Benefits of omega

Have you ever heard of the importance of meeting nutritional needs in the first 1000 days of your little one's life? The quality of nutrition at this time is very crucial for health and development during the life of the little one, for now and in the future. Of these various nutrients, one of them is omega-3 fatty acids for your little one.

When Is It Time To Start Taking Omega-3s?

The first thousand days of life means from the moment you experience conception until your little one is two years old. High-quality omega-3s should already be part of the supplement before and during pregnancy, not to forget when entering breastfeeding.

Omega-3 fatty acids are called essential fats because they are not produced by the body and must be obtained through several types of food sources or supplements. Mother-to-be must prepare at least six months before conception or conception to build and receive the benefits of omega-3 for your little one.

What are the benefits of omega-3 for your little one in the first 1000 days of life?

Here are some of the benefits of omega-3 for your little one that can be obtained if their daily intake can be fulfilled:

Reducing the risk of your little one being born prematurely

The results of several studies show that increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) during pregnancy can reduce the risk of your little one being born prematurely. Pregnant women should at least consume DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) 300 mg per day. DHA intake of 600-800 mg per day can protect your little one from premature birth.

Entering the breastfeeding period, omega-3 intake is still needed to support your little one's growth in the future. Nursing mothers need to consume 200 mg per day so that the DHA content in breast milk reaches 0.3 percent. If your little one is given formula milk, the omega-3 content in the formula must contain as much as 100 mg of DHA and 140 mg of ARA (arachidonic acid) per day.

Optimizing your little one's growth

With sufficient daily intake, the benefits of omega-3 for your little one have a positive impact on growth:

Brain
Eye
Body endurance
Nervous system

It is very important to consume omega-3 fatty acids from before conception to pregnancy. Even when you are pregnant, maintaining omega-3 levels is more important because DHA levels during pregnancy will decrease faster as a result of being given to your little one selectively.

Entering the third trimester of pregnancy, brain growth is accelerating so that the need for DHA is increasing. For this reason, intake of omega-3s must always be considered in order to avoid deficiency of essential fatty acids.

Increase the intelligence of your little one

According to researchers from the University of Kansas, babies with mothers who had higher levels of DHA at birth, had better concentration levels and continued to develop until their little one turned two years of age.

"Concentration levels are thought to be an important component of intelligence during early life," said John Colombo, Ph.D, principal investigator at the University of Kansas.

In order to get the benefits of omega-3 for your little one while pregnant, you may experience a little difficulty. The reason is, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommends intake of food sources such as fish and shellfish that are low in mercury, only two meals a week. These sources of omega-3 include shrimp, tuna, salmon and catfish.

Therefore, a nutritionist named Barbara Levine, PhD, suggests increasing intake of omega-3 from supplements.

Omega-3 for your little one is one of the essential fatty acids that need attention during the first 1000 days of your little one's life. However, keep in mind that not only omega-3s, other nutrients also need to be fulfilled. Mothers can always consult a doctor about how to meet these needs.