Stress and the Unborn Baby

Let’s talk about stress. We all experience it- especially during pregnancy, and ESPECIALLY right now with the current crazy state of the world. But did you know that your fetus can feel your stress? We know that the mother passes hormones to the baby through the placenta. This means that baby receives stress hormones when mom is feeling it. Multiple studies have shown that babies exposed to prolonged stress in utero (for ex: mom has a really stressful job; undergoing a house renovation; moving across the country) can lead to premature birth and low birthweight, among other things. 

This is not to scare you! We all go through stresses in our everyday... it’s part of life, for sure. But we need to be aware of the impact it has on our babies and be able to have the tools to balance it out.  

Listening to your favorite music while you’re pregnant can help- a lot! The pleasurable sensations that your preferred music creates for you can be felt by baby as well. Because just as stress hormones are transferred across the placenta, so are the “feel good” hormones! 

With all of our worlds being turned upside down, along with the fear of the unknown, this COVID experience can be pretty traumatic any way you look at it. Be kind to yourself and take care of your mental space- you don’t have to conquer the world right now! But you should listen to some good music 😊 

Be sure to check out my last post- there is a short video that guides you through a music and relaxation exercise!