Posts Tagged brain development
Selection of Newborn Baby Gifts
Posted by in Babies on February 12th, 2010
There are actually lots of gifts selections in the supermarket or gift shops for a newborn baby which are cute, adorable and sweet. An important note while buying newborn baby gifts is to make sure that the gifts are useful for the baby in the growing stage. Don’t ever buy something which is impractical to be used for an infant. Here are some of the unique ideas to get a present for a newborn baby.
Personalized gifts
You can always personalize your own gift for a newborn baby. A cute set of apparels with the baby’s name can be something unique and memorable when the infant grown up.
A set of Hamper
Another nice gift would be a set of hamper with infant clothes, shoes, socks or other utilities such as bottles and pacifiers. Be alert on the color selection if you are buying a set of apparels for the infant. Go for blue or red if it is meant for a baby boy and pink or light purple for a baby girl.
Baby Care Products
Baby care products can be a good gift as well. A set of baby care products include body soap, hair shampoo, baby towel, baby powder, body lotion, baby oil and baby sleepers. All of these are the basic baby care needs.
Gifts and Toys
Small cute little toys are wonderful. A newborn baby loves to play and this is good for the baby’s development. Storybooks with lots of graphics might be helpful for the parents to tell the stories to the newborn baby every night before sleep. The graphics might help in baby’s brain development.
All of these are the basic and important gifts for an infant. Do not try hard to get something very unique or special for the baby as it might end up impractical to be used.
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Article Source: Selection of Newborn Baby Gifts
Taking Fish Oil During Pregnancy is Beneficial for Fetal Development
Posted by in Babies on October 25th, 2009
Congratulations on your pregnancy! What an exciting, special time of waiting for that new little one to arrive. I’m sure you are doing all you can to have a healthy, full-term baby by seeing your doctor regularly, getting plenty of fresh air and exercise, and taking your pre-natal vitamins. Doctors and scientists alike are now advising that you should add a supplement of fish oil during pregnancy along with your pre-natal vitamins.
Prenatal vitamins do not contain the omega 3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which is so vital for your baby’s brain development, retina formation, and nourishment of the nervous system to name a few. Fish oil contains the omega 3 fatty acid DHA along with other essential fatty acids that aid in good health. The placenta utilizes DHA during fetal development, with DHA making up 50% of the retinal structure and 30% of the brain.
There are intervals of concentrated nerve cell development as growth occurs in the womb where the DHA needs actually double. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women add a fish oil supplement during pregnancy to their normal dietary intake in order to ensure healthy growth of their babies since 98% of them aren’t getting enough of the omega 3 fatty acid DHA in the foods they eat.
Along with helping your baby’s development, taking fish oil during pregnancy has proven to be equally healthful for you, the mother. Studies have shown that supplementing with DHA helps reduce the risk of toxemia or pre-eclampsia, a rapid rise in blood pressure that affects 7% of pregnancies. This same research has also shown significantly less cases of postpartum depression.
Since the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency have issued warnings for small children and women of childbearing age not to eat more than 12 ounces of seafood per week because of possible contaminants in fish, and have gone on to state that large doses of mercury can damage developing brains, it is no wonder that pregnant women aren’t getting enough of the DHA they need from eating fish.
It is good to know that you can still get the health boost of fish without the threat of contaminants in the process by getting the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids in the form of these dietary supplements. It is important to read the manufacturers information on the package to be sure you are getting the omega 3 fatty acid DHA. For example, flax oil capsules contain ALA, which is a different form of omega 3 fatty acid, and isn’t as effective.
The recommended daily intake of fish oil during pregnancy is 300-1400 mg of DHA. This is critical during the third trimester and supports the healthy development of the fetus’ brain and nerve cell membranes.
After the baby is born, and while breast feeding it is still crucial to continue to take this same dosage since our bodies don’t produce this essential nutrient and it is easy for the mother to become deficient after giving birth. By being health conscious and pro-active in caring for your body during pregnancy, you can be confident that you have done your part in delivering a full term, healthy baby.
To find out more information about this needed nutritional supplement check out my web site listed below in the bio section.
Elizabeth Ruby is passionate about good health and is a firm believer in taking quality nutritional supplements. She has extensively researched Omega 3 fatty acids for optimal health. Check out her web site at http://www.omega-3-health.com/ to find out how she keeps her mind and body young and active, functioning fully with the help of Omega 3 Fish Oil.
Article Source: Taking Fish Oil During Pregnancy is Beneficial for Fetal Development
Breast is best for our Children (so far…)
Posted by in Pregnancy on October 25th, 2009
Today I read about a recent study into infant formula. The results implied quite strongly that formula fortified with essential fatty acids (in this case DHA) improved the cognitive brain development of the baby. This is yet another piece of evidence to support the far reaching benefits of essential fatty acids for the brain, from infant through to the elderly.
The experiment involved 229 infants. One group were given formula from birth and were split into two groups – one given a traditional formula and the other given a formula with added DHA. A second group split in the same way were given formula from 6 weeks (after breastfeeding) and a third group from 4-6 months. At 9 months the babies were given a problem solving test. In both the “from birth” and the “from 6 weeks” groups, the babies from the DHA supplemented groups performed better in the test.
This certainly suggests that if you do choose to formula feed over breastfeed for either health or logistical reasons (for example, many mums are unable to breastfeed) it is worth choosing a formula that does supplement with essential fatty acids (and probiotics too, based on the results of other studies). However, as a mum who breastfed both my children for 9 months, what about the mums who do choose to breastfeed? Is there anything they can learn from study and other studies like this?
Of course there is. Their diet is our diet, and we must make the right choices in what we eat to ensure our children get the optimal start in life nutritionally. Breastfeeding is currently known to be the best option for the pre-weaning stage, but as infant formulas improve every year in what they have to offer, is there a competition on?
Yes there is, and so there should be! Anything that means our children get an improving nutrition has to be a good thing. So if you choose to breastfeed, that is brilliant, but don’t rest on your laurels. Make sure you have a well balanced and healthy diet that includes lots of essential fatty acids through oily fish, seeds and vegetable oils. Limit your saturated fat but ensure your diet is high in calcium. Unlikely high sources of calcium include broccoli, bok choy and oranges.
But my advice would be to also take a high quality supplement that is formulated specifically for breastfeeding women. Of course we want to eat healthily, but the truth is we’re often tired, usually in a rush and regularly eating on the hoof between feeds, sleeps and so on. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to steer clear of high, refined sugar foods such as biscuits and chocolate, as much for the mother’s energy levels as for the child’s health, but I understand that sometimes a healthy, home-cooked meal is hard to come by.
When I was breastfeeding I took a Pregnancy & Lactation Formula but many friends had recommended that i did. Of course I will never know if it made a difference to my children’s’ development with nothing to measure it against. But at the time it was nice to know that I had a buffer, on those nights I fell into bed after just a bowl of cereal.
Sam worked in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and became more interested in the role diet and nutrition plays in people’s health, so her studies took her in a more nutritional direction. She now works at a company who sell health products such as Pregnancy & Lactation formula, as well as, breastfeeding supplements. For more information please visit, http://www.totallynourish.com.
Article Source: Breast is best for our Children (so far…)
You Can Teach Your Baby to Read
Posted by in Babies on July 28th, 2009
Teaching your baby to read,
Just think about how advanced your child can be if they knew how to read at an early age. Here are some benefits; your baby can become more confident, interested, curious, obedient, positive, will have enhanced learning ability, will be happier, will be able to communicate feelings better, and will give your baby the chance to leap ahead when in school. Why allow your child to to wade through kindergarten when your child can be actually learning in advanced classes?
Knowing your baby can read with simple CD’s, flash cards and your attention can open up a world of better opportunities as your child grows older. It has been proven that the most formative time in a babies brain development is between about 2 and 5 years old. No two are the same of course but, you have a narrow window of opportunity to jump in there and take advantage of this period to push your baby into advanced intelligence.
Imagine the surprise of your friends and relatives when your baby reads the menu at your favorite restaurant! Or, your baby confidently engaging in conversation when asked? These are some of the impressive results that can be achieved by using your time and tried and tested tools to teach your baby to read.
Here is some more interesting information, your babies brain is exploding in growth up until about age 5. Your bay can learn by seeing, hearing, and touching much faster than you would think. Thousands and thousands of brain connections are forming every second. 90% of your child’s brain development is completed at about age 5. During this period of growth is the best time to teach your baby to read.
See babies read and watch the testimonials at http://readtomebaby.blogspot.com/
Article Source: You Can Teach Your Baby to Read
