253: Nurturing Your Child From Conception With Dr Thomas Verny

Head to melissaambrosini.com/253 for full episode resources and more inspiring weekly episodes. Did you know that you can take practical steps to set your baby up for a lifetime of health and happiness... from before they’re even born? It’s true! And today’s podcast guest, Dr Thomas Verny MD, is here to show us how... Dr Thomas Verny is a pioneering psychiatrist, author and academic, who has taught at many of the major universities in America. He is considered one of the world's leading authorities on the effect of prenatal and early postnatal environment on babies’ personality development. His latest book, Pre-parenting: Nurturing Your Child From Conception (co-authored with Pamela Weintraub) explores how even the most ordinary events can evoke a cascade of biological changes in a baby… It’s an eye-opener, and as soon as I read it, I knew I HAD to have him on the show. So much of this conversation flipped what I *thought* I knew about pregnancy and parenting on its head. The latest neuroscience findings (which Dr Verny explains so clearly) are — quite simply — mind-blowing, and they have the power to change your experience of pregnancy and childbirth forever. Even if you’re *not* a parent, you’ll definitely want to hear his take on the wounds, memories and repressed issues that we can unknowingly carrying from before you were even born… Whether you have children or not, there are so many key insights in this episode you won’t want to miss. So if you want to become a more conscious parent, learn about the wounds and memories so many of us have from our time in the womb, and give your baby the greatest chance at health and happiness, pop in those earbuds and press play… this one’s for you! In this episode we chat about: •His story and how he got to where he is today (06:12) •The incredible story of life in the womb (11:19) •Why everything a mother eats, drinks, inhales, experiences, thinks, feels, and worries about can have an effect on her unborn child (this blew my mind!) (21:02) •The biggest issues for pregnant women — and they’re not what you think! (26:43) •The most effective ways to destress and why it’s so incredibly important (28:03) •The top things you MUST do while pregnant (that make a significant difference to your baby’s development) (34:46) •Why you don't want to wear multitasking as a badge of honour (37:40) •Does scrolling Instagram and multitasking have an effect on your child's mental and emotional development? (39:47) •How his work has impacted his own parenting, and how he shows up as a grandparent (49:43) •Plus so much more!