What to Do During Pregnancy to Have an Intelligent Baby?

Heredity is an important factor that influences the intelligence of your baby. However, the environment of the developing baby is an equally important factor that has a major influence on the baby’s intelligence. The pregnant mother’s diet, fitness, and emotional state can affect the development of the baby’s brain. If you are on the quest of how to get an intelligent baby during pregnancy, then you are at just the right place. There are a number of things that a mom-to-be can do to boost her baby’s IQ and make sure her baby has a smarter brain. So, let’s get started, shall we?

Things to Do During Pregnancy to Have a Smart Baby

‘How to make baby intelligent in the womb?,’ This is a common question from parents-to-be. Sure, there are many things to do during pregnancy to have an intelligent baby. Let’s start with keeping yourself healthy so you can pass the right nutrition to your baby in the womb, right?

1. Eat Healthy Food

Eating healthy food that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables is crucial for the healthy development of the foetus. The foetal brain also requires Omega-3 fatty acids for development. So, include foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, such as fish, walnuts, beans, leafy greens, hemp seeds, mustard oil, ghee, flax seeds, chia seeds, and seaweed.

2. Exercise

Staying fit and active during pregnancy is one step forward in having a smarter baby. Yes, several research prove that exercise helps the baby develop a smarter brain (1) (2). Exercise releases endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals that make their way to the baby, aiding in brain development. Exercise also causes the body to secrete the hormone cortisol. Moderate amounts of cortisol promote the growth of the baby’s brain. Exercise increases blood flow to the womb, and this is good for the baby’s healthy development. As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists pregnant women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise in a week (3).

3. Eat Eggs

Eggs are rich in choline, an important vitamin of the Vitamin B-complex family. It is said that consuming foods containing choline while pregnant is very good for the developing baby and has long-term beneficial effects on the child’s memory, as it improves cognitive development and supports the baby’s nervous system (4).

4. Include Iodine in Your Diet

Iodine is an important mineral that is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. A deficiency of iodine in the first trimester has been found to reduce the baby’s IQ significantly. Babies born to moms with low levels of thyroid hormone were found to be more likely to have low IQ. It is, therefore, important for pregnant women to include iodine in their diet. Iodine is found in yoghurt, milk and iodised salt.

5. Include Folate in Your Diet

Folic acid, or folate, in its natural form, belongs to the vitamin B-complex family and is essential for the proper development of the brain and spinal cord of the foetus. Some studies have shown that women who started taking folic acid supplements at least 2 weeks before conception and continued to take them until the 8th week of pregnancy had a much lower chance of giving birth to a child with autism and neural tube defects. Folic acid is found in dark green leafy vegetables, lentils, nuts, and avocados.

6. Get Some Sunshine

Vitamin D is essential for the development of strong bones and the heart of the baby. Some unpublished studies have linked a vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women to autism in the baby. So make sure you get enough sunshine, as your body synthesizes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, consult your doctor before taking supplements.

7. Avoid Alcohol, Drugs, and Nicotine

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advices that substances like alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and caffeine can cause serious developmental disorders in the developing baby. They also affect foetal brain development. It is, therefore, very important to avoid exposure to such harmful substances when pregnant.

8. Talk and Read to Your Baby

The foetus can hear from week 20 onwards. By week 25, the auditory system is completely functional. So, by the 5th month of pregnancy, your baby can hear your voice and may even respond to increased movements. The foetus can distinguish between voices and can recognise the mother’s voice very clearly. In fact, a 2013 study proved that when sounds were played for babies in the womb toward the end of their pregnancy, they were able to recognise them even after they were born. So talking, singing or reading to the baby in your womb can help in the baby’s brain development (5).

9. Massage Your Belly and Remain Stress-Free

Studies have shown that the baby can feel the sensation of touch in the womb. Massaging or rubbing your belly can help stimulate the baby’s brain and make the baby respond to the stimulus with increased activity. Stress can harm the baby’s brain development or the immune system and, according to some researchers, also cause premature delivery (6). The longer the baby is in the womb, the more time it has for its brain to develop well. So, it is important for the mother-to-be to avoid stress and remain calm throughout the pregnancy.

10. Avoid Exposure to Infections and Toxins

Exposure to toxins such as lead, cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides can cause serious developmental defects in the foetus. Seafood from contaminated water could contain such toxins. Moms-to-be should avoid eating king mackerel, swordfish, and other large ocean fish. Infections can also cause damage to the developing brain of the foetus. Infections like German measles and toxoplasmosis, which are caused by a microbial parasite found in cat faeces, can cause brain damage in the developing baby. Hence, pregnant women should stay away from sick children who may be contagious and avoid cat litter boxes.

11. Listen to Music

Listening to soothing and calming music like classical or soft music can positively impact the baby’s brain and stimulate auditory processing. A recent study in 2023 discovered that babies who were exposed to music during pregnancy showed better responsiveness to speech sounds, indicating that playing music for your baby while you’re pregnant might aid in their speech and language development after they’re born (7).

12. Meditate and Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Regular meditation during pregnancy can help lower stress and promote a peaceful mindset. It’s good for both mom and baby. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing and prenatal yoga can create a calm environment for your baby’s growth.

13. Engage in Creative Activities

Creative activities, including drawing, sketching, crocheting, embroidering, painting, or crafting anything that does not require heavy work, are perfect to engage in during pregnancy to promote imagination and foster the baby’s cognitive development.

14. Try Your Hand at Puzzles

Mind games, such as puzzles, Sudoku, word games, crosswords, etc., are excellent games that are proven to improve aptitude, problem-solving abilities, cognitive skills, and memory.

15. Create a Stimulating Environment

Enhance your home environment with a mix of colours, shapes, and textures to create an engaging space. These elements provide visual and tactile stimulation, which are crucial for brain development and sensory integration. By incorporating varied colours, interesting shapes, and diverse textures, you can make your home a stimulating place that encourages learning and exploration.

FAQs

1. Should we do baby talk with my unborn baby?

Research from both the US and Sweden suggests that babies start learning language even before they’re born. They pick up on things like the rhythm and melody of speech, as well as hand gestures. Experts disagree about whether “baby talk” helps babies learn language, so it’s best to speak to them in clear, proper language.

2. Should I eat double of my diet to give the best of nutrients to my baby?

No, the myth of eating double, one for yourself and one for the baby is entirely false. Experts suggest that you should enough as per your body’s needs and avoid eating as it could lead to bloating and gestational diabetes.

The choices a mother-to-be makes can determine her baby’s health and brain development. Therefore, pregnant women need to eat healthily, take prenatal vitamins, avoid harmful substances, and remain stress-free. Following the tips in this article during pregnancy will increase the chances of having an intelligent and healthy baby.

References/Resources:

1. Dayi. A, Agilkaya. S, et al.; Maternal aerobic exercise during pregnancy can increase spatial learning by affecting leptin expression on offspring’s early and late period in life depending on gender; The Scientific World Journal; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3458263/; 2012

2. Robinson. A. M, Bucci. D. J; Maternal Exercise and Cognitive Functions of the Offspring; Cogn Sci (Hauppauge).; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4671504/; 2012

3. Exercise During Pregnancy; ACOG; https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-during-pregnancy

4. Tiwari. C, Balehegn. M, et al.; Benefits, perceived and actual risks and barriers to egg consumption in low- and middle-income countries; Front. Anim. Sci., Frotniers; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2023.1270588/full; November 2023

5. Partanen. E, Kujala. T, Näätänen. R; Learning-induced neural plasticity of speech processing before birth; PNAS; https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1302159110; August 2013

6. Stress and pregnancy; March of Dimes; https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/stress-and-pregnancy#

7. Listening to music during pregnancy benefits the baby’s brain’s ability to encode speech sounds; Universitat De Barcelona; https://web.ub.edu/en/web/actualitat/w/music-pregnancy-baby-brain-ability-speech-sounds; December 2023

Also Read:

Signs of Intelligent Baby
Reading Stories to a Baby in the Womb
Tips on How to Make a Baby Smart and Intelligent
What Foods to Eat During Pregnancy for an Intelligent Baby