Choice of Nutrition for an Infant

The pregnancy period is a very critical time for the life of the fetus. At this time, the mother-to-be of the unborn baby is the sole provider of the important vitamins and minerals that are in very high demand during the gestation period. For a healthy fetus and embryo, the mother should take in foods which contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. These minerals include folic acid, calcium, and iron. According to Nierenberg (2016), Folic acid provides vitamin B which prevents neural tube defects. For the development of the babys bones and teeth, the mother should eat a lot dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese. These provide vitamin D which is vital for the healthy growth of the fetus. All these foods should be routinely taken so as to ensure that the fetus has a consistent supply of the same.

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What a mother-to-be eats during pregnancy has a very huge bearing on the short and long-term health status of the fetus. According to Nierenberg (2016), Poor nutrition may impair the brain development of the fetus; cause a variety of abnormalities in the functioning of the endocrine, or even the energy metabolism as well as the general organ development of the fetus. When the fetus is deprived of the vital nutrients during the first half of the pregnancy, the development of the brain features is greatly affected. Therefore, there is a big threat on the long term well-being of the fetus.

From the foregoing, it is important to develop a list of the good and bad nutritional food choices for the baby and the mother. This is to ensure that the mother is aware of the consequences of the nutritional choices that she makes. Good nutrition involves the intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and quantities of lean proteins (Nierenberg, 2016). These should all be available in every meal. Bad nutritional choices on the other hand is composed of the intake of unpasteurized foods, eating fish with high levels of mercury, and the intake of raw meat as well as drinking alcoholic beverages.

Breastfeeding is the use of the mothers milk to feed the baby. Formula feeding, on the other hand, involves the use of any other methods and foods to feed the baby. In the first six months after birth, breastfeeding is the perfect food for the baby as opposed to formula feeding. This is because breasts milk; is free, available, contains a perfect balance of nutrients, contains the white blood cells which offer protection against infection, prevents sudden infant death syndrome, easily digestible, and contains fatty acids which are good for the brain development of the baby. Formula feeding does not offer the balanced nutrients that are offered by breast milk. As such, the baby is likely to suffer from nutrition related problems. However, there are improved formulas feeding methods which have been in existence today and which match the nutrients that are available in breast milk.

For more information regarding pre and post-natal nutrition, readers should search the following sources;

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Available at: http://www.acog.org/patients/faqs/nutrition-during-pregnancyPregnancy section of the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA)'s; choosemyplate.gov. Available at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding/making-healthy-food-choices.htmlReferences

Acog.org,. (2016). Nutrition During Pregnancy - ACOG. Retrieved 15 January 2016, from http://www.acog.org/patients/faqs/nutrition-during-pregnancy

Choose MyPlate,. (2015). | Choose MyPlate. Retrieved 15 January 2016, from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/nutritional-needs-during-pregnancyNierenberg, C. (2016).

Pregnancy Diet & Nutrition: What to Eat, What Not to Eat. LiveScience.com. Retrieved 15 January 2016, from http://www.livescience.com/45090-pregnancy-diet.html