work with his schedule to get some sleep until his internal clock shifts to a more reasonable schedule.

• Take naps during the day. If he’s napping, follow his lead. It may be difficult to adjust to at first, but your body needs rest and you have to get it when you can. Don’t waste that precious time on cleaning or doing dishes. Those things will wait. Trust me
• Enlist help. If you’re parenting with a partner, make sure that he or she is taking turns with the overnight responsibilities. If you’re going it alone, ask for help. You have family and friends who want to be there for you. This is great time to take them up on it. They’d rather take night duty a couple times than see you miserable
• Don’t turn on the lights. If he’s up before the sun, don’t turn on bright lights or watch exciting TV shows. Making a “daytime” atmosphere confuses your message that this is sleep time. If you need some light, use a small lamp or nightlight. It may be boring, but it’s more restful for both of you
• Let him hear you. Babies like sound, especially your voice. If he needs to hear you singing softly or reading a book quietly, the sound of your voice may soothe him to sleep faster
• If you’ve fed and changed him and he’s still fussy, he might have a tummy-ache. Take turns rubbing his back and belly to relieve any gas that might be causing him discomfort. You can also lay him on his back and gently push his legs up so his knees come to his chest. He may toot or belch his way to happily groggy

Hang in there, sister. Every parent has been where you’re at, and many of us went on to have other little ones afterward. You WILL survive this and even laugh about it some day. As an added bonus, you can hold it over his head when he’s a teenager. It gives the “Because I said so” defense some more firepower.

“Why can’t I sleep in? It’s Saturday.”

“Sleep? SLEEP? When you were a baby, I never got WINK of sleep and you didn’t care what day it was. You can’t sleep in, because I say so. See you in 10 minutes.”

See? It all works out in the end. Someday he’ll be asking you why his newborn is so fussy, and you’ll have a story to tell.

Jessi Arias-Cooper is the senior writer and an editor for Advice4Parenting.com. She is a work-from-home mother of 3 boys and has been married for 10 years. If she had time for hobbies and interests outside of parenting and keeping house, they would be jewelry making, baking, watching bad B-movie horror flicks and creative writing . If you have a question for Jessi, click here.

Photo: flickr.com/photos/tandemracer/536589614/

A reader asks:

I have my first baby on the way and am starting to get really nervous. From feeding, to bathing, and everything in between and beyond, there is just so much to know. I have a lot of friends with children and they make it look so natural and effortless. I’m afraid to tell them that I’m doubting my own parenting abilities. How do I know that I’ll be a good parent?

Jessi says:

The wait for baby is an exciting and nerve-racking time for EVERY new parent-to-be. If you talk to a parent who says that she (or he) never had any pre-baby jitters, she’s either trying to help calm your fears, or embarrassed to admit that she’s human. D0n’t get bogged down by what appears to be easy for others. You said it yourself, they “make it look” so effortless. It comes with practice. I know that I’m not the same mom with my third baby as I was with my first. There’s an evolution that takes place in the heart and mind of every parent and it comes with experience.

There is a lot to learn, but no one expects you to know everything off the bat. Even the most seasoned parenting veteran has an “Um…what do I do” moment just about every day. Babies, and children in general, don’t come with directions. There’s a reason for that (besides the obvious discomfort and paper cut potential at delivery); all parents and children are different.

When it comes to the basics, such as bathing, feeding and swaddling, there are plenty of resources from the get-go. You have nurses, family, and friends that can share those techniques with you.

If you forget something or need clarification, just ask. Other parents are always a great resource and happy to help. If you’re bashful, hop online and check out a site you trust, like Advice4Parenting.com for instance (pardon the shameless plug, I’m human, too.) Thanks to the Internet, you have 24 hour access to helpful information.

As for the other more surprising parenting responsibilities like what to do if your son eats a caterpillar, trust your instincts. Trust me, you may not realize you have them, but they’re there. Parents need to listen to that inner voice and go with their guts. If you feel he needs a doctor, take him. If you feel he’s not developing at the right pace, consult a specialist. If he ate a caterpillar, call his doctor, and then laugh when you know everything is okay. By the way, none of my boys have eaten a caterpillar…yet.

The keys to being a good parent are trusting yourself and loving your child. The answers will come to you. If you’re still nervous about something, contact some support, whether that means your mom, your pediatrician, or the good folks online that have been there.

Don’t let your fears overcome your joy and put undue stress and pressure on you. If you’re thinking about the future and asking questions, you’re already a good parent.

Jessi Arias-Cooper is the senior writer and an editor for Advice4Parenting.com. She is a work-from-home mother of 3 boys and has been married for 10 years. If she had time for hobbies and interests outside of parenting and keeping house, they would be jewelry making, baking, watching bad B-movie horror flicks and creative writing . If you have a question for Jessi, click here.

by Grace Sloop

Looking for baby birth announcement ideas?

One way to introduce your new bundle of joy would be to simply call up those you care about, but you can’t exactly fit a call in your baby scrapbook; that is, unless you burn a recording of it on a CD and stick it in there!

But there are obviously easier ways.  For example, there are a number of computer-generated birth announcement templates available with most office software packages.  Simply select one you like, fill in the blanks, print, enclose a photo of your new little one and voila!  It’s all over but the trip to the post office.

Or you can easily make one without any sort of template too.  Birth announcements usually mostly include the baby’s name, weight, height, length, day and time of birth, wrapping up with the proud parents’ and siblings’ names-in that order.

But perhaps you want to be a little more creative with your birth announcements. So how about turning a photo of your new little star into a playbill or a movie poster?  Or even the front cover of a magazine?  “The Smith Family Proudly Presents Amanda Marie! - Also Staring Brenda and Bob Smith as Mom and Dad, Jacob and Mindy Smith as Big Brother and Sister and, back by popular demand…diapers, late night feedings, and no sleep!”  It’s tough to beat that for a good laugh all around.

But if that’s not quite your style, you could wrap chocolate cigars or bunnies in handwritten notes and tie them with pink or blue ribbons to hand out to the folks at work.  Or have novelty candies made up at your local party supply store with your new addition’s name on them.  You can also get these online.  Just search for “party supplies” in your search engine.

Of course, nothing says you care like the personal touch.  So if you’ve got even an ounce of inspiration and a bit of time on your hands, then dust off those scrapbooking skills and roll up your sleeves to pen your very own homemade baby birth announcement.  It’s almost sure to hold a special spot on Grandma and Grandpa’s mantle for years to come, and craft stores carry a wide variety of specialty embossers, stamps, papers, and other products that will let only your creativity be the limit to what you cook up.

Speaking of which, do you have older children?  They are great at unleashing their creativity and giving their imaginations free reign to conjure up something special.  So include them in the process however you can from start to finish, like letting them draw and color (on acid-free paper ideally).  You can even let them raid your button box and your ribbon drawer for embellishments.

Whatever you decide to do, whether it’s printing up a glossy photo card at your local photo lab, breaking out the markers, crayons and more for an elaborate homemade card, or even redesigning your MySpace page to mark the occasion, I’m sure your baby birth announcement idea will be a smash hit with those you love.

Click here for more baby birth announcement ideas.

When we bring a new baby home, most families prepare their house for the new arrival. As the child grows, safety measures are put into place, like locking cabinets and installing outlet covers. However, many families don’t think about household safety as their kids get older. Here are some things to think about.

Do you have an emergency plan in place for your children? Do they know where to go if you have to get out of the house quickly? Plan a location that is away from your house that can be a meeting place for all family members. Make sure your children understand the circumstances in which they would leave the house and wait at your meeting place.

Do your children know what to do if there is a fire in your house? Most parents figure that their children know to get out, but is it something that you have ever practiced? You only have a few minutes when the fire breaks out before all the oxygen is gone from the air and you need to have everyone out before then. Practice escape routes with your children.

If there is an emergency in the home, do your kids know who to call? Do they know how to dial 9-1-1? Can they tell their address to the operator on the phone? It is a good idea to have emergency information posted above the phone in your house. Write down the emergency numbers, and your address. Even adults have forgotten their address in a crisis.

When you have an emergency, it is too late to plan. Make sure that you and your children have a plan in place to protect your family in an emergency. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

During the early months of your baby’s life, finding time to take care of yourself can seem impossible. The good news…it’s not. With a little flexibility, you won’t have to sacrifice the simple things in life that keep you happy and healthy.

There are three basic things every new mom wants and needs:

1. More sleep

2. To eat real meals (with both hands)

3. A hot shower.

Once you’re out of the hospital and on your own, you’ll have no choice but to learn how to work with your baby to make sure that you’re both getting what you need.

It can take weeks, sometimes even months, for your baby to sleep through the night. This doesn’t mean that you have to be a stinky, starving zombie.

The key to meeting your obligations to yourself, is to study and understand your baby’s sleeping and eating patterns. How long does she sleep between feedings? How often, and at what time, does she stay awake for an hour or more?

Babies’ schedules can appear to be completely chaotic at first, but if you pay attention, you’ll catch on to a pattern fairly quickly. They will generally find a comfortable rhythm and stick to it for a while.

Once you have your little peanut’s schedule figured out, you can fit your life into her schedule. Prioritize: Naps first, food second, and finally…ahhh…a relaxing shower.

With a little planning, your life can still be yours. A happy mom makes for a happy baby. If you’re too rundown to bring your mommy-ing “A-Game” to the party, you’ll both be miserable.

Give yourself the gift of self-indulgence, even if it’s just in the form of meeting your basic daily needs, and your early mothering experience will be a relaxed, content one.

Jessi Arias-Cooper is the senior writer and an editor for Advice4Parenting.com. She is a work-from-home mother of 3 boys and has been married for 10 years. Jessi co-owns Profitable Prose, with her husband, Brock. If she had time for hobbies and interests outside of parenting and keeping house, they would be jewelry making, baking, watching bad B-movie horror flicks and creative writing.

by Grace Sloop

The benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the hassles. A new mother might say, “But I don’t want to stick my boob in a baby’s mouth.  He’ll bite me!”  Or “I don’t want to take off my shirt in front of everyone!” Well, if you are going to breastfeed, the first part is mandatory, the second part is possible and the third is optional.  (Few women want to appear topless in public. You will find most who do working in the adult entertainment industry!)

Okay, so let’s talk about biting. Imagine for a moment being chomped on the boob.  Wincing? Good.  Your own strong reaction against being bit will encourage the baby to stop biting pretty quickly. Babies are no strangers to the laws of supply and demand. If they bite the supplier, the supply will go away. Not desiring this outcome, any smart baby will shortly quit biting, else Mom change her mind about this breastfeeding thing forever.

With that encouragement in mind, also bear in mind that the benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and child are almost too numerous to mention in a short article.  For example, breast milk provides inherent protection against several diseases including diarrhea, pneumonia, ear infections, influenza and many more that could otherwise be severe in a baby.  The strong sucking action required also promotes jaw strength, which may reduce speech problems and encourages teeth to grow straight. (If you ever had metal-mouth braces for years on end, you can probably appreciate this one!)

In addition, newborn babies can only see 12 to 15 inches from their faces, which happens to be nearly exactly the distance between the mother’s and baby’s face while breastfeeding. This closeness encourages bonding between the mother and child.  And while it’s also possible to breastfeed a baby while she’s seated in a car seat or lying in a crib, it is not easy–believe me, I have done it. The most comfortable way to breastfeed a baby is by holding her.

Speaking of which, babies need a lot of holding and cuddling anyway.  And though formula-fed babies may be held a great deal too, breastfeeding forces the issue.  It also requires more effort for the baby.  But that extra effort pays off in additional time spent with Mom that studies now show has both psychological and intellectual benefits for your budding baby.

As for the mother, the benefits of breastfeeding include faster healing from the birthing process and pregnancy by causing the uterus to contract faster. But perhaps even better, breastfeeding can delay the return of your old steady companion, menstruation–sometimes even for months!  During this time that you aren’t ovulating, you’ll have some small measure of natural birth control.  Just don’t rely too much on it.  If you really don’t want to get pregnant again so soon after your baby’s birth, talk to your doctor about birth control methods that are safe to use while breastfeeding.

If you thought that was good, another supposed benefit of breastfeeding is weight loss. Boy, I wish I’d experienced this one, and I breastfed for over four years between two children!  So if you happen to see the breastfeeding weight loss fairy, could you please send her my way?  Thanks, I could use her.  Then again, ever since actress Jodi Foster claimed that nursing melted away her pregnancy pounds, I’m wondering whether this magical fairy might be more generous to wealthy Hollywood actresses with personal trainers than she was to me.  Oh well.

True or not, it can’t be disputed that wealth helps.  The economics of breastfeeding is simply not an issue to be ignored or lost among the rigors of maternity.  Formula is expensive, and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program only covers so much.  Over that, the parents have to pay the rest, and babies often eat much more than the amount paid for by WIC.  That’s if you even qualify for WIC.  The costs are obviously far higher if you don’t, which makes Mother’s milk that much more tempting.  There’ll never be a meter on breast milk (imagine that for a moment).

While we celebrate that, let’s not forget for a moment all the other benefits of breastfeeding mentioned herein.  Preventing disease, nurturing every cell’s growth from brain to belly with perfect nutrition, and even delaying the return of “the curse” (menstruation!), it’s truly a miracle substance that no drug company could replicate and peddle by the bottle.  If they could, they’d already be doing it!  Rather, it’s specially designed by Mother Nature to nourish one very small and very special person: your baby.  And that’s what makes the benefits of breastfeeding truly too numerous to count.

Packing a diaper bag for a long trip can be a daunting task. What do I need besides diapers, wipes and bottles? Am I missing something?

There is no easy answer. It’s been my experience that each trip throws me a new curveball. Drama can pop up at any turn.

The number one rule of parenting is “Love your child.”

The second rule is “Be prepared for anything!”

I have 2 diaper bags.

The first is for short trips. It is compact and carries the basics: diapers, wipes, formula and a toy or two. Generally, you won’t need much more than these items if you’re just heading to the grocery store. Who wants to carry around a boulder along with her groceries and baby? Survey says…no one.

The second bag is for longer trips. I call this bag “The Monster”. This is the giant diaper bag every expectant mother receives at her baby shower, uses for a week and then realizes she may not need to carry it everywhere. It’s okay to put this big boy in the closet, but don’t discard him completely.

The Monster is your friend! If you’re planning on being gone for an entire day or even a weekend, you need to be prepared. I know first-hand…anything can happen.

There are 10 things, beyond the basics, that I strongly recommend you carry in The Monster:

1. A Waterproof Disposable Camera: So you’re burning to use your fancy $200 digital camera? Me, too. BUT…don’t carry it in your diaper bag unless it’s safely stored in a waterproof carrying case.
Diaper bags often have containers filled with liquid in them. If one springs a leak (and sooner or later, it will), you’ll be in the market for a new camera. A waterproof disposable camera is great for trips to the beach and everyday use.

2. A spare shirt for you: Parents get messy. Any number of yucky disasters can happen. Use your imagination.

My oldest son wasn’t a “spitter” so I didn’t carry a shirt for myself, despite my family’s advice. One day, in the middle of a long shopping trip at the mall, I learned my lesson. A spare shirt can quickly become the deciding factor between a walk of shame to the nearest restroom or out the door and on your way home.

Unless you’re looking to save money through “natural consequences,” pack a shirt.

3. Sunscreen (minimum SPF 30): This is a good idea all year, not just in the summer. You always want your baby to be safe from the sun’s powerful rays. If you are outside, protect your little one.

4. Zipper Bags: I recommend 1-2 gallon size bags plus 1 sandwich sized bag per child. The possibilities are endless. They just plain come in handy.

I use the gallon bags for soiled clothes, dirty diaper disposal and carrying back “treasures” that my boys find wherever we are. They always “have” to keep something.

Sandwich bags are awesome for dirty tissues, parade candy (when they throw it, you’re not stuffing it in your pockets) and snacks.

I have 3 boys, which means 3 bags of everything. If we’re out and about and someone’s feeling peckish, I buy 1 large snack and split it into 3 bags for each kid to munch at his discretion. Stop whining and save cash at the same time. Excellent.

5. Small first aid kit: Always keep a supply of adhesive bandages, alcohol wipes and triple-antibiotic ointment in your bag. Last summer, I had to patch up my dad and my son within 5 minutes of each other. Dr. Mom to the rescue.

6. Bulb Syringe (The Nose Sucker) and Tissues: Mucus happens…and you’re ready to conquer it.

7. Fever Reducer: If your baby spikes a temperature when you’re at Grandma’s house, you won’t be in a panic to find a drugstore.

8. Quarters: Having quarters for a vending machine can be the difference between a total meltdown and sweet serenity. Save your sanity, pack some change.

9. Hand sanitizer: Germs are everywhere. Diapers need to be changed. Sanitizing your family’s hands can save you all a lot of grief down the line.

10. Snacks: I always have a couple packs of age appropriate snacks for each of my kids. Long car rides are a lot quieter and less expensive if you have a little something hidden in your bag. Small baggies of cereal are great pacifiers while you’re waiting for your meal at a sit-down restaurant, too.

This may seem like a lot, but every single thing on this list has saved my husband or me at least twice. If you have these simple items with you, then life’s little surprises will remain little. An extra touch of preparation can make or break a trip with your family. Properly pack The Monster and he will keep your day out drama-free.

Jessi Arias-Cooper is a work from home mother of 3 boys and has been married for 10 years. She co-owns a freelance writing business, Profitable Prose, with her husband, Brock. If she had time for hobbies and interests outside of parenting and keeping house, they would be jewelry making, baking, watching bad B-movie horror flicks and creative writing.

Have you ever wondered whether you can spoil a baby? It’s a common concern among parents, especially the newbies.

Of course, the answer is “it depends.”  It’s not quite so black and white because it wholly depends on what you mean by “spoil” in the first place.  If you mean that the baby will grow up to be demanding and expecting things to come automatically without working for them, that’s highly unlikely just by taking exquisite care of him or her in the first formative years.

After all, your baby’s life is fragile and depends critically on your care, so never confuse your love for spoiling your child.  Think about it.  It’s the children who don’t feel loved from an early age who later wind up on couches in therapists’ offices countrywide pouring out unresolved pain with their parents!

But if you didn’t mean “spoiled” that way, maybe you meant your baby might grow up well-meaning and good-natured but ill-equipped to fend for herself.  If so, you are again worried prematurely.  Good parenting is all about pacing and progression, and you will have plenty of opportunities to teach your child self-reliance as the months and years wear on.  Meanwhile keep giving your bundle of joy as much love as you can to build a strong foundation for emotional well-being later, which itself is the perfect platform for success of all sorts in one’s adult years.

Does that cover your concerns? If you’re still shaking your head “No,” don’t worry.  You are in good company because nearly everyone will have at least a slightly different definition for what “spoiled” means to them, so the best thing you can do is to take a few minutes to reflect on its meaning for you.  And write it down while you’re at it, because it’s likely to have several facets to it.  Words are rich with meaning based on our years upon years of using them.

Another great exercise to work through your fear of spoiling your child is to ask yourself, “What am I really afraid of?”  Think of the first answer that comes to mind and write it down.  Then ask yourself, “Why?”  Write your answer to that.  Keep asking “Why?” until you feel that you’ve reached the core of your fear.  After that, just sleep on it and you are almost sure to wake up with breakthrough insights to dissolve your fear for good.

Freeing up that fear energy is exactly what you need to fully open your heart to loving your baby. And once you witness the miracles of your love on your little one’s life, you’ll never wonder again if you can spoil a baby.

A new, genetically unique human being is formed when the sperm penetrates the ovum. We call it conception. The sperm and the ovum each have 23 chromosomes. Each replicates, and the DNA strands align.

This brand new human being at conception is microscopic in size but possesses everything needed for life to continue in a proper environment and with proper nutrition. The embryo makes the trip from the fallopian tube to the uterus in about six days.

The baby’s heart begins to beat about three weeks after conception, and the brain begins to function at about six weeks after conception. All systems are fully formed and functional by eight weeks after conception. All that is left is for the baby to grow and the systems to mature.

According to recent studies, the baby begins to hear and respond to sound (particularly the mother’s voice) about 16 weeks after conception. This, amazingly, is about two months before the ears are completely formed; so it seems that there is more to hearing than scientists know at this time. The baby now begins to learn the language of the mother (the mother-tongue).

It’s important for the mother to talk to the unborn child, as well as to read to him, sing to him, and introduce him to music, beginning no later than at the end of the 16th week of pregnancy. It’s best to avoid loud music because sound reaches the womb almost totally undistorted. Loud music has been proven to produce strong kicks of protest from the fetus.

We know that long before birth, the baby in the womb is aware of his mother’s distress. After an earthquake in Italy, monitors revealed that the unborn babies remained in a hyperactive state for several hours after the quake ended.

Babies can hear in the womb. They are sensitive to the mother’s emotions. It is important that communication between the mother and the unborn child begin as early as possible.