Early Infant Nutrition

According to many medical studies and reports, a right and healthy early nutrition programming not only gives a child a great start, but it permanently affects the structure of his organs, tissues and their functions, and reduces his risk of developing a great number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases and some types of cancer.

Early programming begins in pregnancy, continues during both breastfeeding and weaning stages after delivery and lasts until the end of the child’s second year.

So, during pregnancy, a mother should give a special attention to her lifestyle and diet, and make sure she daily eats a wide variety of healthy foods that will provide her baby with enough Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Iodine, Iron, and both Omega 3 and 6, to develop his little body, promote his growth and health, and stimulate his mental abilities, etc.

In the first six months post-birth, a mother should breastfeed her baby whilst constantly keeping track of what she eats and may negatively or positively affect her breast milk and thus her baby’s nutrition.

By 6 months, it will be the right time to wean. During the weaning phase, a mother should introduce her child to the five main food groups, while focusing on iron sources much needed for growth.

And whereas she does so in a progressive way, the World Health Organization advises her to try to pursue breastfeeding, and postpone the introduction of food allergens, like peanut and eggs to her child’s eating.

When the child is one year old, a mother should diversify his diet and make sure he does daily physical activities to promote his development.

And since healthy dietary habits starts developing from this phase too, a mother should get her child used to a regular diet and healthy eating habits that will teach him the difference between healthy and non-healthy foods from one hand, the abilities and choices that will give him good health and help him maintain a healthy weight throughout his life, on the other hand.

It’s true that early infant nutrition programming is very important to determine a child’s eating style, physical activity and favorite foods for life, but his mother’s eating habits and lifestyle are even more important, as they will impact him through years and thus increase or decrease his exposure to obesity and other types of diseases.

That said, we recommend you to be your child’s good example not the bad that will ruin his life!

Read More: Protein In Breast Milk