The importance of nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child's life

Nutrition in the first 2 years of life contributes to 80% of brain weight and prevents chronic diseases in adulthood. Maternal and child health care in our country has had many positive changes in recent times. In particular, the rate of women giving birth who receive 4 or more prenatal check-ups is over 80%; the rate of women giving birth who receive medical assistance is maintained at 95 - 97%; the rate of postnatal care in the first 7 days after giving birth is about 80%.

A practical guide to nutrition in the first 1000 days of life for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

According to data from the Institute of Nutrition , the rate of stunting malnutrition in ethnic minority children is twice as high and the rate of underweight malnutrition is also 2.5 times higher than that of Kinh children.

Nutrition is a very important environmental factor for human health, physical strength and intelligence. The first 1000 days of life, defined from the time the mother begins to conceive until the child is 2 years old, is the only pivotal time that creates the optimal foundation for growth, brain development and health throughout life. Therefore, nutrition in the first 1000 days of life plays an extremely important role.

Good nutrition during pregnancy helps ensure the health of the mother, the fetus and the ability to breastfeed after birth. Nutrition in the first 2 years of life contributes to 80% of brain weight and prevents chronic diseases in adulthood. Undernutrition, especially during the golden 1000 days, is a top priority to reduce the global burden of disease and enhance economic development in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Nutrition strategies during the golden 1000 days should focus on improving nutrition for pregnant mothers, including iron/folic acid supplementation (multi-micronutrients); Promoting breastfeeding; Improving complementary feeding practices; Improving micronutrient status of children (especially vitamin A and zinc); Clean water, personal hygiene and sanitation.

The first 1000 days of life is the golden period to help children develop their height best and fastest. To help your baby develop optimal height during the above period, parents need to take scientific nutritional care such as:

Create conditions for the fetus to develop well in the womb. It is necessary to be aware of taking care of pregnant mothers: in diet, rest, and daily activities. For mothers with severe morning sickness, poor appetite, and weight gain of less than 12kg/9 months of pregnancy, it is necessary to supplement milk and drink enough vitamins and minerals such as B, C, calcium, iron, zinc, A (low dose under 5,000ui/day).

Breastfeed your baby for the first 6 months of life. Breast milk from healthy, well-fed mothers is the most suitable source of nutrition for the baby to develop well. To have a good source of milk, mothers need to drink at least 600ml of milk per day and eat enough nutrients (all kinds of meat, eggs, shrimp, crab, fish, vegetables), only avoiding spicy and sour spices, garlic and fermented foods that can cause digestive disorders. Mothers need support from their families to get enough sleep, rest, and be mentally comfortable to have a lot of milk.

After 6 months, feed your baby properly in terms of quantity and quality. Feed your baby from 6 months of age. The ingredients of the weaning meal need to be complete: powder from liquid to gradually thicker (rice, potatoes, etc.), animal protein (eggs, meat, shrimp, crab, fish, etc.), oil and fat from 2.5ml/meal when starting to eat to 5ml/meal after a few weeks and 10ml/meal when nearly 1 year old, 1-2 spoons of vegetables/meal, besides that, your baby needs to eat fresh fruit, continue to breastfeed and drink enough water.

Creating a good natural living environment, with enough light and space for play and exercise, will create conditions to stimulate development.

Encourage children to exercise and play sports because an active lifestyle will promote metabolism and metabolism, helping the body develop better.

Help children have good neuropsychological development: stable spirit, excitement, deep sleep will help the body save energy. Especially during night sleep, the pituitary gland secretes growth hormone GH, this hormone will stimulate children's growth. But in reality, children in the city often sleep very late because they are too busy playing or studying too much, leading to their height being affected. Children need to sleep early before 22:00 and have regular sleep hours to avoid irregular sleep hours.

In particular, pay attention to weighing your child regularly every month to promptly detect when your child is slow to grow. If you miss the first 1000 golden days of life, your child will be greatly disadvantaged in growth rate, especially in height, so parents should try to fully implement the above for their children so that they can develop optimally.

 

Ngoc Anh

 

Source: https://soyte.caobang.gov.vn/tin-tuc-66446/tam-quan-trong-cua-dinh-duong-1000-ngay-dau-doi-cho-tre-1025068