For decades, we’ve been fed the lie that fetuses are nothing more than clumps of tissue. However, these unborn babies are capable of so much more than you’d think. Here are a few things babies can do long before birth:
Dream
Research shows that fetuses experience significant REM (rapid eye movement) between 28 and 39 weeks in utero. REM activity may suggest that fetuses are capable of dreaming while in the womb. Though we cannot determine what exactly fetuses dream about, the ability to dream speaks to the fetus’ advanced neurological function.
Practice Breathing
The fetus will not breathe on its own until after birth, but it does practice breathing while in the womb. By 11 weeks, the fetus is taking breathing movements, drawing in amniotic fluid and swallowing. These movements help strengthen the muscles used for breathing and indicate the lungs are developing properly.
Practice Sucking
You’ve probably seen an ultrasound image or video of a fetus sucking its thumb. Fetuses actually begin utilizing their sucking reflex as early as 13 weeks in utero. Developing this reflex is essential for feeding after birth and acts as a form of self-soothing.
React to Stimuli
By week 20, the parietal lobe—the part of the brain that receives signals from the five senses—has begun developing. This means that the fetus will begin reacting to stimuli, specifically light and sound. Often, babies remember voices and songs from their time inside the womb.
React to Pain
There is great contention around the topic of fetal pain. However, there is research that suggests a fetus could have the pain receptors and pathways necessary to feel pain by the end of the first trimester. By 7 weeks in utero, fetuses have pain receptors and those receptors are sending pain signals to the cortical subplate by 12 weeks.
Learn more about the various stages of fetal development (conception, first, second, and third trimester) and don’t forget to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok).