Have you been feeding your baby's brain? Getting enough of those fabulous fats, the omega-3's, is more important than ever in the third trimester when your baby's brain is being fast-tracked.-- What to Expect When You're Expecting (p. 283)
Fat? I have to eat fat? Yes, says my book...
Omega-3 fatty acid most notably DHA, are the best addition you can make to your diet when you're eating for two. That's because DHA is essential for proper brain growth and eye development in fetuses and young babies. In fact, researchers found that toddlers whose moms consumed plenty of DHA during pregnancy had better hand-eye coordination than their peers. Getting enough of this vital baby brain fuel in your diet is especially important during the last three months (when your baby's brain grows at a phenomenal pace) and while you're nursing (the DHA content of a baby's brain triples during the first three months of life).-- What to Expect (p. 101)
Another perk of getting enough DHA during pregnancy, according to my book, is that "you're more likely to have a baby with better sleep habits."
The "good" fatty foods that I am to eat more of include: walnuts, eggs, arugula, shrimp and crab. After reading this in my book, I promptly went to Whole Foods and bought a big bag of walnuts! I am happily eating a handful a day.
In addition, I would add that my daily prenatal vitamin set (pictured below) contains a pill that packs 200 mg of DHA. (In case you are wondering, I have been taking these prenatal vitamins every day since we found out I was pregnant. I tried the One-A-Day brand-name prenatal vitamins for a month, but the DHA pill gave me really awful fish breath! The CVS brand tastes better, costs less and my doctor said it's just as good.)
So, as you can see, Baby Lima Bean is going to be one VERY SMART BABY! In fact, I will go out on a limb here and say that I would not be surprised if she turns out to be the smartest baby in the whole wide world!
