My son will turn 1 tomorrow. ONE!!!! I know everyone says that time flies and that the first year is a blur, but I didn’t believe them. But as I sit and reflect on the past year, I do find that it has gone all too fast. A year ago, my husband and I were impatiently awaiting the arrival of Joe. And when he finally made his debut, he was this helpless, little baby that just slept, cried and ate! Over the next few months he would add smiling, giggling, sitting and crawling to his repertoire and we would ponder in amazement at this wondrous creature who pushes his boundaries and is not afraid to try new things…whether it be butternut squash, or trying to take that first step.
Just like every parent, we want to make sure that we are doing the best we can for Joe. To me, that means showering him with love and attention. Giving him space to explore and try new things for himself. And giving him the best nutrition that I can. Vitamin D is at the top of my list. It is important for bone health and immunity, not to mention that studies have even shown that it may prevent certain cancers. And since I live in a Northern part of the world, I do not get much sunlight, so my doctor has suggested that both Joe and I take at least 1000IU of Vitamin D3 per day. Talk to your doctor about your vitamin D requirements.
DHA is also important, particularly for brain and eye development. In the human infant, brain development undergoes its most rapid and complex growth during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first 2 years after birth. This means that during this period the child’s eventual neurological development is highly dependent on its dietary intake of essential nutrients, especially omega-3 oils. I give him a little bit in his cereal every day and since he is still nursing, I make sure that I am stocked up on it as well.
We have been blessed with a sweet, healthy boy and we cannot wait to see what the next year brings.
