Touch starts developing by the seventh week of gestation. The amniotic fluid and the uterus massage your baby’s skin and help {him/her} develop this sensation. Sounds, which are transmitted through the amniotic fluid, reach the baby as tactile vibrations. Some studies and ultrasound exams show that heart rate increases when there’s tactile pressure on your belly.

Around the seventh month, your baby’s ear will be fully formed. During the late second trimester, your baby will be able to perceive inner and outer sounds from the uterus. However, they can be muffled since they must go through the spine and abdominal wall.

Sight develops around week 22. Several studies show that babies from inside the uterus can react to light by moving or blinking their eyes. You can use a flashlight to stimulate your baby.

Some studies show that the flavors that the mother eats end up in the amniotic fluid. It’s been shown that the baby swallows quicker and more frequently when the flavor is sweet.

Finally, studies show that smell is developed during the third trimester. According to Lisa Eliot, a professor at the Medical School of Chicago, your baby’s lungs are filled with amniotic fluid, and while they don’t get any oxygen, amniotic fluid allows smells to be transmitted.