The influence of parents on the level of development of the child’s brain is undeniable. However, it is determined not only by heredity, but also by the characteristics of the mother’s emotional state during pregnancy. Anxieties that affect her own nervous system, cannot but affect the child.

Many women instinctively feel that this is true. In some countries and other cultures, since ancient times there has been a practice of influencing the fetus on the part of the mother. For example, in Japan, pregnant women tried to look only at beautiful objects so that the child would become artistic and receptive to beauty. Later concepts antenatal exposure were dismissed as "old wives' tales." However, recent scientific research has confirmed this theory. Nowadays, interest in prenatal and perinatal psychology is constantly growing.

It was confirmed with amazing accuracy that a person retains the moment of his birth in his memory. Otto Rank was one of the first in psychiatry to notice that doctors making a diagnosis, when examining patients, very often return to the patients’ memories associated with birth injuries. In 1954, British psychiatrist Dr. Frank Lake discovered that his patients were bothered by memories of primal pain and tried to rid them of it. Somewhat later, the attention of specialists was attracted by the work of Arthur Dzhenov. Patients, following his technique, descended down the “staircase” of painful memories, and very often it turned out that the source acute pain there was a memory of trauma at birth: squeezing, suffocation, sharp yanking, or a feeling of abandonment immediately after birth caused by separation from the mother.

As interest in birth memories grew, more clinics and research centers began to discover reliable evidence psychological trauma injuries sustained at or before birth, including injuries caused by routine medical procedures. Unexpected flashbacks of memories of childbirth happen much more often than previously thought, they are just not always recognized. Sometimes hypnosis is used to release memories. In one such recent study, ten pairs of mothers and children were interviewed, with mother and child tested independently. The interview revealed a striking interweaving of memories about the moment of birth.

The memory of birth can be recalled without hypnosis, simply through relaxation. The most amazing information about birth was obtained from children aged twelve months to three to three and a half years, when they were asked to answer a direct question: to remember how they were born. Helen Vossel points out some absolutely remarkable evidence from very young children that they remember their birth. A spontaneous explosion of childhood memories occurs more easily if the birth was normal, without trauma, since painful memories suppressed - it is much more difficult to cause them.

This is another reason why you should want a natural, comfortable birth. Anything that may disturb the mother's peace and the harmony of birth should be kept to a minimum. Frederic Leboyer emphasized the importance of a gentle birth, since the child at the moment of his birth feels any violence and recognizes the emotions of all participants in the event. Here's what Frank Lake writes:

“There was and still is an obstetric myth that the child does not feel pain...

However, the results of our successful efforts to help people release repressed memories leave no doubt that people very often experience fear and anguish at birth, but the memories of this are erased from memory. " Emergency situation" is filtered and cut off various processes, which do not allow this memory to develop into full contextual knowledge. However, people who are able to recall in their memory the events that happened before, at the time of and after birth, very clearly, with a vividness that is ingrained in their consciousness forever, remember their sensations, accompanying emotions and details about compression or some other difficulties."

Psychiatrists and psychologists, having discovered that it was possible to evoke memories of childbirth, made another stunning discovery: it was also possible to evoke memories of life in the womb. Here's what Thomas Verney wrote in his last book:

“The latest discoveries paint a picture of intrauterine inextricable connections - multi-level, no less complex than those that connect mother and child after birth. In fact, these are all parts of an indivisible whole: what happens after birth is a continuation and undoubtedly depends on what what happened before and during birth.

Understanding this fact goes a long way toward explaining why a newborn baby functions so amazingly perfectly. His ability to respond to his mother's caresses, hugs, gaze and voice is based on a long-term intrauterine acquaintance with her.

From the moment of conception, mother and child are in constant interaction. The child is not a passive consumer nutrients. He begins to worry and push in his mother's womb if his mother is upset about something. Any stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system and releases adrenaline into the blood. Catecholamines cross the placental barrier, and the baby responds to the stress experienced by the mother.

And, conversely, if the mother walks calmly and goes about her business, then the child rocks to sleep, lies serenely or sleeps. It often happens that when a pregnant woman lies down and the motion sickness stops, the baby wakes up and makes it clear that he needs to be rocked some more. One of the reasons babies love to be rocked is because it is familiar and enjoyable. Unborn babies tune their rhythms to their mother's with the same precision as newborn babies. Bonds after birth are just a continuation of a process that began much earlier."

It is understandable why conscious memory develops around six months of fetal life. By this time, the cerebral cortex is already sufficiently developed to receive and remember messages. But what is most amazing is that there is a type of memory that goes back to the very moment of conception! Stanislav Grof came to this conclusion in the mid-fifties, and a few years later his research was confirmed by Dr. Lake and his students. The result of their work was the development of the concept of the “mother-child-stress” syndrome, according to which the fetus is exposed to the complex emotional states of the mother, and it reacts to them in a predictable way. But how does the fetus have memory if the cerebral cortex is still absent? Dr. Lake comments:

"What could serve as a means of memory in the zygote and blastocyst before and after implantation? We ask this question because our patients constantly pose it to us. Perhaps the protein molecule contains some microstructures capable of memory... The principle of multi-level reproduction provides duplication of genetic material in the nucleus of every cell of the body. Can we, then, assume that the memory is duplicated and carried by the cytoplasm? Obviously we can."

Dr. Lake cites the work of embryologist Richard Dryden as evidence of this possibility, and continues: “The observed order of things suggests the presence of certain micromemory structures that have been incomprehensible to this day. My interest in searching for evidence of a possible biological basis for preverbal memory is dictated not by the desire to demonstrate legitimate confirmation of our discoveries, but by only a desire to point out the realities of the biological feasibility of this theory, a desire to defend it from the attacks of criticism based on the principles of outdated neuroscience, which, without a doubt, must be revised."

The importance of the new findings is clear: the prenatal relationship between mother and child plays a huge role in the child's physical and psychological health. But before we put an end to the conversation on this topic, we will cite other factors that influence what happens subsequently to the child, for which the woman, if at all, is responsible, then only indirectly.

Every type of social unrest, no matter what level it occurs - in the family, in the neighborhood, in the country or in the whole world - also affects a pregnant woman. She cannot remain indifferent to the events taking place in the world around her; they cause her an influx of emotions and various feelings that she shares with the fetus within her.

But not only global events affect the emotional state of the expectant mother, it may also be the atmosphere of her personal family life. Actively rude husbands are not very common, but a woman can also suffer from simple inattention. Husbands should reconsider their attitude towards their wives during their pregnancy and pay more attention not to raging passions, but to caring for her... If the husband is not far from his wife, constantly sharing her stress, then the life of a pregnant woman passes under “good, useful stress” - This is how Hans Selye defines the state of a woman who is ready to withstand all failures. The wife's helplessness often borders on great confusion, disappointment, “internal explosions,” and sometimes with a constant desire to make excuses. She may regress both physically and emotionally, she may run back home to her mother, begin to avoid her husband and curse her marriage. It must be remembered that all the latest scientific research shows that every strong emotion mother, whether it is melancholy or just a sharp change in mood, reaches the fetus through the umbilical cord.

From what moment does a person become human? Does a newborn have consciousness, soul, psyche, memory? When does all this appear? What does a newborn feel and experience before he is born? When exactly does life appear?
These questions concern not only parents. Scientists are also engaged in the search for truth. We have more and more information about the first moments of babies' lives, their development in the mother's womb. It turns out that the sensations and skills of a newborn develop much earlier than expected, otherwise the formation of ultra-fine brain structures occurs. And the connection with future parents is established even before pregnancy.
Natalya Movchan.
Perinatal psychology (Greek peri - around, and Lat. natalis - one who is related to birth) is a branch of clinical psychology, including the psychology of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. P.P. is one of the relatively new and not yet sufficiently theoretically formulated branches of clinical psychology, but, despite this, practical P.P. is intensively developing in the form of psychocorrectional programs for pregnant women, postpartum women, and their families.

Definition of perinatal psychology
Not so long ago it was believed that the human embryo, as it develops, repeats the stages of development of lower animals. However, newer scientific observations tell a different story: even at the earliest stages of development, the human embryo is not identical to the embryo of a fish, reptile or bird.
We have only recently learned many things about the life of an unborn person. Scientists, armed with electron microscopes, ultrasound equipment and endoscopy (direct observation of the baby in the womb through a special tube), have made stunning discoveries. This seems incredible, but when the size of the human embryo does not yet reach 2 mm, its brain is already functioning, controlling its further development. And at a size of 3.5 mm, that is, at the age of 25 days, the human embryo has all the most important organs: heart, skin, central nervous system, liver, lungs, intestines and sex. These amazing discoveries completely change our ideas about the baby under the mother’s heart.
At the same time, changes occurred in various nuances of maternal behavior. At different stages, different views on the “model of motherhood” arose in society. At some stage, maternal functions began to be replaced by a desire for independence, career, freedom from obligations and responsibilities. More and more single-parent families began to appear. According to G. Filippova, the present time is characterized by the presence large quantity women who lack the qualities that make up the “model of motherhood.” To do this, they must receive training, in the organization of which perinatal psychologists should also participate.
Currently, a qualified category of psychologists is emerging who are involved in preparing pregnant women for childbirth and motherhood with the help of modern knowledge about the mental nature of a person during this period and the influence of these characteristics on the developing fetus. This area is perinatal psychology (Bertin A., 1992). Unfortunately, at the state level this area has not yet been designated by a clear professional framework, however, perinatal psychology programs are actively used in the prenatal training of future parents.

From a scientific point of view, perinatal psychology is a relatively young branch of psychology that studies the mother-child dyad and the child’s psyche in the period from conception to birth and in the first year of life, explores the circumstances and patterns of development of the human psyche in the early stages: antenatal, intranatal and neonatal phase, and their influence on the entire subsequent life of the individual. Science combines two areas: prenatal (from conception to birth) and postnatal (from birth to one year).

Perinatal psychology can be presented in the form of several sections:
psychology of motherhood;
psychology of the prenatal child;
psychology of the newborn.

At the end of the 20th century there appeared scientific knowledge about intrauterine development, new technologies, new theories. Of course, this knowledge could not but affect the development of perinatal psychology. Gradually, a unified approach emerged, which became a kind of basic point. Its essence is that there is a period in a person’s life when relationships with the world are carried out through the mother. That is, the person is in a close relationship with the mother, forms something whole with her - a “dyad”. This whole is gradually divided, and by the age of three the child becomes relatively independent and aware of his “I”. Thus, perinatal psychology studies that part of a person’s life when he is not yet an independent, independent “I”, but is a member of a dyad - a single “mother-child” system.
The beginning is considered to be the moment when the parents have a certain “idea of ​​a child”: “The child should have his own place in our life, since the image of this place - the parents’ idea of ​​the child and their interaction with him - will depend on what he will become . Therefore, when we, psychologists, work with future parents, we prepare this place together with them. And this is already the beginning of a dyadic relationship. There is a mother, there is a place for her child, and something can be done about it.” (G. Filippova).

Practical activities of perinatal psychology
Practical activities: perinatal psychodiagnostics, psychotherapy, psychocorrection and counseling, which are used to solve a wide range of problems related to the support of reproductive health and the correction of its disorders, ensuring and correcting the conditions of child development in the early stages of ontogenesis, updating perinatal problems in the psyche of an adult. Work is carried out individually, with couples, families or in groups. The duration of psychodiagnostics, counseling, and therapeutic programs is determined by the depth and content of psychological and psychosomatic problems and the content of contracts with clients on the desired results and can vary from single sessions to many months of regular work. It is used in clinical settings, in non-medical form in psychological centers and consultations, and by private practicing psychologists and psychotherapists.

Topics of practical perinatal psychology:
Psychology of pregnancy
Deviant motherhood
Types of pregnancy experiences
The problem of "unwanted children"
Surrogacy
Psychological features of early pregnancy
Abortion - the psychological state of a woman and the impact on subsequent pregnancies
Loss of a child
Fears of pregnant women
Psychological preparation for childbirth
Childbirth
Postpartum depression
Birth Trauma
The psyche of a newborn
Resource therapy
Psychology of infertility and tolerance of psychogenic infertility
Psychological state of a woman who is breastfeeding
Age-related crises of personality development (in particular, the crisis of the first and third years of life)
Family at the stage of planning, pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, the scope of practice includes psychoprophylaxis and the formation of parenthood - in the form of preparation for conception, childbirth and parenthood, work with parents after the birth of a child. This is considered (and implemented) as the formation of an adequate environment for the child’s development. IN Lately There is a tendency to create comprehensive medical and psychological centers that combine work with all stages of the reproductive cycle - from ontogenesis of the reproductive sphere, preparation for conception, pregnancy management, preparation and support of childbirth - to work with parents and children after birth, combining all aspects of this work: medical, psychological, educational, pedagogical and psychotherapeutic.
A perinatal psychologist (perinatal education consultant) is a specialist in the field of child psychology during the perinatal period, infant and early age, as well as the psychology of a pregnant woman, a woman in labor and a nursing mother. He studies the patterns and optimal conditions for the formation and development of the child’s psyche.

Practical tasks of a perinatal psychologist
1.Classes for pregnant women:
in preparation for childbirth and motherhood, creating optimal conditions for the development of the fetus (protecting it from stress), as well as for the successful course of pregnancy;
formation of maternal dominance;
mood for natural childbirth and breastfeeding;
psychological correctional work (classes are held in groups, couples, individually).
2. Classes with the pregnant woman’s relatives, aimed at changing attitudes towards the unborn child and the pregnant woman herself, as well as towards motherhood in general.
3. Partnership in childbirth, aimed at achieving the psycho-emotional comfort of the mother in labor, necessary for a successful birth.
4. Help in overcoming possible postpartum consequences, as well as postpartum depression.
5. Soft adaptation of a newborn and infant to a new environment, organization of adequate breastfeeding and physiologically based care.
6. Observation of the development of an infant in the first year of life, consultations on the development of the infant and the formation of his behavior, making changes in care and education techniques.
7. Observation of the development of a young child (from 1 year to 3 years), consultations on his development, methods of care and education.
8. Formation of maternal behavior, teaching the mother the basic skills of handling a child and methods of education from birth to 3 years, characterizing good motherhood.
And most importantly - psychological support during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

Educational activities
Specialists are trained within the framework of general and postgraduate special education. Departments of a number of universities have developed and approved programs of special courses and specializations for general higher and postgraduate courses. Developed copyright educational programs training conducted by leading experts in perinatal psychology and psychotherapy. These educational courses and programs are constantly updated and modified in accordance with new advances in science and practice in the field of perinatal psychology and psychotherapy.
The close connection of the child with the mother, and at the very first stages of development - a physical connection, as well as the idea of ​​​​the systemic structure of the mother-child community - served as the basis for including in the field of research of perinatal psychology problems associated with the characteristics of the mother, which is considered in the dyadic approach as creating conditions for the development of the child. As a result, a new direction has emerged, focused on the study of the mother as a subject of motherhood - the psychology of motherhood. Now we can talk about the psychology of parenting in general, including the psychology of motherhood and fatherhood (the latter is currently becoming increasingly popular), general problems of parenthood and their later phases of development – post-parenthood, etc. Thus, perinatal psychology and parenting psychology are interconnected and complementary sections of psychology, but each of them has its own subject of research.
In theoretical terms, perinatal psychology has its own developed theoretical base, including the original theory early development personality, concepts of psychology and psychosomatics of the reproductive sphere and its components, ideas about the factors that determine life scenarios and other developments.

Short story
It is known that the first steps in perinatal science date back to the 1920–1950s of the twentieth century. Within the framework of the psychoanalytic movement, it was developed by Anna Freud, E. Erikson, K. Horney.
The initiator of the creation of perinatal psychology is Dr. Gustav Hans Graber, who in 1971 formed the International Research Group on prenatal psychology.

The development of Western perinatal psychology is primarily associated with the name of Stanislav Grof, an American psychologist of Czech origin, the founder of transpersonal psychology. Based on experiments using LSD, Grof also proposed the theory of four perinatal matrices, in the form of which all perinatal events are recorded. This theory is being revised with inspiration by many followers. Briefly, its main provisions are as follows. In humans, perinatal events are recorded in the form of 4 main matrices (clichés, cliches), corresponding to the process of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. These are called basic perinatal matrices.

In 1982, the National Association of Prenatal Education was created in France.

In 1983, the first American Congress on Pre- and Perinatal Education was held in Toronto. There is an urgent need to introduce perinatal psychology into obstetric and pediatric practice in Russia.

In 1986, the first International Congress was held in Badgaisten (Austria) under the motto of promoting prenatal psychology. The creation of the International Society for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine (ISPPM) was also proclaimed there. Subsequently, ISPPM congresses were held every three years. The first president of the ISPPM was Gustav H. Graber (Switzerland). Since 1989, the International Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine has been published (published four times a year in English and German).

Since 1993, scientific sections and associations have been formed, thematic conferences and congresses are regularly held, and symposia are organized at psychological and psychotherapeutic conferences and congresses.
Perinatal psychology in Russia has been developing with the active participation of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences since 1994.
RAPPM - Russian Association of Perinatal Psychology and Medicine is a public association established at MIPU (International Institute of Psychology and Management). Annually conducts scientific international conferences and seminars for specialists. www.mipu.org.ru
Currently, the Association is a reputable scientific and public association that sets the tone in the development of Perinatal Psychology in Russia.

Since 2002, the Association has been cooperating with International Association Perinatal Psychology and Medicine, which has existed for more than 60 years abroad. Perinatal psychology integrates knowledge from many areas of science and practice to solve problems of improving the psychosomatic health of pregnant women and women in labor and their children, and increasing the level of reproductive health.

On March 20-22, 1997, a conference “Perinatal psychology and obstetrics” was held in St. Petersburg, at which it was decided to create the Interregional Association of Perinatal Psychology and Medicine, which has existed for more than 60 years abroad. Perinatal psychology integrates knowledge from many areas of science and practice to solve problems of improving the psychosomatic health of pregnant women and women in labor and their children, and increasing the level of reproductive health.
The head of RAPPM is Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor N.P. Kovalenko since 1996.

In 1994, the first conference on perinatal psychology was held in St. Petersburg.

In 1994, in Russia (the city of Ivanovo) the Founding Meeting was held to organize the Association of Perinatal Psychology and Medicine (APPM).

In 1996, the following major international conferences devoted to perinatology were held: in January in Monaco, in May in Strasbourg, in July in Tampere.

In 1996, the First Conference on Psychotherapy was held in Moscow.

On March 20-22, 1997, a conference “Perinatal psychology and obstetrics” was held in St. Petersburg, at which it was decided to create the Interregional Association of Perinatal Psychology and Medicine of Russia.

Russian perinatal psychology developed on the basis of the theories of L.S. Vygotsky, D.B. Elkonina, A.N. Leontyev and other psychologists. There are a number of concepts:

Ontogenetic concept of motherhood (G.G. Filippova),

Biopsychosocial concept of deviant motherhood (V.I. Brutman),

The concept of psychophysiology of maternal dominance (Batuev A.S., Vasilyeva V.V.),

The concept of the psychology of motherhood and the psychology of the reproductive sphere (Filippova G.G.),

The concept of perinatal psychotherapy (Debryakov I.V.),

The concept of the transpersonal direction of perinatal psychology (Brechman G.I., Tashaev Sh.),

Theoretical justification and practical application of perinatal psychology to the correction of pregnancy (Kovalenko N.P.) and preparation for parenthood (Lantsburg M.E.) and others.

The Russian Psychological Society has a section on perinatal psychology. Since 2004, the journal “Perinatal Psychology and Psychology of Parenthood” has been published.

In Ukraine, PP exists in close cooperation with global scientific practices and trends. Conferences and forums for specialists are held in many cities of Ukraine: Kyiv, Kharkov, Odessa, Sevastopol, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Simferopol, Donetsk and others. New departments are opening on the basis of higher education institutions educational institutions. Associations of Conscious Parenting and perinatal centers are being created.

Among the first large and significant events that opened the world of PP in Ukraine, it should be noted: The First International Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations "Family from A to Z", the International Interdisciplinary Conference "Perinatal Culture of Ukraine - the Path to the Revival of the Nation" (SPC of Conscious Parenthood "Eilithia" ), scientific and practical conference on psychology for obstetricians and gynecologists “Child of the 21st Century” (Ministry of Health of Ukraine).

Modern perinatal psychology can be characterized as a field of study that studies the development of the child and his relationship with his parents (primarily the mother) in the period from the preparation of parents for conception until the completion of the process of separation of the child from the mother. The broadest in this case will be the allocation of the time period from preparation for conception (regardless of its planning) until the child’s age of three, the narrower – from conception to the end of the first year of life.

Natalya Movchan is a perinatal psychologist.

The article was published in the newspaper "Preschool Psychologist", January 2010.

Human life consists of different periods. And each of them has its own characteristics. Pregnancy is not only a special period in the life of a woman and baby, but also a separate branch of psychology. They call it the psychology of pregnancy, fetal development and newborn child.

Prenatal and perinatal psychology

During the entire period of pregnancy and childbirth, a woman is under the supervision of doctors who monitor the physical condition of the mother and child. But the psycho-emotional side of this period is no less important, and sometimes even plays a leading role. While still in the womb, the baby leads an active lifestyle. All the mother’s emotions and experiences are transferred to the child.

Prenatal and perinatal psychology is the science of the psyche of an unborn child or a newly born one. She also studies the circumstances and patterns of human development in the early stages and their influence on later life.

Perinatal psychology puts forward hypotheses that the unborn child still has a functioning psyche and long-term memory (even within 4 weeks after birth).

This area of ​​psychology is looking for answers to the questions - How does the baby’s psyche function and what is its influence on the formation of personality in later life? This science is interested in the connection between mother and child, as well as the influence of the mother’s mental life on the baby. Not only psychologists, but also other specialists - obstetricians, psychotherapists, pediatricians, teachers - closely collaborate and work in this direction.

About basic perinatal matrices

Stanislav Grof, the founder of transpersonal psychology, developed the theory of perinatal matrices. Their main idea is that all perinatal events are recorded as four main cliches or cliches. They are called basic perinatal matrices.

1. The Matrix of Naivety is the period of pregnancy before the onset of labor. The exact time it started is not given. But presumably this time is from 22-24 weeks of pregnancy, i.e. when the fetal cerebral cortex has already formed. There are experts who have a different opinion. They talk about the presence of wave, cellular memory, etc., and accordingly, the formation of the matrix of naivety begins immediately after conception or even before it.

What does the naivety matrix affect? It forms a person’s life potential, his potential and adaptive capabilities. Generally, baseline potential is higher for desired children and healthy pregnancies.

2. The period of formation begins at the beginning of labor and ends with complete or almost complete dilatation of the cervix. You can say the first period childbirth At this time, the baby experiences the pressure of contractions, and the “exit” from the uterus is closed. The baby regulates labor by releasing its own hormones into the mother’s blood through the placenta. Labor stimulation disrupts the natural process between mother and baby, thereby forming a pathological matrix of the victim. This matrix can also form if the mother experiences a feeling of fear or fear of childbirth. This provokes the release of stress hormones, which spasms the blood vessels of the placenta and causes hypoxia in the fetus. In the case of a planned caesarean section, the matrix is ​​not formed.

3. During the second stage of labor, a matrix of struggle is formed. This is the moment from the end of uterine dilatation until birth. This is where human activity lies in those life situations, when something depends on an active and wait-and-see position. The mother’s correct behavior is important; the child should not feel lonely.

4. The matrix of freedom begins to form from the moment of birth and ends after seven days or the first month, and can be created and revised throughout life.

Experts have come to the conclusion that full breastfeeding for up to a year, good care and love can compensate for negative perinatal matrices.

The proposed text reflects the author’s own opinion and in no way claims to be complete, objective or in-depth in understanding the problem. Large numbers of statements must be preceded by the word “allegedly.” The reader can add this word at will and depending on his beliefs. Perinatal psychology is a new direction in psychology, very fashionable. As a science, it has existed for about 30 years and is developing rapidly in civilized countries. The World Association of Perinatal Psychology has been created, with branches in cities and countries.

Perinatal is a concept consisting of 2 words:
peri (peri) - around, around and natos (natalis) - related to birth.
Thus, perinatal psychology is the science of the mental life of an unborn child or a newly born one. Classically, the terminology is as follows - an unborn child in the womb is called a fetus. After birth, the baby is called a newborn for 4 weeks. Perinatal psychology assumes 2 basic axioms:

The presence of mental life of the fetus;
- the presence of long-term memory in the fetus and newborn.

Perinatal psychology studies mental life during the perinatal period, its influence on the formation of a person’s personality. This is the science of the connection between the fetus and newborn with the mother, and the influence of the mother’s mental life on the child. This is a rare example of activity when various specialists in general, they find a common language. And psychologists, psychotherapists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and teachers do this.

It is assumed that long-term memory of the fetus extends to events occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. These events influence the formation of the subconscious and the formation of mental and behavioral reactions of an adult. Perinatal events have a particularly strong impact on:

Human behavior in critical situations: stress, divorce, work difficulties, accidents, etc.
- a person’s craving for extreme sports, military service and attitude towards war, attitude towards sex, gambling and generally everything “edgy”.

In other words, if you wish, you can attribute anything to perinatal psychology.

Perinatal matrices.

The founder of the theoretical base is considered to be Stanislav Grof, an American of Czech origin. He developed the theory of perinatal matrices. This theory is being revised with inspiration by many followers. Briefly, its main provisions are as follows. In humans, perinatal events are recorded in the form of 4 main matrices (clichés, cliches), corresponding to the process of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. These are called basic perinatal matrices.

Matrix of naivety. This matrix corresponds to the period of pregnancy until the onset of labor. When its formation begins is not very clear. Most likely, it requires the presence of a formed cerebral cortex in the fetus - i.e. 22-24 weeks of pregnancy. Some authors suggest cellular memory, wave memory, etc. In this case, the matrix of naivety begins to form immediately after conception and even before it. This matrix forms a person’s life potential, his potential capabilities, and ability to adapt. Desired children, children of the desired sex, with a healthy pregnancy have a higher base psychic potential, and this observation was made by humanity a long time ago.

2. The victim matrix. It is formed from the moment of the onset of labor until the moment of complete or almost complete dilatation of the cervix. Approximately corresponds to the 1st stage of labor. The child experiences the pressure of contractions, some hypoxia, and the “exit” from the uterus is closed. In this case, the child partially regulates his own labor by releasing his own hormones into the mother’s bloodstream through the placenta. If the load on the child is too high, there is a danger of hypoxia, then he can somewhat slow down his labor in order to have time to compensate. From this point of view, labor stimulation disrupts the natural process of interaction between mother and fetus and forms a pathological matrix of the victim. On the other hand, the mother’s fear, fear of childbirth provokes the release of stress hormones by the mother, spasm of the placental vessels occurs, fetal hypoxia, and then the victim matrix is ​​also formed pathological. During a planned caesarean section, this matrix cannot be formed, but during an emergency it is formed.

3. Matrix of struggle. Approximately corresponds to the 2nd stage of labor. It is formed from the end of the opening period until the birth of the child. It characterizes a person’s activity at moments in life when something depends on his active or expectant position. If the mother behaved correctly during the period of pushing, helped the child, if he felt that during the period of struggle he was not alone, then in later life his behavior will be adequate to the situation. During caesarean section, both planned and emergency, the matrix does not appear to be formed, although this is controversial. Most likely, it corresponds to the moment the child is removed from the uterus during the operation.

4. Matrix of freedom. It begins from the moment of birth and its formation ends either in the first 7 days after birth, or in the first month, or it is created and revised throughout a person’s life. Those. a person throughout his life reconsiders his attitude to freedom and his own capabilities, taking into account the circumstances of his birth. Different researchers estimate the duration of the formation of the 4th matrix differently. If for some reason a child is separated from his mother after birth, then in adulthood he may regard freedom and independence as a burden and dream of returning to the matrix of innocence.

It is considered to be complete breastfeeding up to a year good care and love can compensate for negative perinatal matrices (for example, if there was a cesarean section, if the child was admitted to a children's hospital immediately after birth and was separated from his mother, etc.). S. Groff himself, working on perinatal matrices, conducted experiments using LSD on 5 thousand people. He compared different types hallucinations these people have with the circumstances of their birth. In addition, Groff tried to establish a connection between the basic perinatal matrices and those psychosomatic diseases (peptic ulcer, hypertension, colitis, neurodermatitis, etc.) that the subjects suffered from in adulthood. Nowadays, there are methods for adults to go through and correct their matrices using holotropic breathing techniques, i.e. breathing with the creation of controlled hypoxia. This rather complex event is carried out only by specialists - psychologists.

Ways of transmitting information.

If we recognize that the fetus and newborn have the opportunity to record information about the perinatal period for life, then the question immediately arises about the ways of transmitting this information from the pregnant woman to the fetus and back. By modern presentation there are 3 main ways:

1. Traditional - through the uteroplacental blood flow. Hormones are transmitted through the placenta, the levels of which are partly controlled by emotions. These are, for example, stress hormones, endorphins, etc.

2. Wave - electromagnetic radiation of organs, tissues, individual cells, etc. in narrow ranges. For example, there is a hypothesis that an egg in favorable conditions can accept not any sperm, but only one that matches it in terms of the characteristics of electromagnetic radiation. The zygote (fertilized egg) also notifies the mother's body of its appearance at the wave level, and not at the hormonal level. Also, the mother’s diseased organ emits “wrong” waves to the fetus, and the corresponding organ in the unborn child may also develop pathologically.

3. Water - through aquatic environment body. Water can be an energy-informational conductor, and the mother can transmit some information to the fetus simply through the fluid media of the body.

The electromagnetic field of a pregnant woman operates in the millimeter range, changing in accordance with changes environment and plays the role of one of the adaptation mechanisms. The child, in turn, also exchanges information with the mother in the same range.

It is interesting that the problem of surrogacy can be viewed from a completely different angle. A surrogate mother carrying someone else's (genetically) child for 9 months inevitably influences him informationally, and this turns out to be partially her child. A child being carried also influences its biological stepmother.

The problem of "unwanted children", i.e. children unwanted by one of the parents or both, children of an unwanted sex, children with further disruption of social adaptation - this is the bread of a large army of specialists in civilized countries. "Unwanted" is a very vague concept. Which relative is bothered by the birth of this child, when, for what reason - always different. How do children in the perinatal period learn about their unwantedness? Maybe then all the person’s problems, which can no longer be attributed to anything, are blamed on undesirability. Enthusiasts are engaged in these problems, and all of these are nothing more than hypotheses, although they are very beautiful and, I want to believe, somewhat true.

Practical conclusions.

If a child can be influenced by its mother, can it be raised in utero? Perinatal psychology claims that it is not only possible, but also necessary. For this purpose, there are prenatal education programs.

The main thing is a sufficient amount of positive emotions experienced by the mother. Classically, pregnant women were encouraged to look at the beautiful, at nature, at the sea, and not to get upset over trifles. It is very good if a mother draws, even without knowing how to do it, and conveys her expectations, anxieties and dreams in the drawing. Handicrafts have a huge positive effect. Positive emotions include “muscular joy,” which the child experiences when his mother engages in physical education and sports, or during long walks. To perceive all this, the fetus uses its sense organs, which are developed to varying degrees in utero.

Touch.

The first thing the fetus develops is the sense of touch. At approximately 7-12 weeks, the fetus can feel tactile stimuli. A newborn also experiences “tactile hunger” and there is the concept of “tactile saturation”, which should occur by 7 months if the child is carried enough, massaged and generally touched. In Holland there is a system called "haptonomy". This is a system of tactile interaction between mother and fetus. You can talk to the child, tell him sweet words, ask his name, pat his stomach and determine the answer by his kicks. These are the forms of the first game. The father can also play with the child.

The auditory and vestibular apparatus of the fetus are formed by 22 weeks of pregnancy. Newborns hear quite well. In the first days, they may be bothered by fluid in the middle ear cavity - this is amniotic fluid that has not had time to leak out or be absorbed. Some children hear well right away. In utero, children also hear, but they are disturbed by the noise of the mother’s intestines, uterine vessels, and heartbeat. Therefore, external sounds reach them poorly. But they hear their mother well, because... acoustic vibrations reach them through the mother’s body. Newborns recognize the songs their mothers sang to them, the sound of their heart and her voice.

Many specialists around the world deal with music and pregnancy. It has been proven that children whose mothers sang during pregnancy have best character, easier to learn, more capable of foreign languages, more diligently. Premature babies who play in the incubator good music, gain weight better. In addition, singing mothers give birth more easily, because Their breathing normalizes and they learn to regulate their exhalation.

In order for the child to hear his father, it is necessary to make a large cardboard megaphone, place it on his stomach and speak or sing into it.

You can place headphones on your stomach or tuck them behind a bandage and turn on calm music. But you can’t drown out your child with music for a long time, because... This is still a kind of aggression. Regarding what kind of music a child needs and when, there are many versions, and even at the Conservatory of Prof. Yusfin is doing this. Some believe that a child needs Mozart and Vivaldi, some - folk songs and lullabies, some - popular light music.

The reaction of the pupils to light is observed from 24 weeks of pregnancy. Whether the red part of the spectrum passes into the uterus, as some believe, is not very clear. A newborn sees quite well, but does not know how to focus his vision, so he sees everything blurry. It is not clear exactly which objects he sees better - at a distance of 25-30 cm (i.e. the mother’s face when the child lies at the breast) or 50-70 cm (a carousel toy). Most likely, this distance varies individually. But the toy should be hung up as soon as possible.

Toys, according to some observations, should be black and white or shiny, or yellow. The idea that a child sees everything upside down is not confirmed. There is the concept of “bonding” (“attachment”, “imprinting”) - this is a very important event to restore the first emotional contact of a newborn with his mother after birth. Usually, a few minutes after birth, the baby begins to look into the mother's eyes very consciously and examine her face. Often this happens before he takes the breast, sometimes an hour or two after birth. It’s hard to say whether he’s really looking at her facial features or not, but it’s very impressive to everyone.

Taste. Smell.

In utero, the child feels taste, because... from 18 weeks she drinks amniotic fluid, and its taste changes somewhat, depending on the mother’s food. When there is an abundance of sweet food, the waters are sweet. The sense of smell appears quite late and some full-term newborns do not smell their mother’s milk for several days after birth. Children at the age of 10 days already distinguish their mother by smell.

Literature

1. Kovalenko N.P. Perinatal psychology. St. Petersburg, 2000
2. S. Groff. Beyond the brain.
3. Psyche and childbirth. Ed. Aylamazyan
4. Materials of the 5th Conferences on Perinatal Psychology in Obstetrics. St. Petersburg 1997-2001
4. Materials of the Conference on Perinatal Psychology and Medicine, Ivanovo, 2001.

Perinatal psychology and obstetrics, Volgograd, 2001
L.E. Shenderova, midwife. Rainbow Center

To view information about the Perinatal Psychology curriculum, go to the program page:

The first step would be to form public opinion based on scientific achievements perinatal psychology, which recognizes that society as a whole and each of its members individually are responsible for the life and health of each conceived person. Such public opinion would contribute to the creation of a comfort zone for the expectant mother and the maximum elimination of traumatic stimuli.

The second necessary step should be the formation of a new philosophy and technology of obstetric care, designed to reduce the level of stress of the mother and the amount of negative information that causes trauma to the child, the burden of which the person carries for the rest of his life.

The third aspect should be continuation scientific research in the field of perinatal psychology, which must, first of all, find answers to the questions: how does information (primarily emotional) come from mother to child? How is the information received recorded in his memory? The answers to these and other questions will allow us to come closer to understanding what we call the human psyche, to solving and preventing a number of psychological problems in future generations of people.