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Better nutrition equals a healthier child overall \u2013 not\u00a0only in infancy but also later on in life. You are only\u00a0pregnant with this child once, and you only have one\u00a0chance to control the formation of your baby\u2019s body.\u00a0You give your baby the building blocks with which to
\nform healthy bones, brain cells, organs and an overall\u00a0healthy immune system. Your baby forms from the\u00a0nutrients that you supply and this early phase of development will affect it for the rest of its life.<\/p>\n
So can you make it through your entire pregnancy on ice\u00a0cream and potato chips? Of course! But does this mean\u00a0that you and your baby will enjoy the best possible\u00a0outcomes?<\/p>\n
There is a proven link between your child\u2019s health and\u00a0your nutrition during pregnancy.\u00a0Researchers have documented that women who eat
\npoorly during pregnancy have children who are\u00a0predisposed to obesity, glucose intolerance (a precursor\u00a0to diabetes), and heart disease. Not only does your\u00a0precious baby gain the best possible building blocks\u00a0due to your hard work at eating well during pregnancy,\u00a0it also gains valuable knowledge from the way that you\u00a0eat.<\/p>\n
You can begin to teach your baby about what is good\u00a0for them and what to prefer by exposing them to these\u00a0things from the very beginning of their lives.\u00a0This gives them an innate understanding of how to live\u00a0healthy lifestyles by nurturing a preference for the\u00a0healthy over the unhealthy; for the things that build\u00a0their bodies up rather than break them down.\u00a0Mothers teach their children about the world around\u00a0them before they are even born, and nutrition is no\u00a0exception.<\/p>\n
For more information on the link between lifestyle\u00a0during pregnancy and the overall health of the child\u00a0you can read \u201cOrigins\u201d by Annie Murphy Paul or watch\u00a0her speech \u201cWhat We Learn Before We\u2019re Born\u201d\u00a0below:<\/p>\n
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