When my mom was carrying my little sister into her womb, I would always hear my Lola utter the phrases "Oh ito kainin mo, it's going to make the baby healthy." "Uy, iwasan mo iyan, it's too salty, hindi 'yan pupwede sa'yo." "Gulay and kainin mo, huwag 'yang puro chocolates." I thought back then, it was just a covert way for my Lola to say my mom should stay away from her sweet and salty cravings or better yet, be wise with her spending and save up. But I was wrong. It was not entirely because my mom's cravings were a bit exorbitant, rather, it's actually for my mom and sister's sake.
Fast-forward to my sibling's first months in the outside world, I again heard my Lola, for the nth time, say " oh huwag mo kalimutan padedehen 'yan ha. At ikaw (pertaining to my mom), kumain ka nang marami. Tell your husband to buy you vitamins and fruits. Huwag kalilimutan ang veggies every meal." I was a seven-year-old back then, and I would always pity my mom for experiencing being deprived of her cravings and eating veggies most of the time. I mean, I hated vegetables before! They were never part of my favorites. Broccoli and carrots aren't good at all; squash tastes so bland; okra feels like mucus. Who would want those stuff in their system, right? But it was that same moment when my mom explained how good nutrition makes us strong and well-developed. How I was able to participate in different sports growing up and be one of the consistent top students in class.
My mom taught me how good nutrition is the foundation of a child's survival, health, and development. Well, no one can deny how a baby's experiences in their first 1000 days of life- from conception to age2- can have a lifelong effect on their health and well-being. The first 1000 days are the moment when a baby's brain, body, and immune system grow and develop significantly. It is also the time when plasticity is highest throughout the course of human life thus, it can easily be modified and rewired. Research has shown that the mother's food selection and lifestyle greatly influence the baby's metabolism, immune system, and organs development. From pre-pregnancy to birth, the baby is dependent on the nutrients consumed by the mother. If a mom opts to live a poor nutrition diet during these stages, there is a higher chance that the baby will have developmental complications, putting the child's future health at risk. At birth up until 6 months, the baby is still drawing all the nutrients from the mother through breastfeeding. Breast milk is considered not just the baby's superfood, rather, it also serves as the first immunization against illness and diseases. Therefore, a mother should remain healthy eating habits to ensure an optimized foundation of the child's growth and development. Six months until one reaches 2 years, the introduction of healthy solid foods to the toddler is an essential complement to breastfeeding to allow continuous support in the toddler's growth and development. It's important that during this phase of a child's life, the parents are helping their child learn about food, mealtimes, and the importance of eating. They should slowly grasp the idea of good nutrition and promote the development of eating skills which is important for babies developmentally before 1 year of age. Furthermore, letting the child experience a variety of flavors and establishing positive eating behaviors should be encouraged to help shape food preferences later on in life.
An ensured optimal growth and development is a result of good nutrition and the impact of good nutrition can reach far into the future- they are more likely to overcome life-threatening childhood diseases, perform better in school, and have healthier families to be passed on. Indeed, the more the parents provide the baby's recommended nutritional intake, the lesser the chance of developmental delays (of course, minus the external/environmental facts that may cause such conditions)
References:
Charlotte Stirling-Reed. (2020, December 14). The Importance of Nutrition During the First 1000 Days of Life. SR Nutrition. https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/2020/12/the-importance-of-nutrition-during-the-first-1000-days-of-life/
Chulack, A. (2016, September 11). The Importance of Nutrition in Early Childhood Development. Novak Djokovic Foundation. https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/importance-nutrition-early-childhood-development/