A journey through the first 1,000 days

The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life are vitally important. Among other environmental factors, breastfeeding in the early months gives babies the best possible start in life and also helps create an important bond between mother and infant.

The early years of life, from conception through to our second birthday, are a period of growth and development more rapid and significant than at any other stage of our lives. Because all of our organs and tissues are being formed and educated during this time, they offer a unique window of opportunity to shape our lifelong health¹.

Conception to birth: Pregnancy

A healthy, balanced diet before conception and during pregnancy helps mothers nourish the growing fetus and build optimal body reserves in preparation for breastfeeding. Furthermore, there is now evidence showing that an imbalance of macro- and micro-nutrients during pregnancy can lead to a baby developing non-communicable diseases later on in life¹. This suggests that, in order to promote the short- and long-term health outcomes of both mother and baby, it is essential to have a balanced and nutritious diet, together with a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.

An imbalance of macro- and micronutrients during pregnancy can programme a child to develop non-communicable diseases later in life¹.

0-6 months: Breastfeeding

Danone Nutricia supports the WHO’s public health recommendations in favor of mothers exclusively breastfeeding for at least the first six months of a baby’s life and continued breastfeeding for up to two years, along with the gradual introduction of safe and suitable solid foods.

Danone believes that human breast milk is the best possible source of nourishment for every infant. In early life, breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients and bioactive components to ensure the optimal growth and development of an infant’s body and its organs, including the immune system and gastrointestinal microbiota. Breastfeeding is also associated with many short- and long-term health benefits for both the baby and its mother².

Human milk contains the right balance of nutrients and bioactive components to ensure the optimal growth and development of the body and its organs.

6-12 months: Introduction of solid food

Breastmilk on its own is no longer sufficient, since infants have increased nutritional needs beyond six months. The introduction of solid food is important to meet the growing needs of the infant and help him develop different food tastes and experience new textures. As the foundation of nutritional programming; this phase is about more than just ‘providing energy’ as it shapes lifelong eating habits^3-6.

Did you know taste preferences start in the womb and is influenced by maternal diet?

>12 months: Transition to family diet

Toddlers need up to seven times more of some specific nutrients compared to an adult (per kg of body weight) to support the rapid physical and mental development that continues throughout childhood⁷. This means that at every meal, an infant must eat significantly more micro-nutrients than an adult. Therefore, it’s important to eat nutrient-dense foods as opposed to energy-dense foods⁸.

Toddlerhood is a period of life characterized by the child gaining more autonomy, resulting from the development of fine motor skills and a change in the relationship with parents. It is therefore parental feeding styles and routines in the early months that can have a profound impact on eating behaviors much later in life.

A toddler’s specific nutritional requirements may not always be met by a regular family diet, particularly when it comes to nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin D and essential fatty acids. Moreover, high levels of protein and salt in adult diets may be unsuitable for younger infants. Giving them breastmilk or milk suitable for toddler as part of a balanced diet can be an effective food-based strategy to address any nutritional imbalances.

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