22 January 2008

Say It Isn't So...

"In the first formal study of fetal temperament in 1996, DiPietro and her colleagues recorded the heart rate and movements of 31 fetuses six times before birth and compared them to readings taken twice after birth. (They've since extended their study to include 100 more fetuses.) Their findings: fetuses that are very active in the womb tend to be more irritable infants."

Please tell me that they're wrong. Mr. Mullet is so cRaZee active. In fact, last night after waking from another wacky dream (shocker), I was kept awake for over an hour due to his incessant tumblings in utero. While I'm sure I'm not different from all other new moms, something inside of me (more like someone inside of me...) keeps trying to tell me I'm different.

Even my little Beehives got a peek of this Sunday. I'm glad someone is enjoying it.

8 comments:

Ruth said...

Ok, so when I was pregnant with Evan I was convinced he moved more than most and he was the most mellow baby ever. Then I experienced Griffin in utero. I seriously thought he was having seizures in the womb. I would feel him moving like a crazy person and was sure he would be the craziest kid ever.

He is definitely more active than Evan and is a bit crazier as well but he was a wonderful baby.

I'm not saying their study is wrong but it may not be right.

Deanna said...

I thought Alia moved a ton in the womb, but after experiencing Lawson in the womb I would now say that Alia was curious and probing and Lawson was flat out aggressive sometimes! And Lawson was definitely very, very difficult as a baby and Alia was amazingly content and well-natured. Who knows though - 100 babies sure isn't very many to draw a conclusive answer from.

i {heart} hawkes said...

Seriously only 100 babies in the study? I do not concur with the results. Just like every woman has their own individual pregnancy experience, babies are different, inside the womb and out of it. I would venture to say Ziggy’s activity inside was pretty average, not too much not too little. However (now at 12 weeks) she has never been nor ever will be the snuggly, cuddly, hold still newborn I was expecting. Don’t worry, I have learned my lesson on ‘expecting’ anything but that is beside the point.
Think of how long my torso is…much longer than average. Zig had all the room in the world to stretch and move as she pleased up until the very end. Think of how not so long your torso is. Mr. Mullet could just be a little cramped for space. Maybe that is why you felt him move at such and early stage eh? So yeah no worries on his possible irritability. Even if he ends up being more irritable than average, and it’s good to remember that all babies get irritable to a degree at times, the good thing is you know he would eventually outgrow that stage.

holly said...

it isn't so! those studies are so subjective, I wouldn't worry. all of my kids had very active times while in utero, usually during the most unconvenient times like church and right when I layed down to finally fall asleep. I wouldn't say that any of them were especially hard or difficult babies. they are each their own little person!

erinmalia said...

i have to say, a, that i really agree with your assessment. given that c is not small, there's a chance for mr mullet yet! and if he's big already, well, i certainly don't allow him much room. i'm going to go with that. thanks!

Nicole said...

Don't believe it! Well I wouldn't. Molly would kick my ribs, but I have come to find that she just likes to kick, and that doesn't mean that she's a crazy active girl...at least yet! lol

lys said...

I just had this conversation with my OBGYN at my appt on Monday. My first boy hardly moved while he was inside me-- in fact, I spent most of my pregnancy worrying that something was wrong because I'd go LONG periods of time without feeling any movement. I gave birth to a completely mellow, even-tempered, easy-to-deal with child. Honestly, sometimes I don't think that I could have an easier child. He is just so chill.

Well, this time around things are COMPLETELY different. Baby #2 is in constant motion. He keeps me up at night too sometimes. I keep thinking to myself that this one must be an ADHD child.

I was half-joking with my doc about this and he said that, although not 100% true, a baby's demeanor in the womb often translates to his demeanor outside the womb.

It will be interesting to see how Mr. Mullet turns out! Good luck.

Niederfam said...

that is the feeling tha so many pregnant women love, but i absolutely HATE, i know, mean, right, but it's just a little too alien for me...about the study, i'm sure you are well versed in using #'s to prove just about anything, so you know there are two sides to every story.....maybe mr. mullet will exhaust himself in utero and be quite peaceful in "real life"---here's to HOPING!!! :)