The Secret Life of the Unborn Child: How You Can Prepare Your Baby for a Happy, Healthy Life

by Thomas R. Verny, John Kelly

YOU CAN GIVE YOUR BABY A GREATER CHANCE FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS—MONTHS BEFORE BIRTH!
 
A pioneering physician, Dr. Thomas Verny, gives startling new evidence based on two decades of medical research.
 
Your unborn baby
• Capable of learning
• Able to warn you of medical problems you and your doctor may not be aware of
• Able to hear and respond to voices and sounds—including music
• Sensitive to his parents’ feelings about him
• Capable of responding to love
• An active, feeling human being.
 
The ways in which you respond to and care for your unborn child may affect his physical and emotional well-being for the rest of his life. The choices you make today about your child’s birth may make a vital difference for years to come. You can prepare your unborn baby for a happy, healthy life. This remarkable book will show you how!
 
A gift to every loving, caring parent. A book that will change the experience of pregnancy and childbirth forever!

Genres: Parenting, Psychology, Nonfiction, Health, Science

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1981

Reviews

[Anıl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hamilelik sürecinde ve doğum sırasında annelerinin hislerinin ve yaşadıklarının çocuklar üzerinde ileri ki hayatlarında çok büyük etkisinin olduğu görüşünü, kişisel deneyimlerle aktarıyor. Doğum sürecini hatırlayan insanlara dair örnekleri de biraz abartılı buldum.

Bilimsel araştırmalar ve yaklaşımlar beni daha çok etkiliyor ve hoşuma gidiyor, sanırım bu nedenle bu kitap hoşuma gitmedi.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved some of the concepts the author talked about, such as the way that infants are already living, learning, and connecting with you from within the womb. The reason I didn't rate it more highly was just that there were other things that I thought a little extreme, such as some of the connections between birth and sexuality, and I was skeptical of some of the research or the ideas he took away from the research. But as I said, loved some of the main ideas and stories he talked about!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat outdated as it was written in 1982..but very cutting-edge for it's time. An easy-to-read basic introduction to the power that every parent has over the healthy emotional development of their child, beginning in the earliest stages of conception. Great read for anyone considering parenthood.

[Rachael Shipard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting in most places. The complexity of emotional development and response to maternal feelings that takes place in the womb was eye-opening. Followed on well from my more up-to-date book i just read on oxytocin, especially in areas of unmedicated natural birth and bonding immediately after birth. However, at the end of the book (written in the 1980’s), the author still seems to be open to abortion within the first 3 months, in cases where the mother is abused/likely to be heavily stressed throughout her pregnancy. The implementation of psychiatric care and counselling that the author himself suggests should have been prioritised for such mothers, rather than giving credence to any laws that allow life to be desecrated at any stage. I think opinions such as allowing early-term abortion then pave the way 40 years later for governments to decriminalise abortion up to birth, despite our detailed physiological and psychological knowledge about the unborn child.

Thankfully the author is highly sceptical of what were then nascent ventures into surrogacy and IVF, bringing to light the numerous concerns with scientific intervention in the creation of life.

I would recommend this book to any young woman, with the caveat that societal views towards pregnancy were already problematic, and life should be prioritised from conception to death.

[Junglehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bu kitap ile sadece bedenimde büyüttüğüm bebeğimin değil,kendi doğum ve bebeklik psikolojimi aydınlattığım bir süreç oldu. Yer yer gerildiğim ama sonrasında rahatladığım,süreci daha iyi anlamamı sağlayan bir kitaptı. 1975’te yazılmış olmasına rağmen çağımıza ışık tutuyor bence.

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiene mucha información valiosa aunque se debe tener en cuenta el momento en que se escribió (muchas cosas cambian con el tiempo). En ciertas partes tiene posturas y argumentos no tan fuertes y con los que personalemte difiero, pero otras valen la pena para tener mas consciencia de la vida intrauterina

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating description of scientific evidence for how much an unborn child is affected by stress, unhappiness, and other emotional experiences of the mother. I'm very intrigued by the emotional capabilities of very tiny babies - I think we too often ignore or underestimate the depth of their being in favor of treating them like dolls, or like an inconvenient extension of the mother's body. While it's pretty unmistakeable that the mother's stress does negatively affect the unborn baby, the author is also quick to point out that small levels of day-to-day frustration is not a bad thing and mothers shouldn't put too much pressure on themselves not to feel occasional negativity. Extremes of negative circumstances, such as the stress experienced by military wives whose husbands get deployed, are what cause lasting damage to the baby's ability to cope with life.

The main flaw with this book, and the reason why I rated it three instead of four stars, is that it's written in a pretty dry style with a LOT of repetition. Still worth reading if you're interested in the topic, but unfortunately it could have been much more compelling if better written.

[Blanche_in_Lakeview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book was published in the 1980's, reading it revolutionized my perspective on pregnancy and the effects that a Mom can have on her unborn child. I had read hundreds of childbirth/preparation books ... but this one stood out as unique - both for the intelligent reader as well as the conscientious Mother. I can't count how many times I said in my head "WOW" as I read through this book. Truly amazing research. I was so impressed by this book that I bought many other books listed in the bibliography at the back of the book. That is how I found "Realms of the Unconscious" by Stanislav Grof, another book potent with so many yet unfinished revelations about the human mind and the human unconscious.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reveals "startling new evidence" that your unborn baby is capable of learning, warning you of medical problems, hearing and responding to voices and sounds, etc.

I personally did not enjoy this book because it made me feel guilty during my pregnancy. The author's claims leave you believing that your unborn child knows everything that's going on in your life, feels every emotion that you do, etc. I'm probably exaggerating, but that's the effect it had on me.

I recommend this book if you're interested in what the research suggests, or if you're pregnant and have a peachy-keen life and you're not susceptible to anxiety.
Julie

[Meggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While certainly dated in some of the research and information, I still found this book to be a fascinating look at what an unborn child experiences in utero and in the first year of life. Verney offers a great deal of his own opinion as well on obstetrics, childbirth practices and infant care. Some of his research and that of his contemporaries has certainly changed the face of medical care for pregnant women and their babies. In some ways I felt like I was reading a piece of history, sprinkled with some amazing facts about what my unborn child is currently experiencing.

[Neslihan Özevcimen Kıldır · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eski bilgilerle yazılmış(zaten yazıldığı & basıldığı yıldan bunu biliyoruz), çoğunlukla kesin bir dayanağı olmayan bir kaç örnek üzerinden genellemeler yapılarak anne karnındaki bebeğin etkilenebileceği durumlardan bahsedilmiş. Kitap yarım bırakmayı sevmediğim için tamamladım. Hamile olsun olmasın okunmasını tavsiye etmiyorum. Bana bir şey kattığını söyleyemem.
Evet zaten biliyoruz annenin duygu durumunun rahimdeki bebeği etkileyebileceğini. Dediğim gibi bunun ötesinde yeni bir şey katmadı bana.
Hatta hamile kadında yersiz ve gereksiz kaygı yaratabileceğini bile düşünüyorum.

[Özgür Baltat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bebeğin kişiliğinin bebeklik veya doğumdaki yaşadıklarıyla bir miktar ilişkili olması ve bu konuda farkındalık önemli elbette ama kitapta belirtildiği kadar kişilik üzerinde bu kadar açık ve belirleyici bir ilişki olduğunu düşünmüyorum. Yaklaşımı abartılı buldum.

[Brianne LaBorde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read when I was in my first trimester and so glad I did. It doesn’t surprise me that research now backs up the truth of Gods word, and this book, by displaying tons of research about the effects on a fetus while developing should be discussing more often in mainstream culture.

[Andee Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not pregnant ! This book was on a reading list from someone I admire. She does energy work. Great book!

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is over forty years old; with findings on foetal development and early infancy that date back to the 1970s. But it's as if it's never found its place in the world. It should have been a landmark book. In many ways it is. But the facts have been buried because their implications are too hot to handle.

The massive impact of both mother and father on a baby, even in the womb, is - except in marginal circles - still unrecognised. Interestingly, the authors suggest that small levels of depression, anger and anxiety in the mother are actually beneficial to the child in-utero, because they contribute to the development of self-awareness. Larger ongoing amounts may however have debilitating effects all through life.

Marasmus, the Greek for "wasting away", is the condition that results in the death of a newborn through the absence of cuddling and hugging. In the nineteenth century, it was responsible for the deaths of nearly half of all infants and, in the early twentieth century, it was allegedly the cause of 100% of deaths in foundling homes. Today, these infants are labelled 'failure to thrive'.

The clinical name for the tendency of mothers and (to a surprisingly equal extent) fathers to kiss, rock, cuddle, hug, touch and hold newborns is called "engrossment".

"Separation protest", the reaction of a child when a parent leaves the room and only a stranger is left, is almost as high for a father leaving the room as a mother.

[Marushka Siv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Čítala som slovenskú verziu, ktorej strhávam hviezdiečku najmä kvôli chybám v preklade, občas boli faktické a občas jednkducho tie vety zneli zvláštne a nebola som si úplne istá či im správne rozumiem.

Inak nádherná kniha plná šialených informácií - už niekoľkotýždňovému dieťaťu vieme merať mozgovú aktivitu, ktorá zdá sa vykazuje silnú individualitu. Zaujímavé zistenia u ľudí, ktorí si po podaní istých liekov alebo v hypnóze vybavili spomienky z maternice či z pôrodu, ktoré naozaj zodpovedali realite (zhodovali sa s lekárskym záznamom či spomienkami matky).

Hoci je v knihe viacero tvrdení, ktoré sú len špekulácie a bude trvať asi ešte mnoho času, kým sa budú dať riadne overiť a zmerať, dáva čitateľovi aj tak veľa dôvodov považovať počaté dieťa za plnohodnotnú živú bytosť. Nič viac pro-life som nečítala, aj keď autor nie je principiálne proti interupciám, no vyzýva spoločnosť, aby neboli tak ľahko uskutočniteľné a chce, aby každá žena, ktorá sa rozhoduje vedela, že nejde o zhluk nevedomých buniek dokonca ani na začiatku tehotenstva.

Odporúčam všetkým budúcim rodičom (ale nielen im), aby zistili, ako môžu už v maternici ovplyvniť budúce fyzické zdravie, sexuálny život a psychické blaho dieťaťa.

[Deniz Aykam · Rating 4 out of 5]

gebelik dönemimde bu döneme ve bebeğe dair okuduğum ilk kitap olmasının olduğu heyecandan mıdır nedir olumsuz yorumlara rağmen ben kitabı beğendim ve tavsiye ediyorum. evet annenin duygu durumunun bebeği etkileyebileceğini birçoğumuz biliyoruz ancak örneklerle de pekiştirmenizi sağlıyor. psikolojik halimizin genel olarak hayatın tüm noktalarında ne kadar güçlü bir etken olduğunu bir kez daha görmemi sağladı. beni streslendirip kaygılandırmaktan öte rahatlattı diyebilirim çünkü ufak kaygıların gerekli olduğunu, ve kaygı/stres yaratan durumlardan hangilerinin ciddi olduğunu ve önemli olanın bu olumsuz ruh halinin sürekliliği olduğunu anladım. “All you need is love” :)

[Veronica Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was pretty repetitive, but a quick read. I liked a lot of what was said and can agree with most of it, as it just makes sense to me. It all lead to a few major points and those points were brought up at the very beginning. You can sense what the rest of the book will be like soon after.

[MARTINA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a timeless book considering it came out in 1981. Lots of data and research around why we are the way we are in terms of our personality, mental health or coping mechanisms. Great insight into tracking it all down to our mother's pregnancy, what we (us and our mothers) experienced during the birth and how it may have impacted our lives.

[Mrcela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro algo viejo pero con ideas avanzadas que aún no se cumplen o se toman en serio. Aunque muchos de las investigaciones y conclusiones son muy interesantes otras dejan mucho que pensar sobre si son ciertas o no. Algunas de las conexiones que explica entre cómo nacemos o cómo percibimos el mundo en el vientre y luego nos condiciona para toda la vida no me parecen tan reales.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, published in 1981, and no doubt advanced for its day, still offers eye-opening insights into the psychological aspects of development in the womb, birth, and the first months of life. The consequences of how this part of life is handled are far reaching indeed: a large proportion of the people in psychiatric wards and prisons already had a rough ride in the womb.

[Pınar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bir anne adayı olarak okurken stres oldum açıkçası. Çoğunlukla şu, şu probleme sebep olabilirle bitiyor cümleler. Yazar, anlattığı konuyla ilgili bilimsel çalışmalara da değiniyor ama denek grubu genellikle 5-10 kişiyi geçmiyor. Daha fazla stres olmamak için yarısında okumayı bıraktım.

[Martí Sala Perramon · Rating 3 out of 5]

En algunos aspectos es un buen libro y como una lectura complementaria puede ayudar.
En algunos aspectos se nota que han pasado muchos años y la sociedad ha evolucionado.
Realmente la nota que le daria es de 3,5*.
Actualmente estoy seguro que hay libros que están mucho más actualizados.

[Kristýna Martináková · Rating 1 out of 5]

Neublíží, tím bych začala. Ale rádoby vědecky podložené rady a do toho ,,jedna paní povídala’’ mě úplně nepřesvědčily o nějaké vysoké validitě této knížky. Pro někoho to může být milé čtení, pro mě by to šlo shrnout na jednu stránku. Evidence based medicine to nevidělo ani z letadla.

[Mercy Mn · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELENTE!

[Ioana Stoica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book! All mothers to be must read it and learn from it!!! But i personally recommend it for all the people to read and to learn and understand that life begins in the womb!!

[Christian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t take as facts what the book says if it has no bibliography nor references other than “A study of the University…”.

[Sibel Karasu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uzmanların ve anne-baba adaylarının okuması gereken bir kitap

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lo que no es una tremenda magufada es contenido que podría haber sido innovador en los 80, cuando se escribió el libro, pero que ahora se ha quedado obsoleto o cuanto menos es demasiado evidente.

[Sena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5 okul için okudum tercih etmem bilimsel bir bakış açısı yok