Baby Development After Birth

Using BabyPlus during the prenatal period enhances cognitive development.  The news seems to be buzzing right now about the fact that mothers should take omega-3 fatty acid during pregnancy for "brain development."  We are all saying the same thing!

First, what exactly are omega-3s?  With a small amount of research I was able to learn that they are fatty acids that are good for you.  Your body can't produce them, so you need to get them another way.  How can we get omega-3s into our diet?  Most articles mention flax seeds, walnuts, beans, some fish (such as salmon), olive oil  - even cod liver oil! (Please remember to first check with your health care provider to see what what he or she thinks.)

According to an archived article at webmd.com, "researchers found that infants born to mothers with higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at delivery had advanced levels of attention spans well into their second year of life. During the first six months of life, these infants were two months ahead of those babies whose mothers had lower DHA levels."  (two months ahead!)



You can read a great article about omega-3's and pregnancy at pregnancy-info.com by clicking on their picture to the left.



Or, go to www.dha.com  - "a dedicated resource for new and expectant mothers, healthcare professionals and media, which focuses on two vital nutrients for a baby’s development: DHA omega-3 and AA omega-6."

The importance of the prenatal period has never been more clear - your baby is impacted for a lifetime by your choices now.  This is a critical time in the development of your child.  Remember to be well-balanced and not to overdo anything!