​Welcome Baby! Give Baby a Head Start to a Healthy Life

Aug 13th 2020

​Welcome Baby! Give Baby a Head Start to a Healthy Life

Written by Jolie Root, LPN, LNC

Jolie is the Senior Nutritionist and Educator for Carlson. She travels throughout North America attending medical conferences, lecturing, and educating about the role of nutrition in integrative medicine.

What a wonderful experience it is to welcome a new life into the world. Every parent wants to give their precious infant the best possible start in life.

Healthy Infants and Vitamin D

Paying careful attention to nutrition is one way we can give our little ones the healthiest beginning. Breast milk (or formula) are excellent sources of nutrition for baby. There is one issue though. Breast feeding may not provide enough vitamin D. Vitamin D supports healthy growth and development, and it helps our bodies absorb calcium for healthy bones, muscles, teeth, immune, and heart health.

Vitamin D is so important, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggest parents give their breastfed newborn 400 IU (10 mcg) every day. Carlson makes that easy. Baby Super Daily® D3 is a single, unflavored drop that provides 400 IU (10 mcg) for baby. It's so easy to use, just turn the bottle upside down, and allow a perfectly measured drop to fall out. The drop can be put into the baby's bottle or used when breastfeeding. Once the baby is eating foods, drop one drop onto a single bite of food, and you’re done. The special gravity fed bottle ensures there's no risk of contamination.

DHA for Baby's Brain and Vision Health

The beneficial omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is arguably one of the most important nutrients for babies and young children. Breastfeeding moms who have just gone through a pregnancy may be low in DHA too. A healthy brain is the foundation for a healthy child. This is one of the reasons why during pregnancy, many doctors recommend DHA to expectant mothers. DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid that is a critical structural element of the human brain, cerebral cortex, retina, and skin. Fats make up 60 percent of the brain, thus consuming the right kind of fats in foods and supplements is a no-brainer for those in pursuit of optimal health. DHA supports a brighter mood for mom during and just after pregnancy, and DHA is also linked to a better chance of supporting a full-term pregnancy, which truly supports the health of the child.

DHA helps to strengthen neurons and increase neural function in babies. DHA is the most essential fat for brain development in infants and is also important for nerve and visual development. Scientists from Harvard and Tufts combined data from multiple studies examining omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy and in infants. They found that omega-3 supplementation improved child neurodevelopment, including reading ability, attention and focus skills, memory, and social skills. Carlson Baby’s DHA makes it so simple to be sure your baby is getting his or her daily dose of DHA. It's easy to use because it comes with a handy syringe to measure the perfect dose according to the baby’s weight. Simply add Baby’s DHA to food, or give the DHA straight into baby’s mouth. Just wash the syringe with the dinner dishes, and it's ready to use again tomorrow.

Another great way to support a child’s health is a probiotic supplement. Probiotics support digestive and immune system health. Select one with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria cultures, two of the most important probiotic strains. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria work together to support the health, growth, and maintenance of friendly bacteria in the gut, promoting healthy bowel function, gastrointestinal comfort, and a healthy immune system.