• Published by Kunthi Kumalasari Hardi, M.Ed., BCBA from BehaviorPALS Center 

Today many medical practitioners are discussing the importance of the first 1000 days of life. The first 1000 days of life are widely discussed because it is during the first 1000 days of life that many cells develop in the child's body, including in the child's brain. If we are less sensitive and neglect the task of supporting the growth of children in the first 1000 days of children, UNICEF says that this is correlated with poor growth and development of the child. It is stated that children with health problems often occur due to inadequate nutrition and less than optimal child development due to insufficient stimulation in the first two years.

Knowing the importance of the first 1000 days of children makes us realize that as parents we have a big hand in the success of the growth and development of children in these first 2 years. When do the first 1000 days of a child's life actually begin?

The first 1000 days of a child's life do not begin when the child is born, but from conception in the womb, including the first 1000 days of a child's life. Therefore, pregnant women need to understand the importance of the nutrients they eat for the growth of the brain and organs of their babies. The important nutrients consumed by the mother have an impact on the health of the baby later in life. For example, sufficient folic acid can help prevent the baby from developing spina bifida later or birth defects due to the neural tube of the brain that is not completely closed. Furthermore, adequate consumption of iron is very important, because iron plays a role in the formation of brain cells and correlates with the baby's intelligence. It was also found that if the mother consumes enough Vitamin D, A, and Zinc, this correlates with a lower likelihood of children experiencing allergies.

Apart from nutrition, there are other things that the mother also needs to pay attention to during pregnancy, namely the psychological condition of the mother. The psychological condition of the mother plays a role in shaping the child's temperament. If in the womb the mother tends to be angry often, or has unstable moods and emotions, this will be learned by the fetus and because the fetus does not yet know what is right and wrong, so when he learns that the mother's emotions go up and down and often When the baby is angry, the fetus feels that is the right thing and this causes later the temperament of your baby to be difficult, such as difficulty sleeping, difficulty adapting, and tends to be easily fussy or angry.

Understanding this we come to know that it is very important to take care of the physical and psychological health of the mother while pregnant. However, if there are things that are not done while pregnant, it does not mean that our child will be a failure. The first 1000 days of life occur from conception in the fetus until the child is two years old. So that if there are things that are not done, such as inadequate nutrition during pregnancy, it is hoped that they will be corrected immediately from the moment the child is born.

Breastfeeding from the beginning when the child is born is the best way to provide the best nutrition for the child, especially in the early days since birth, breast milk from the mother has colostrum which is very useful for the formation of immunity of the baby. In addition, responsive parenting, such as immediately providing the baby's needs when the baby shows thirsty behavior, wants to sleep, and is uncomfortable because the diaper is wet repeatedly will create a sense of security for the baby.

By Kunthi Kumalasari Hardi, M.Ed., BCBA from the BehaviorPALS Center.

Source:

The first 1,000 days of life: The brain's window of opportunity. UNICEF-IRC; www.unicef-irc.org. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.unicef-irc.org/article/958-the-first-1000-days-of-life-the-brains-window-of-opportunity.html

First 1,000 Days of Life, baby development

Newborn 0 - 6 Months / Newborn 0 - 6 Bulan / Physical Development / Tumbuh Kembang Fisik / Health / Kesehatan / The Beginning of The First 1,000 Days of Life

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