Keeping yourself as calm and relaxed as possible certainly can't hurt. Clinical evidence has shown that stressed-out expectant mothers tend to have more low birthweight babies and slighter shorter pregnancies. This is not because fetuses can read their mother's minds or directly feel their distress. But they do appear to react to the elevated hormone levels that stress triggers in her blood.
Some women choose music, or reading, or a warm bath to relax.
Dr. DiPietro says the fetus has no preference and won't know the difference. It's the calming effect on the mother's system that counts. At the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, I'm Tom Haederle reporting. The Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.