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6 fascinating things babies do in the womb

Fascinating things babies do in the womb (TimesLIVE)
Fascinating things babies do in the womb (TimesLIVE)

You would imagine that the fetus just sits and sleeps when in the womb. But the truth is that it does more than that when in the womb. Some of the activities the fetus engages in while in the womb prepares it for the life outside.

Some of the fascinating things that babies do while in the womb include:

1. Sucking their thumbs

This is not just a habit that babies start after birth. Some begin sucking their little thumbs as early as 12 weeks in utero. If you are very lucky, you might be able to see the moment during an ultrasound.

2. Ability to smell

What you eat affects the smell of the amniotic fluid. And the baby can smell it too and detect the good and the bad smell.

3. They drink their own pee

Yuck! As disgusting as it sounds, by around week 20, most of the amniotic fluid is usually urine. During the first weeks of pregnancy, the amniotic fluid contains mainly water from the mother’s body. However, as time goes by and the baby’s kidneys develop, the baby excretes urine after consuming the amniotic fluid.

ALSO READ: Why you should avoid sleeping on your back when pregnant

4. Crying

But why would a baby cry while still in the womb? You would wonder. According to researchers, babies can express displeasure by crying while still in the womb. In one study where mothers smoked tobacco and cocaine, their babies cried in the womb whenever they were exposed to the smoke.

5. Opening and closing their eyes

Babies do not wait until they are born to open their eyes. Around the seventh month, they open and close their eyes as if to test their eyesight. Even though their sight won’t be fully developed until they are done, they sense light in the uterus when they open their eyes.

ALSO READ: Here's how to tighten your saggy stomach after childbirth

6. Your baby can hear

As early as 20 weeks, the fetus can hear noises from the outside world. Loud noises at around 25 weeks can startle them making them empty their bladder.

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