DHA & Helping Baby Develop a Healthy Brain

As an expectant mother, one of the most important ways to care for yourself and unborn baby is to simply eat healthy.  Most people know this means eating nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, avoiding raw or undercooked meats and going the organic route when possible.  But few really give much thought to the prenatal vitamins needed to supplement mommy’s diet…before, during and after pregnancy.  And yes, taking a supplement before pregnancy officially begins is just as important because a baby’s neural tube development which becomes the brain and spinal cord, develops during the first month of pregnancy!

So what should a rookie mom-to-be even consider when shopping around for a prenatal vitamin, if everything looks pretty nutrient-rich? Well, most prenatal vitamins include important components like calcium and folic acid, but what you really want to look for is something that includes DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.

One such vitamin is BrainStrong Prenatal, which includes up to 75% more DHA than other leading over-the-counter prenatal vitamins!

Experts say that DHA is critical for optimal brain health and function in infants because it is a central component of the nervous system.  New research even suggests that babies born to mothers with high levels of DHA are more likely to have advanced cognitive abilities and an increased attention span (aka smart babies!).  And if a mother isn’t getting the adequate DHA from her food source, she needs to make sure it’s supplied in her vitamins!

What sets BrainStrong apart from the competition, is the fact that it comes from a natural vegetarian source, not fish as with other prenatal vitamins.  This means you get the benefits of DHA without having to stress about the unknown pollutants and toxins potentially found in certain fish.

When I think back to the early days of my pregnancy, I regret not learning more about DHA — which wasn’t included in the prenatal vitamin I was taking at the time.  I remember my doctor just handing me a prescription for prenatal vitamins and didn’t really talk too much about what was in it.  If I only knew then what I know now, I would have been sure to look for DHA!

Luckily today as a nursing mother, I am armed with even more knowledge to make informative decisions when it comes to my child’s health…and am happy to see DHA included in my current choice of vitamins.  And if you’re wondering…YES, DHA is still important for the ongoing growth and development of your little ones!

You can look for BrainStrong at your local pharmacy and see if it is right for you.

*Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.