Building your baby's brain

Although well meaning parents are buying brain-building toys, videos and computer programs in record numbers, parents need to first think about building the brain from the inside. “Important brain growth occurs during pregnancy and the first few years of life,” says Bridget Swinney, author of “Healthy Food for Healthy Kids” (Meadowbrook Press) and “Eating Expectantly” (Meadowbrook Press).

Swinney says, “There are several nutritional building blocks that are vital for brain growth, but the most important of these is a special fat called omega-3. Many expectant mothers aren’t aware that what they eat makes a substantial difference in the health of their unborn child.” Also, the decision to breastfeed or not can make an impact on your baby’s health.

The following information from Swinney will prove helpful in developing your baby’s brain:

— Most pregnant women have a low intake of omega-3 fat, which is important for cognitive development and for vision. DHA is found in cold-water fish like salmon, herring and sardines. Commonly eaten fish like trout and tuna have small amounts. Fats that can be converted to DHA are also found in vegetable oils such as flax seed and flax seed oil, black walnuts, canola and olive oils. One easy way to eat flax seed is to use ground flax seed in pancake, bread and cookie batter or sprinkle on ready-to-eat cereal.

— Breastfeeding is absolutely the best way to feed an infant for the first year and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. There are many benefits to the baby including decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections gastrointestinal infections, allergies and asthma. Breastmilk also contains DHA, an omega-3 fat needed for brain development. However, the DHA content of breastmilk depends on the omega-3 content of Mom’s diet.

— Moms who breastfeed benefit too; they have a decreased risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, cancer of other reproductive organs and osteoporosis. Breastfeeding moms also have no bottles to carry or wash and spend less. When moms breastfeed there is no formula to buy and they spend less on doctors and prescriptions for sick babies.

— Nearly one-third of women choose not to breastfeed at all and more than two-thirds of women are not breastfeeding when their babies are 6 months old. Women who choose not to breastfeed should choose a formula that performs as close to breastmilk as possible since breastmilk is considered the “gold standard.”

— All formulas are not alike! “Parents today need to understand that there are important differences between infant formulas. In fact, clinical research shows that basic compositional differences in infant formula, such as the type of fat blend used, can make a difference in infant brain development,” says Swinney. Recent studies have shown that infants fed formulas without palm or palm olein blends had better fat and calcium absorption than infants fed formulas with these oils.

— For the first time in US history, infant formula is now available with added DHA and ARA, the two fats vital for visual and mental development. Some formula manufacturers need to add DHA and ARA to their formulas in order for them to provide growth and development like breastfed babies. However, a research study published recently in Pediatrics showed that babies fed Similac with iron had visual and mental development like that of breastfed infants. For parents and healthcare providers who would prefer formula with added DHA and ARA, there is Similac Advance.

The bottom line? Build your baby’s brain with good nutrition starting during pregnancy. Pregnant women should eat fish several times a week to increase brain building DHA.

“Breast is best” for infant growth and development, but if you choose to use formula, choose one with a fat blend that provides mental and visual development closest to breastmilk — Similac with iron or Similac Advance.

For more information about your baby’s development, refer to Swinney’s books “Healthy Food for Healthy Kids” and “Eating Expectantly” found in bookstores everywhere.