Support Your Baby’s Development With Nutrient-Rich Dairy Foods
Hey you – new mom! Congrats! This is an exciting time. It comes with a lot of questions, too.
How do I find the best doctor? What baby gear do I really need to have? What foods will help my baby thrive?
I don’t want to put more on your plate here, mama, but the first 1,000 days – from conception through their second birthday – are really important for your child’s development.
The good news is there are some simple and readily available food choices you can make to set the stage for a lifetime of wellness. Dairy foods – like milk, cheese, and yogurt – contain lots of the nutrients needed to help your child flourish.
Read on to find out the benefits of dairy for infant development, as well as ways you can eat healthy during pregnancy, and tips for introducing your baby to dairy foods.
The First 1,000 Days Really Matter
Why is this such an important time?
Your child goes from 10,000 brain cells during the first month of pregnancy to 10 billion in the sixth month – whoa.
What if there was a way you could significantly impact your child’s brain development, bone strength, and immune system before they even take their first steps?
The Power of Dairy in Helping Your Infant Thrive
The American Academy of Pediatrics identified 14 nutrients as critical to a child’s early brain development. Dairy includes seven of these.
You may not have heard about iodine and choline, but both play a key role in developing a baby’s rapidly growing brain. Both are found in dairy foods.
Milk’s 13 essential nutrients can support other areas of infant health as well – like growth, immunity and bone health.
Go-To Foods for Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
You’re eating for two (or maybe more!). You want to choose foods that are healthy, but also delicious and easy to prepare (we see you, morning sickness and fatigue).
Go ahead and satisfy that snack craving with some cheese. Settle in with a bowl of yogurt on the couch. Pour yourself a glass of milk and kick up your feet.
You’re supporting optimal brain growth, prenatal nutrition, and cognitive development with these dairy snacks. Go you!
Tips for Getting Your Baby Started with Dairy
You’ve heard how important dairy is for infant development, but you may be wondering when you can introduce these foods to your child.
You’re not alone! A lot of us moms had these same questions. We all want to get it right.
Until your baby is six months old, breastmilk or iron-fortified formula is recommended as the sole source of nutrition for your baby.
When your baby is six to twelve months old, you can start to gradually introduce single-ingredient foods. Yogurt and cottage cheese are great choices during this time. It may take several tries – and lots of messy outfits – but it’s all part of the process.
If your baby is around nine months old, they may be ready to start trying finger foods such as cheese. You’ll know your baby is ready if they’re able to hold objects, seem interested in food, and have the oral skills needed to handle non-liquids.
Once you’ve celebrated the big milestone of your baby’s first birthday, you can start to serve them whole milk.
Remember that every baby is unique. Some may need more time to develop their taste for certain foods. That’s OK.
A Smart Choice for Your Family
There are so many things on the to-do list of a new mom. So many important things to remember. You can’t be perfect.
But you can choose foods that will positively impact your child. You can make those first bites count.
Dairy foods can help your baby thrive during this short, but crucial, time in your family’s life.
