This is how important your nutrition is as an (expectant) mommy!

The well-known study "1000 Days" states that in the first 1,000 days after the conception of a baby, important decisions are made which not only affect infancy but can even affect the rest of your baby’s life.

During pregnancy

A balanced and nutritious diet not only ensures that you feel completely comfortable during pregnancy but also sets the course for healthy growth, good brain development and the development of a well-functioning immune system for your baby.

Malnutrition or even unhealthy eating habits, as well as too much or too little weight gain within the first 1,000 days, can lead to lifelong difficulties.

Even during pregnancy, your diet and preferences, therefore, shape your unborn baby. Did you know that your baby already gets to know different tastes in the stomach?

All substances that are absorbed are passed on to the baby through the placenta. Thus, a balanced and nutritious diet not only has a positive influence on the unborn baby but continues to shape it long after it is born. Unfortunately, unwanted foods are also passed on to the unborn child, so it is particularly important to avoid stimulants such as alcohol or nicotine. You should also enjoy coffee only in moderation.

Superfood: breast milk

A bit of advice: Every mother should decide for herself whether she wants to breastfeed her baby or give bottle feeds. This blog post should not subordinate any kind of baby feeding to others.

So your nutrition during the breastfeeding period also has a direct effect on your breast milk. In the past, breastfeeding mothers were advised to "eat for two". Today, however, we know that only a balanced and high-quality nutritional intake can provide the baby with the most important nutrients.

One could almost call breast milk "superfood" when it comes to the early brain development of the baby! Why? Breast milk is a living substance with unique components that could not yet be reproduced in any form of formula food - quite impressive!

The nutritional and immune properties of breast milk also protect babies from infections and diseases. The risk of sudden infant death and infant mortality is also reduced. It is even considered that prolonged breastfeeding can reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.

But breastfeeding does not only benefit the baby: For the mother, every year of breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and even heart disease.

Breastfeeding - how, how long and what next?

A baby should always be breastfed as needed and not on a strict schedule. This is also how he learns to regulate his milk consumption independently. It also helps you as a mummy to learn to respond to the baby's needs. Breastfeeding for as long as possible (up to 6 months) followed by continued breastfeeding in combination with the introduction of supplementary food for at least 1 year is generally recommended. However, some babies are no longer satisfied with breast milk at 4 months of age - this is quite normal. Then you can slowly try to start with complimentary food. You can find out how you recognize this and what the complementary food could be in the next blog post.

This blog post is a three-part series in cooperation with yamo.
Yamo is a Swiss start-up that is revolutionizing the baby food industry with delicious and above all fresh organic baby food. Just like us, yamo attaches great importance to high quality and wants the best for our children.