After posting about the importance of a child’s first 1,000 days (the period of conception to 2 years), Dr Ellie Cannon has been answering your questions relating to the importance of protein during this period, as well as questions on early life nutrition. Take a look below to see what her answers were.
Great post! There seems to be so much info out there about feeding and nutrition that it’s hard to work out which advice to listen to. Our boy’s a really fussy toddler (2-year-old) so I’d love to hear any tips from Dr Cannon on how to deal with that.
This is a really common question so do not worry! Firstly, I would make a list of all the foods your child DOES eat. Often with a fussy toddler, we get caught up on what they’re not eating and actually the foods he does eat may be quite extensive. This should go some way to reassuring you – look at each food group and make sure he has a little range of 2 or 3 in each one. Even as adults we tend to like a small range of foods.
Concentrate on introducing one or two important things at a time e.g. new fruit or new proteins like types of fish. Don’t worry if he doesn’t take to things: toddlers are so fickle that what he hates this week, he may love next week. So keep trying and don’t stress! Don’t forget to give him vitamins in line with the government guidelines: particularly important in a fussy eater. And think about textures as well as tastes – sometimes it is that that puts a child off: so he may not like mashed potatoes but he might like jacket potatoes. SMA Nutrition have actually created a food diary to download to keep track of the foods your toddler is eating.
My question would be: if mothers do not breastfeed their child does formula contain the same amount of protein as breast milk?
Breast milk protein is unique and adapts to your baby’s growth and relative requirements, this means the level of protein can increase or decrease based on the baby’s needs, unlike in baby formula where the level will stay the same.
SMA Nutrition and Dr Ellie Cannon have done a wonderful job in further educating parents around the world on the importance of nutrition and protein levels at such a critical time. Not only will it benefit the mother by eating the right things during pregnancy, but also the baby up until the age of 2. Those first 1,000 days are a key time in their development and can help shape their future health, so it’s really important that they get the right level of nutrients and protein to help them grow and develop at a steady rate. It’s important to remember that the amount of protein your baby needs decreases as they grow!
I had no idea that it was so critical for so long and quite frankly, I am stunned that this kind of information isn’t more readily available. Prior to these posts, I genuinely had no idea it was so important to my child’s development, even though I had read about what they should be eating, I never realised the value. I’m so happy to have been able to share this information with you.
For more information on the importance of protein and the 1st 1000 days, you can find out more on the SMAmums website.
*This post is in association with SMA Nutrition