THE FIRST 1000 DAYS CAN CHANGE YOUR BABY'S LIFE.

THE FIRST 1000 DAYS CAN CHANGE YOUR BABY'S LIFE.

By Dr. Alan Koslow M.D.

What would you say if I told you could increase your baby's I.Q. by 20 points, have her/him be 2 inches taller and be more likely to be successful in school and life? Well, science has shown that you can have this effect on your child and there are only a few things you need to do to accomplish this. These results were described at the recent World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue held here in Des Moines Iowa. This is the equivalent of the Noble Prize for food with an accompanying week of scientific presentations.

Because of these findings, the goal of the Aid agencies, governments and non-profits, is to ensure that the first 1000 days of a baby's life are optimized from a health and nutritional point of view. Well, we can take a lesson from this research and experience. The first 1000 days are defined as from the moment of conception till the baby's second birthday (don't write in - I know that is only 930 days).

This means that you have to be thinking about your child's whole future when you are thinking about becoming pregnant. A major portion of the baby's growth and development will happen before you are even sure you are pregnant. Try to get down to your ideal weight before becoming pregnant. There is evidence that overweight and obesity in mom can adversely affect the baby. Do not drink or smoke. Take 1000 mg of folic acid daily. Eat well but go easy, you only need about 10% more calories than before; you are not eating for two. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. The two most important things are not drinking alcohol and not smoking, especially in the first 90 days of pregnancy.

As soon as you suspect you are pregnant you need to see an obstetrician. Even if you are planning on using a midwife you should see the obstetrician several times during the pregnancy. She can diagnose potential problems with you or your baby in time to be corrected which a midwife cannot. It is very important to follow the recommendations of the obstetrician. She has nine years of training to keep you and your baby healthy and increase the chances of having that perfect baby we all want, at least until they become the teenager from hell and we want to give them back. The good news is that that teenager from hell goes away most of the time and becomes a loving adult.

Once the baby is born you can do a lot to ensure the maximal potential from your child. Breast feeding, breast feeding, breast feeding - did I say it enough? Your breast milk is the perfect nutrition for your baby. That is, if you are having a good and varied healthy diet. You should breast feed until at least 6 months and longer if you can. The La Leche Society and your pediatrician can help you with accomplishing this. However, if for some reason you cannot breast feed, formulas work but they just are not as good.

Besides nutrition the single most important thing for your baby’s health and development is avoidance of smoking in the house the baby lives in and spends time in. This does not mean just not smoking around the baby but your house and that of any care giver for your baby should be smoke free. The residual smoke is just as bad. Smoke will lead to many developmental and health problems, the worst being the explosion of childhood asthma that has occurred.


The American Academy of Pediatrics just this week has come out with recommendations that no infant under two years of age watch any television or videos. There is overwhelming and convincing evidence that the baby does not learn socialization skills acquires language slower and has slower neuron development with any and increasing television watching. Yes it has been used as a good baby sitter but it is damaging to your child.

So in conclusion what you do to your body while pregnant you are doing to your baby. What you baby encounters during those first hundred days influence the development of every part of their mind and body and you can for very little cost except your time and effort have a child who will be much more successful, healthier and happier throughout life.