Starting your child’s life on a solid foundation is both a powerful experience also comes with great responsibility. You are the biggest influence in your child’s life and can help shape the healthy and prosperous future of your offspring. The brain develops into a complex organ which allows children to learn to walk, talk, and read, the first 1000 days of your child life are really critical for growth, development and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established. It’s a small window of this golden opportunity to create a difference in your baby’s life.

From conception to 2 years of age. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorized these 1000 days as pregnancy, infancy and toddlerhood.

Pregnancy – Brain development starts 16 days after the conception, fetus’s neural plate forms. Without proper care during this time effects baby brain development. If mother gets good medical and prenatal care, take vitamins and folic acid with good diet and gets sleep 8-10 hours a day and has loving, safe environment. It helps the baby growth and development at full potential.

Baby First Year – At birth baby has complete Brain cells, but it’s the connections between these cells that really make the brain work, these connections develop with everyday experience.    Baby needs love, care, security and stimulation. It is also time of greatest brain vulnerability to any nutrient deficit. To help in most cases, a mother can breastfeed the baby which provides essential nutrition and protection against disease. The suggested guidelines are a minimum of six-month breastfeeding, but don’t worry if you have challenges around breastfeeding.    Work with your pediatrician to select a nutritional formula to supplement your child’s demands. After 6-month, a baby will need the introduction of solid food but make that transition after you consult with your doctor. It helps to vaccinate and try to keep them safe from pollution. Playing, reading, and singing benefit to their eventual speaking skills. Giving baby massage helps to lower your infant’s stress levels and enhance feelings of well-being and emotional security.

Baby Second Year – Baby’s brain continuous to develop as rapid speed. With continuous nurturing, love, trying to keep safe as much as possible, good nutrition and “back & forth” interaction between baby and caregiver takes long way. Reading, talking, singing and playing with your child, helps baby to be happy and have a better cognitive capacity and have a better chance to live a fuller, more productive. (Dr. Shonkoff also talks about serve and return).

The research shows that if the pregnant mother does not get good care it effects baby. Baby can suffer from symptoms such as low weight, lower IQ and are shorter in height. Children may not perform better in school and they are more prone to the illness more likely to miss classes and eventually drop out. On other hand proper care this time reduces a person’s risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life. Important to watch developmental milestones; children can be helped at the right time to reach their full potential.