NEONATAL NUTRITION
Appropriate dietary guidance for expectant mothers.
The experience of bringing a baby into the world is truly a gift. Of all the decisions you will make as a future parent, optimal health for the baby should top the list and start at the point of conception, meaning couples should actually be planning diet and appropriate supplementation before "trying".
One of the biggest reasons for considering nutrition immediately is that many structures will start forming early in the pregnancy, in some cases even before the mother knows she's pregnant. Folic acid is an example of a simple nutrient that can help prevent neural tube defects (problems with the spinal cord). Pregnant moms are encouraged to take folic acid, but it's even more important for them to take the vitamin before pregnancy to ensure that there is enough folic acid present in the body to meet the needs of the baby in its early development. Women in many native cultures practice dietary planning for months prior to marriage, so that the parents-to-be will be optimally nourished prior to having a baby [1].
An optimal diet does take planning with today’s fast pace, but the principles of healthy intake remain very simple. The body desires vitamins from healthy fruits and vegetables. Most Americans need at least three servings from each group. Protein is also necessary for both mom and baby, ideally, from sources that are as natural as possible, such as grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and hormone-free and grass-fed dairy. Refined sugars grossly disturb blood sugar, increasing the risk of gestational diabetes, and may leech out needed minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Many patients, dieticians and doctors have assumed that it is safe to drink diet soft drinks and coffee during pregnancy. Commonly used artificial sweeteners are regarded as safe by the American Dietetic Association, but this opinion is based on studies using rats [2]. In many cases, animal studies may mimic human studies, but really definitive data in human studies is not there to verify. Is it worth the risk? Caffeine has been linked to increased miscarriages in the first trimester [3]. Doctors may vary on how much caffeine is ” allowable,” but try to limit caffeine intake to one drink daily.
Nutrients for your developing baby.
Fish oils may provide the biggest gain, demonstrating noted improvements in hand-eye coordination skills [4]. The healthy and necessary fats in fish oils are now thought to be important for the brain at all ages, particularly for the developing baby when the organ is growing so rapidly. Fish oils may also play a role in lowering allergies for the infant if mom takes them during pregnancy [5]. Dosage should be at least 1,000 mg of the sum of the EPA plus DHA content listed on the bottle. Please use brands that state clearly on the bottle that they have been tested for and are free of heavy metals.
Vitamin D has become one of the most researched vitamins over the past five years. Its benefits are far reaching for the average adult, including significant cancer prevention. It's not surprising to learn that it also helps a developing baby. For many moms, pregnancy will include some periods of sunny weather and some periods of winter. Take advantage of the weather and get out while the temperatures are warm and the sun is out. The skin does not need to burn to obtain vitamin D; just 10-15 minutes of exposure can help increase levels. In the winter months, unless you live in the southernmost states, you do not receive vitamin D, so supplementation should be considered. Vitamin D deficiency is common and linked to softening of the bones, as well as low brith weight and less bone growth [7,8]. Dosage is 1,000 IU daily, with food. Some vitamin D is contained in a multivitamin and can be included in this dosage.
A good multivitamin provides the nutritional base needed by both baby and mom. Nutrients needed during pregnancy include calcium, magnesium and the B vitamins (including folic acid). Many of the prenatal vitamins on the market provide enough folic acid, but supply little else. Look for a multivitamin with no artificial sweeteners (like aspartame or Splenda/sucralose) or coloring agents. To meet the full needs of the body, the vitamin dosage will probably need to be met in more than just one capsule daily. Please note that the vitamin A content of prenatal vitamins is typically limited to 8,000-9,000 IU (international units) daily, to prevent too much vitamin A for the baby.
Probiotics are the good bacteria needed in the bowel walls to keep the bowels healthy and to help make certain vitamins for the body. Probiotics, when taken during pregnancy, have been shown to decrease eczema in infants [6]. Probiotics can also be helpful for problems with irritable bowels. Dosage can be one capsule daily.
This information is presented to help provide a good foundation for the developing baby’s health. It is not meant to override information from your doctor. It's never too late (or too early) to evaluate your nutrition for your little one.
References:
1. Price, Weston A. (2004). Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. American Dietetic Association. J Am Diet Assoc, 104(2):255-75.
2. Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners.
American Dietetic Association - J Am Diet Assoc - 01-FEB-2004; 104(2): 255-75
3. Fernandes, O., Sabharwal, M., Smiley, T., Pastuszak, A., Koren, G., Einarson, T. (1998). Moderate to heavy caffeine consumption during pregnancy and relationship to spontaneous abortion and abnormal fetal growth: a meta-analysis. Reprod Toxicol, 12:435–44.
4. Dunstan, JA. (2008). Cognitive assessment of children at age 2(1/2) years after maternal fish oil supplementation in pregnancy: a randomised controlled trial. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed, 93(1):F45-50.
5. Krauss-Etschmann, S. (2008). Decreased cord blood IL-4, IL-13, and CCR4 and increased TGF-beta levels after fish oil supplementation of pregnant women. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 121(2):464-470.e6.
6. Kukkonen, K., Haahtela, T., Juntunen-Backman, K., Korpela, R., Poussa, T., Tuure, T., et al. (2007). Probiotics and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides in the prevention of allergic diseases: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Allergy Clin Immunol 119, 192-197.
7. Yorifuji, J. (2008). Craniotabes in normal newborns: the earliest sign of subclinical vitamin D deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 93(5):1784-8.
8. Morley, R. (2006). Maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone concentrations and offspring birth size. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 91(3):906-12.
Other Trusted Sources:
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Pregnancy Health Information Organization
