Nutrition Before Birth

Nutrition before birth is vital for the health of the unborn child, and the nutrition that mum takes during pregnancy is the key to help baby have the best start in life. Nutrition for the parents even before baby is conceived is important, because poor nutrition can lead to fertility problems. Once the baby is conceived in the womb all the building blocks to make the baby's body and brain must come from the mother, so healthy balanced eating is important, and vitamins and supplements for pregnancy may be taken to ensure this. (See Pregnancy ).

The health of your mum and dad affect your health. It seems difficult to believe, but the health of both of your parents at the time you were conceived has an effect on your health for the rest of your life, and although this effect can be subtle, it can be significant.

Your genetics are sorted out straight away. When mum and dad get together, you take a piece of both of them to make you. This is your genetic inheritance that is fixed for life. Like it or not you are stuck with it. Nobody can change their parents!

It is now your environment that determines your health and the first part of this is the environment in the womb. After your are born your parents will start to make choices for you, and then you will make more and more choices for yourself. All of these choices can affect your health, so make the best choices you can for a long healthy and happy life.

The health of baby in the womb is totally dependant on mother. It is now that you are developing the most basic building blocks of your brain and body. This also applies during the first few months after birth, when breastfeeding provides the ideal nutrition that you need to develop and grow, but bottle feeding is a second choice if this does not work out.

Vitamins and supplements during pregnancy are a good idea, but it is important to use products that are specially formulated for use during pregnancy. This will make sure that you don’t miss out on important nutrients such as folic acid, and that you are taking the right form of vitamin A for use in pregnancy. Starting to take pregnancy supplements or folic acid before you actually get pregnant is betters still, rather than leaving it until you find out. These products have the right balance of vitamins, minerals and the essential Omega-3 fatty acids to help brain development in the growing baby.