How to Make Your Baby More Intelligent
During Pregnancy

By Jason Xu

If you want a more intelligent baby there are a few things that you can do during pregnancy. The first step that you can take in this particular regard is to eat healthily. This means eating lots of fruits and vegetables, which help the fetus develop in a healthy way. The fetal brain also requires Omega 3 acids in order for it to develop. So you should also include foods that contain such acids in your regular diet. This includes the following:

• Fish
• beans
• walnuts
• leafy greens
• mustard oil
• hemp seeds
• chia seeds
• ghee
• seaweed
• flax seeds

Working out

If you stay active and fit at the time of pregnancy you can help your baby become smarter as well. When you exercise endorphins are released. These are basically feel-good chemicals. They make their way to the baby and help with the development of her or his brain. When you exercise it can also release a hormone named cortisol. As per research, moderate amounts of this hormone can also help the baby’s brain grow as well. Exercise would also increase blood flow to your womb.

Eating eggs

Eggs are said to be rich in a vitamin named choline. It belongs to the Vitamin B complex family. Studies have revealed that if you eat foods that are rich in choline at the time of pregnancy it would be of great benefit to the baby who is developing within you. It would have beneficial effects in the long term for the memory of your baby as well.

Including iodine in your diet

Iodine is a very important mineral for the role that it plays in the functioning of your thyroid gland. If you have a deficiency in iodine in your first trimester it can reduce the IQ (intelligence quotient) of your baby in a significant manner.

Babies who are born to women who have low thyroid levels have been seen to have low IQ levels. This is the reason why it is so important that you include iodine in your diet. The best sources of iodine are yogurt, iodized salt, and milk.

Including folate in your diet

The natural form of folate is folic acid. It is a part of the Vitamin B complex family as well. It is absolutely necessary for the spinal and brain development of your fetus.

In recent studies, it has been seen for women who have started taking folic supplements 2 weeks before they conceived and till 8 weeks of pregnancy the chances of giving birth to an autistic child are pretty less. The best sources of folic acid are dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, lentils, and avocados.

Getting a bit of sunshine

If you want your baby to have a strong heart and bones you need Vitamin D for sure. If you are deficient in this vitamin chances are that your baby could become autistic when she or he grows up.

This is the reason why you should get as much sunshine as you can. Your skin is capable of synthesizing Vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. In case you have a deficiency in this regard you can get in touch with your doctor before you start taking any supplement as such.

Avoiding the likes of alcohol, nicotine, and drugs

Substances such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and caffeine are capable of causing some serious development related disorders in your baby. They can affect the development of the fetal brain as well. This is why it is very important that you limit your exposure to these harmful substances when you are pregnant.

Talk and read to your baby

Your fetus is capable of hearing from the 20th week onwards. By the 25th week, its auditory system is fully functional. So, you can expect that your baby would be able to hear you from the 5th month of your pregnancy onwards. It may also respond to increased movements from this time frame onwards. In fact, it has been shown in studies that they are capable of distinguishing between various voices and can recognize your voice rather clearly. So, you can be sure that by talking, reading, or singing to the baby in your womb you would be able to help immensely with the development of her or his brain.

Massaging your belly and avoiding stress in general

Studies have also proven that your baby would be capable of feeling your touch. So if you rub and massage your belly gently it can help stimulate the brain of your baby. This way, it can also respond to such stimuli with greater activity. Stress, on the other hand, can be really harmful to the development of your baby’s brain. In a number of studies, it has also been linked to premature birth as well.

The longer the baby remains in your womb it has a higher chance of developing its brain. This is why it is so important that you remain calm at the time of pregnancy and avoid stress as well.

Avoiding exposure to toxins and infections

When you are pregnant you need to avoid exposure to toxins like the following:

• lead
• cadmium
• mercury
• PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls)
• pesticides

This is because of the simple reason that they can lead to serious developmental issues of your fetus. In fact, it is the same for seafood that comes from polluted waters.

Such food contains toxins as well. If you are pregnant it is always better to avoid large fishes from the oceans such as king mackerel and swordfish. Infection from such food can damage the brain of your baby as well. You should also stay away from the likes of cat feces because they contain a microbial parasite that can lead to infections such as toxoplasmosis and German measles. These too can lead to brain damage in your baby. This is the reason why you need to stay away from children who are sick with contagious diseases and stay away from cat litter boxes as well.

About the Author:
Jason Xu is the founder of https://www.randomstuffido.com. He is a freelance writer, researcher, and health consultant. He specializes in business, entrepreneurship, technology, and social media trends.