What an interesting article Dr. Logan sent me. It echo’s the message of BabyPlus with the rhythmic sounds heard with the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System and the first words a baby utters.

Why 'Mama' and 'Dada' are baby's first words

Study: Many cultures' words for mom and pop feature repeating sounds

MSNBC LiveScience, Aug. 27, 2008

A baby's first words are often "mama" and "dada," much to the delight of parents. Now scientists think they know why.

Beyond the obvious - Mommy and Daddy are around a lot and babies are drawn to them languages in many cultures have apparently made the task easy by creating words for mothers and fathers that feature patterns of repeating sounds, a new study suggests.

To arrive at this finding, brain scans were made of 22 newborns (age 2 days to 3 days) while they listened to recordings of made-up words. They heard words that end in repeating syllables, such as "mubaba" and "penana," as well as words without them, such as "mubage" and "penaku."

Brain activity increased in the babies' temporal and left frontal areas whenever the repetitious words were played. Words with non-adjacent repetitions ("bamuba" or "napena") elicited no distinctive responses from the brain. 

Recent studies show that babies who learn two or more languages at once actually perform better at certain tasks.

This suggests "mama" and "dada" (or "papa") are well-chosen words to teach a baby, and it also indicates that the ability to more easily recognize these sorts of repetitive sounds is hard-wired in the human brain.

The research, led by University of British Columbia post-doctoral fellow Judit Gervain, was published online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"It's probably no coincidence that many languages around the world have repetitious syllables in their 'child words,'" Gervain said, citing "papa" in Italian and "tata" (grandpa) in Hungarian as examples.

"The language center of most right-handed adults is located on the left side of the brain," Gervain said. "This is consistent with our finding with newborn babies and supports our belief humans are born with abilities that allow us to perceive and learn our mother tongue systematically and

efficiently."

"The brain areas that are responsible for language in an adult do not 'learn' how to process language during development, but rather, they are specialized - at least in part - to process language from the start."

How amazing is that? 

Hey Dad-to-be! Pregnancy isn't just for women. If your woman is pregnant there is a lot you can do. I know you have been reading a bunch of articles on Prenatal development, baby stimulation and fetal development. You have seen everything there is about Critical period in prenatal development, having a smart baby and fetal brain development.

But what do you know about taking care of your new mom-to-be? Let me tell you that a happy mom-to-be = a healthy mom-to-be = a healthy baby. And you can do something about it. In the next several blogs I will tell you how you can pamper the mom-to-be in your life.

The Pampering Dad-To-Be Massage

The healthiest and safest time to begin having pregnancy massages is in your second trimester. Lying on your back is  not a good idea after the 20th week of pregnancy, so the position that works best is to have your mom-to-be straddle a chair, with the back facing her front. This works especially well if you place the chair in front of a table, and then stack one or two pillows over the back, allowing them to spill out on to the tabletop. This will enable her to lean forward during the massage and rest her head.

Now, lubricate your hands with either high-quality commercial massage oil, or one you make yourself. This can be done by combining a few drops of a relaxing essential oil, such as lavender or chamomile, with a carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba. Be sure to warm the oil by pouring a small amount into your hands and rubbing them together. This is an important step, since cold oil causes muscles to tense, causing her to feel stressed.

Now, place your hands on her lower back just below the waistline, and slowly begin sliding up her back on either side of her spine. Never massage directly on the backbone, or over the spinal column. As you reach her shoulders your hands should slowly move across the upper back, then down the opposite side of the spine, to the starting point. This up-and down motion should continue for at least several minutes, until the muscles of her back start to warm and relaxed.

Your can then begin applying gentle pressure to any area of her back where she is feeling pain -- using the heel of your hand or the pads of your fingers, bearing down slightly and continuing to move in a circular motion. The operative word here, however, is "gentle." The point of massage is to relax and soothe muscles, so a rubdown should never hurt. If it does, you are is pressing too hard -- so ask her if she experiencing discomfort.

Your massage finishes with a repeat of the up-and-down motion that started the back rub, done for a several more minutes. You should then wrap her body in a soft blanket or beach towel, to keep muscles warm. Have her remain in her massage position for five to 10 minutes.

The massage can be as short as 10 minutes, or as long as 60 minutes; it's not a good idea to go beyond that time limit, no matter how great it feels. During her second trimester, you can give her a massage once a week; during the third trimester, you can increase massages to twice weekly or more if needed. Again, never give her a massage during the first trimester, even by a professional therapist

Go green if you are pregnant or are thinking about getting pregnant. I’m talking about eating more green! It’s important not only for fetal brain development but also for mom’s health. The fact is, healthy prenatal development is up to you. What you do and eat will directly affect the development of your baby in every stage of fetal development. If you continue a healthy diet after your baby is born, you will enjoy better breast feeding and a healthier you.

Healthy Spinach-Stuffed Sole Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 tsp oregano leaves, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb sole fillets or other white fish
2 Tbsp sherry
4 oz (1 C) part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
as needed nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 ºF.

2. Coat 10- by 6-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Heat oil in skillet and sauté mushrooms for about 3 minutes or until tender.

4. Add spinach and continue cooking for about 1 minute or until spinach is barely wilted. Remove from heat and drain liquid into prepared baking dish.

5. Add oregano and garlic to drained sautéed vegetables. Stir to mix ingredients.

6. Divide vegetable mixture evenly among fillets and place in center of each.

7. Roll each fillet around mixture and place seam-side down in prepared baking dish.

8. Sprinkle with sherry, then grated mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15–20 minutes slotted spoon.

Yield: 4 servings   Serving size: 1 filet roll

Folic acid it the nutrient to remember if you are pregnant or are thinking about getting pregnant. It is crucial for fetal brain development. You can’t start too soon adding more Folic Acid to your diet. The fact is that healthy prenatal development is up to you. What you do and eat will directly affect the development of your baby in every stage of fetal development. If you can keep track of your diet week by week during your pregnancy you can insure a healthy pregnancy and a happy baby.

Try this easy recipe alone or as a side to a grilled chicken breast.

Lentils and Rice

Ingredients

3/4 cup lentils, washed and sorted
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine everything except 1/2 a cup of the Swiss cheese in a bowl. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish, cover, and bake at 350 degrees F for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover and top with the remaining cheese. Bake another five minutes.


click on the bowl of rice to read more about pregnancy and nutrition

Using BabyPlus during pregnancy provides a wonderful bonding opportunity for mother and baby.

In the prenatal period, the brain is at its most receptive stage of learning. By enriching the auditory environment during this crucial period, independent studies have shown that a child's long term learning capacities are improved.

This early advantage means children will be able to absorb and appreciate far more of their environment than if they had not received prenatal enrichment. BabyPlus children have an intellectual, social, creative, and emotional advantage from the time they are born.

 Your womb...the perfect classroom...

You take a prenatal vitamin every day to enrich your child's earliest physical development.

Your child's brain development begins during these prenatal months, too.

Now is the time for the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System.  Click on the picture to learn more about prenatal care, our prenatal care curriculum, and, most importantly, prenatal development facts.

Why I Love to Blog About BabyPlus!

Well, the reasons are MANY. 

First, the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System is an amazing educational tool for your unborn child.  As a teacher (in my previous life!), I know the importance of giving your child the best possible tools for success in life.  The prenatal time is actually very critical.  Everyone knows the value of good health and taking a vitamin; now, the idea of early brain development is really becoming more widely accepted.

Second, I love talking about the exciting time of pregnancy.  This special time in the life of mom, dad, and baby will be treasured forever.  We have found that using the prenatal care curriculum actually aids in bonding with your baby.  Week by week, through the stages of your pregnancy, you might notice your baby "anticipating" the lessons.  This is your very first communication with your baby!  Thrilling!

Third, I wore the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System with one of my own children, so I have a first hand view of the tangible benefits of using this educational curriculum.  She is now 8 years old - not really a baby anymore - and I am still amazed with her vocabulary, gross motor skills, school capabilities, reading skills...the list could go on and on (of course, because she is my child, after all!).

Fourth, who doesn't want to talk about babies????  I get to do it all day long, and I love it!  Every joyous phone call and email makes me smile.  I love your willingness to share the stories of your beautiful children.

Fifth, this company is all about family values, education, and prenatal care.  From the owner to all the co-workers, this is a team.  We all work together to impart the important scientific news that your baby is receptive to learning prenatally.

I am so lucky to come to work every day!

 How Do the BabyPlus Sounds Educate My Baby?

The unborn child receives very little stimulation in the uterus. The only sound that it can clearly discern is the maternal heartbeat. By providing the infant with sounds which closely mimic the maternal heartbeat, but which vary in subtly increasing ways, your baby's brain learns one of the most basic skills of all - discrimination - before she/he is even born.  Repetition is good because it creates a memory.  So, the repetitive sounds of the lessons (the maternal heartbeat) is being compared to your own heartbeat - and learning has begun!

As we continue our discussion on the benefits of Folic Acid to the developing fetus' brain, we learn that many fruits and vegetables are high in folic acid. Early brain development during pregnancy can be greatly affected by the addition or lack of this critical nutrient. It's easy to include these foods in your diet. Fruits high in folic acid include strawberries, oranges and other citrus fruits, tomatoes, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, raspberries, avocados, bananas and watermelon.

Try this simple but tasty recipe to help insure healthy fetal development. Click on the picture to visit the March of Dimes website to learn more about the importance of Folic Acid

Simply Salad 
Combine halved strawberries with chunks of other folic-acid-rich fruits, such as bananas, oranges, and melons.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Serve with a dressing of plain yogurt seasoned with a little thawed frozen orange juice concentrate.

Born Learning - Already!

All parents know that learning actually begins before your child goes to school.  Learning really begins in the womb.  Everyone knows that baby development after birth is important.  However, the research now confirms that the critical period in prenatal development - especially early brain development - is impacted week by week in pregnancy.  Using the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System - a simple set of sounds similar to the mother's heartbeat - helps during the stages of prenatal development.

Don't wait to begin teaching your baby after he or she is born - help them to be born already learning!

One way to insure the proper development of your prenatal child’s physical as well as brain development is with proper nutrition during all stages of your pregnancy. You can't start too early. Your baby's brain development begins early in the pregnancy and continues until delivery and beyond.  Here is a recipe I used while I was pregnant and has been a favorite for my whole family ever since.

This broccoli cheese soup is made with fresh broccoli. 

Ingredients:   

·         1 bunch broccoli, about 1 1/4 pounds, washed and trimmed

·         2 cups sliced onions

·         5 tablespoons butter or margarine

·         7 cups chicken broth, divided

·         1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled

·         1/4 cup flour

·         2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

·         1/8 teaspoon pepper

·         1 cup milk

·         2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation:        

Cut florets off broccoli and divide into small sections. Simmer in lightly salted water for 2 minutes; drain and immerse in cold water to stop cooking then set aside.

Cut stalks into small pieces; place in a large saucepan. Add sliced onions and 3 tablespoons of butter to saucepan; sauté over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and oregano to the saucepan; simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully process hot mixture in batches in a blender until smooth. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Stir in mustard and pepper. Gradually stir in processed mixture and remaining 4 cups of chicken broth. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble. Add milk and cheese; stir until smooth and cheese is melted. Add remaining broccoli florets and heat through. Broccoli cheese soup serves 8.

You can cut this recipe in half. This soup is better the next day.

With the Olympics just a few days away, you can’t turn on the TV without hearing the surrounding controversy.  But what if we could step back and focus on something positive.  These amazing athletes were once babies like everyone else, but what happened to set them apart?  Did they just wake up one day and decide to be an Olympic athlete?  What gives them the motivation and determination and the ability to sacrifice so much?  Maybe their brains are different.  Perhaps, it has something to do with genetics.  We could go on and on about different theories and ideas, but maybe it’s just better to take a moment to admire their almost superhuman abilities and to be inspired by their passion and drive.  It is quite amazing, and their parents must be very proud.  Most of them have been there from the beginning, cheering them on and supporting them.  As parents, we naturally want the best for our children and have big dreams for their futures.   Of course, we can’t guarantee that BabyPlus will make your baby a future Olympic athlete, but it doesn’t hurt to dream!

Another awesome review from two first time parents:
Being in the field of developmental psychology, when I learned of the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System, I knew the potential benefits that my unborn child in the various stages of fetal development could experience.  I have since been astounded by the degree to which, I believe, it has impacted my now four-year-old son, Nathaniel.  When he was born and placed immediately on my belly, he instantly raised his head up and stared directly into my eyes and then into his father's.  He did this about three times and, knowing how difficult that would be for a newborn, we were amazed.

He was incredibly aware of his surroundings and developed both perceptual and physical skills very early.  He wallked the first week of his eighth month.  At 10 months, he had a list of words too long to remember and was creating two to three word sentences by one year.  By 18 months, he was easily constructing 45 piece puzzles on his own.  To this day people consistently comment on his advanced level of language and social skills.  The environment of the womb seems a natural place to begin bringing awareness to all of the subtle stimuli that impact physical and emotional conditions as well as the developing infrastructure of the brain.  We are very thankful for the BabyPlus system for helping our little one get the best possible advantage!

Angie and Shawn Phillips

 

People are talking!   All the attention about early brain development during pregnancy, infant growth assessment and prenatal education is really becoming a topic for First-Time parents. Click on the forum above to read what parents are saying. And click on the link below to read one couple's week by week pregnancy progress. This couple used BabyPlus Prenatal Education System and they share those day by day experiences as well.

 Early brain development during pregnancy is a topic that is getting quite a bit of attention. This does not exactly guarantee a highly academic baby, but it does suggest that a baby can be more calm, can nurse more readily and later in life be more school ready. These babies have an improved sleeping schedule. There infant growth assessments are better. Watch the video about a family who used the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System and hear what they have to say.